These twenty 15mm scale plastic Confederate soldiers are produced by “Warlord Games” and came as a highly-anticipated free sprue accompanying Issue 393 of "Wargames Illustrated". The models are currently part of the Nottingham-based company's "Epic Battles: American Civil War" range for the Black Powder rule-set, and make up the final two lines of infantrymen need for me to form the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment.
The soldiers were primed using a double-coat of “Vallejo” Sombre Grey before having their top halves (from the jackets up) painted with "Citadel" Abaddon Black. I then carefully started to ‘pick out’ both strips’ numerous details from the ground up, applying a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade to the footwear of six of the miniatures. I subsequently did something similar with the models’ trousers too, as I didn't just want all of them to be marching in the same colour pants.
This caused me to pigment several with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, a few with Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and even a couple of Confederates with “Vallejo” Steel Grey and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade. At this stage I took the opportunity of working on the musician’s drum, and essentially just applied a layer or two of “Vallejo” Heavy Brown to the percussion instrument before ‘picking out’ its ropes with some “Citadel” Abaddon Black and “Vallejo” White.
The entire drum was shaded with a combination of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. I actually applied a second dash of wash in between the ropes in order to make its shell much darker than the skin on the drumhead. The soldiers’ jackets were painted with a mixture of "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil or "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade. However, I did mix in the odd combatant with a Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade top, and even gave of the banner bearers on the command strip with Vallejo" Heavy Brown and “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade coat.
I also gave all the Kepi hats a dash of "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, their blanket rolls a smidgeon of either "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Heavy Red or White with a wash of "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and their belt buckles a touch of "Vallejo" Gold and (more) Strong Tone Quickshade by "The Army Painter". Finally, I applied a couple of 15mm flags by “GMB Designs” to the ensemble using the products ACW39 - Alabama State and ACW31 - 1st (silk) pattern ANV battle flags.
With my most recent entry into the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge entry finished I have made some more progress on the 1/1200th British Ironclads by “Brigade Models” I recently unearthed from their decade-long storage. The “huge fighting machines” have now all been undercoated, shaded and dry-brushed, so I am now just patiently picking out all of their numerous guns, tracks, and wheels….