Stone Mountain

15mm ACW Naval Guns

by Paul Koch

I have been doing business with the folks at Stone Mountain for well over a decade. in that time I have always been more than pleased with their service and with one or two exceptions, delighted with their products. We have become such good friends that I hesitate to say anything bad about them. Fortunately in this review I don't have much to say in a negative way. The new line of naval guns and crews are just excellent, as, are their new "Negro infantry" and "Texans".

The detail of the guns themselves is quite outstanding. The wood grain on the four wheel carriages is just slightly exaggerated making for a most excellent effect when painted. The crews too have very good detail. This is especially true of the faces. They have character that is difficult to find in most 15mm figures. Some of the crews too wear army style cartridge boxes, nice but not supported by any research evidence that I have seen. Perhaps Dan Beattie may have, but not me.

The proportions of the guns are just plain perfect. I even checked with the charts in ROUNDSHOT & RAMMERS and they match perfectly. The figures' heads are slightly enlarged, butso much the better for detail. My only real problem with the figures is both the "Negro infantry" and the "Texans" are equipped with sawed-off shotguns affixed with bayonets.

The castings too are very clean with only a little flash on the bottom of the bases which is easily handled by filing. As is usual for Stone Mountain too is the completeness of the range. No less than 15 different naval guns and mortars are in the range, as well as both CSA and USA crews. Personally I can't tell them apart but there may be those who can.

All in all an excellent addition supplying not only the naval gamer but for combined operations with land rules, even for a crusty old "landlubber" like me. I am even now painting up guns and crews for a 15mm gunboat to support my 20mm armies.

I might add that Stone Mountain also sells the Civil War era ships of Greenfield Garrison which make excellent homes for our naval heroes. I highly recommend these figures. "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" Available from Stone Mountain Miniatures, Inc., Box 594, Broomfield, CO 80020.

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