Let me start off by telling you why I'm reviewing minatures for the newsletter. First off, I have no special qualifications other than a passion for the history of the Civil War and I'm getting into wargaming again. When it comes to minatures I've painted more than a few in 15mm scale. I am not a great figure painter; most of my figures are tabletop grade, fine for the gaming table but not for a diorama. This isn't to say that I don't appreciate the fine painters out there producing the museum quality items; I just don't have the time or patience to do this myself. I also believe that most wargamers are in the same set of circumstances I am. It would really be great if I had the time to paint more but I have to hold down a full time job to afford the hobby in the first place. Why I'm writing this item for Marc is that I've painted a few in my time and intend on painting quite a few more. I've also go access to some fine hobby shops that are happy to provide me with a variety of wargaming figures and supplies. What I'll be writing about is what I learn and what people are willing to share with me. The idea is not to vilify any particular figure maker or company but to review what is available for the gamer today. The one problem I can see is that there are so many good companies to review. It will take time to cover even a part of them. Personally, I game mainly in 15mm scale though I've also done quite a bit of naval gaming in various scales. I will be looking at other scales as time and opportunity present themselves. I welcome feedback and will readily admit I have a lot to learn. This is part of the reason I love gaming, where else do we have so much fun learning? J & T Miniatures This is where I'll begin. I have an interest in both Civil War Ironclads and coastal and riverine operations during the war. Most Civil War naval miniatures are in a size range between 1/600 to 1/2400 scales and can be practical for a lot of gaming. Then we have one line of naval miniatures that work ideally with 15mm scale figures. This line is Merrimack Miniatures offered by J & T Miniatures. These ships are a combination of resin and metal and require some assembly and painting. These are not precision scale models of the historical ships but designed specifically for wargaming. They actually fit in very well with 15mm scale figures and with a little paint and effort look pretty good. J & T also offers a couple of 25mm Civil War ships and well as an extensive range of other wargaming figures and buildings. J & T Miniatures also offers another line of miniatures that are difficult to find. If you want heavy artillery for your Civil War campaign they offer Yucca Miniatures. Now these are the really heavy weapons that did see use during the war; the 100 pound Parrot. The 15-inch Dahlgren and a host of others. Even the heavy Armstrong and Blakely weapons are represented. This are actually very good castings and reasonably priced. DJD Minatures Painting Service Okay, lets say for a moment that you don't have the time to paint up an army. I've found what might be a unique set of opportunities. First I want to tell you about this company DJD Minatures Painting Service. There have been other companies in the past that have made it their business to paint your minatures. Most eventually go out of business. It looks like DJD intends on sticking around. It might be worth the time to check out their website to see some of what they offer. They do carry some painted and mounted Civil War figures in both 15mm and 25mm Ranges. They state that their figures are historically accurate and meticulously painted. From what I can see on their website their work looks good and the prices are not out of line. E-Bay Now I've discovered something else that's more than a little interesting though. Try checking out E-bay for wargaming figures and supplies. I actually found several complete Civil War armies up for sale on E-bay. Two of these armies were being offered by DJD and not advertised on their regular website. I also found a variety of other Civil War figures, mainly in 15mm, of varied quality and quantity. It could be worthwhile to learn the ins and outs of E-bay. It is possible to check up on the past performance of people selling there. It would seem to me that if you were careful you might do very well here. Of course there are a lot of people who honestly enjoy painting their own figures. I say more power to them! Okay, enough for now. I need to do some painting myself. I wish you all the best fortune on your little battlefields… Back to Table of Contents -- ACW Newsletter # 9 Back to ACW Newsletter List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by Marc Shefelton. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com