There is a tremendous interest in wargaming at the moment, and the majority of this interest seems to be centred on the Napoleonic period. Even Airfix has been persuaded by the obvious market potential to enter the field, and Waterloo figures now rival World War Two and the American Civil War in numbers and variety. Newcomers to the hobby now build up Airfix Napoleonic armies quickly and cheaply as they would once have done with Yankees and Rebels, these being the only figures which Airfix used to produce in anything near a comprehensive range.
Each of the three arms of service for the A.C.W. are covered in Airfix figures; the infantry by the Union and Confederate infantry sets, the artillery by the American Civil War Artillery set, and the cavalry by the 7th U.S.Cavalry set. The Wagon Train set and the Cowboy set enabled the more skilled modellers to produce irregular cavalry units, and ordnance and supply wagons, ambulances, etc. Conversions for most of the other units involved in the War were described in articles in magazines - indeed I wrote a series for Airfix Magazine in 1968, which covered everything from Zouaves to Marines.
But what of the A.C.W. now? It is a sadly neglected period, perhaps for three main reasons. One we have mentioned, the fact that newcomers are tending to start in the Napoleonic period because the figures are now available. Once into the period, they tend to stick with it, and move on to metal figures, where again they are very well served by ever major manufacturer. The second reason is the lack of a good set of rules, although this problem does not appear to have been overcome in the Napoleonic period either! And thirdly, the lack of good and interesting figures. Most of the main metal figure makers include an American Civil War range in their products, but none tackle it with the same dedication devoted to the Napoleonic period. In the Minifigs catalogue for example, there are hundreds of Napoleonic listings, but many less A.C.W. Coupled with this problem is the fact that Airfix A.C.W. figures will not match in with the much larger 25mm metal ranges, which means that wargamers like me who have a basic army in Airfix plastic cannot blend in new units of metal figures for special requirements or types without spoiling the overall effect.
Well, I am glad to say that this latter problem has practically been solved with the revival of an old name in wargames figures, the U.S. company of Thomas HO (20mm) scale figures. These figures were originally designed many years ago for use with model railway layouts, and the range still includes numerous period civilians - including a Salvation Army Band! The Thomas range is now being marketed by K and L Company, PO Box 308, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74152, U.S.A. The figures are slightly smaller than the Airfix A.C.W. range, more in line with the earlier Airfix figures in real HO scale (eg the Guards Band) but when they are painted up the difference is so small it is not apparent. The effect can be helped by mounting the figures on thicker stands than the Airfix figures because the Thomas figures have much thinner individual bases than the plastic figures.
The range available is very extensive, and is divided into groups. The "Cavalry" groups consists of seven figures, available in both kepi and soft hat, including trumpeter, guidon bearer, officers and troopers, on galloping and walking horses. The "Generals" group comprises four different mounted figures, two in action poses and two in more relaxed stances. The "Infantrymen" group is divided into two, one section in kepis and one-in soft brimmed hats. There are twelve figures in each, in all the required poses from "lying firing" to "marching", and including "clubbing with rifle" (a very lively pose, with the rifle held by the muzzle, swung back over the shoulder), "loading", "charging" etc. The "Infantry" group consists simply of two buglers, standing and charging, in kepi and soft hat. The "Musician" group, again in kepi or soft hat, comprises four figures, a Drum Major, fifer, side and base drummer, all marching. The "Officer" group has figures in kepis only except for one charging figure in a slouch hat, but numbers ten figures in both action and relaxed poses, including "aiming revolver, drawn sword" and "studying map".
The final group are the "Standard Bearers", in four poses from "attention, with flag" to "in action, revolver, flag", and again in kepis and soft hats. To supplement the ordinary infantry there is a separate series of Zouave figures, comprising four officer poses and siz Zouaves. To round off the services there are groups to cover the artillery and support services. The "Artillery Personnel" group has nine figures, covering the entire gun crew. "Artillery Pieces" themselves consist of six different guns, including the 12pdr Napoleon, Parrot Rifles, and Whitworth breechloader. There is also a beautiful "Heavy Fortress Gun Kit" which is a 32pdr Columbiad, bronze piece on a traversing fortress carriage. Nor are mortars forgotten, the "Mortar" group being made up of a 10" iron siege mortar and a bronze coehorn.
The "Wheeled Equipment Kits" group consists of a limber, battery wagon, caisson and field forge, and even extra ammo boxes. "Gun Team Horses" are available with and without riders, and harnesses are also available. Two kinds of "Supply Wagons" are made, one with and one without canopy, and mules with and without' drivers. The whole extensive range is completed by the "Casualties and Medical" group, which consists of three figures in the act of falling wounded; two figures lying dead or wounded; a group of two walking wounded, one with a bandaged head, one with a bandaged knee, helping each other from the battlefield; one wounded figure on a stretcher; stretcher bearers; and even a doctor!
Most of the figures are beautifully carved, with an amazing amount of detail for such small pieces. One or two, particularly the officers, are a little too smooth and neat, but the men in real action poses and particularly the Rebels in slouch hats are full of life. The artillery and equipment is also highly detailed. The pieces come as kits, but assembly is very easy, and there is little or no flash to remove. All in all an excellent range, and well worth investigating by A.C.W. enthusiasts. Illustrated lists are available from K and L Company, which is run by Leslie Pierce and his wife Ann and although they are not wargamers they are enthusiasts, and their aim is quality rather than quantity.
Oddly enough, another range of 20mm A.C.W. figures has appeared on the market recently. These are called "C in C" and are distributed by Micro-Mold., 1-2 Unifax, Woods Way, Goring-by-Sea, Sussex. This is a more limited range, but the castings are also of a very high quality. Four infantry figures are available at the moment, Union (kepi) marching in frockcoat, marching advance arms, marching slope arms, and Confederate (slouch hat) marching slope arms. Six figure gun crews in kepi or slouch hat are also available, and there are eight different artillery pieces. These are a Union 12 pdr Napoleon M1857, Confederate 12pdr Napoleon, 6pdr M1841, 12pdr M1841 howitzer, 2.9 inch Parrott Rifle M1861, 3 inch Parrot Rifle M1863, 3 inch Ordnance Rifle, and 24pdr howitzer M1841. Teams and limbers for these should be on the market soon, as they are available in the U.S. but Micro-Mold are awaiting supplies. The guns come in kit form and require a minimum of cleaning up. The figures have separate heads, and must be assembled, but this means that in the gun crew the figures can be looking at various angles to add to realism. Detail is crisp, and the gun crew even includes a figure "thumbing the vent".
But what of rules. There are sets of A.C.W. rules available of course, but of those I have tried none really seem to capture the flavour of the period. I have just obtained a set of the "Hardtack" rules from K and L Company, and when I have tried them out I will write a report for the Newsletter, together with some comments on other sets we have played. Meanwhile if any reader has a set he thinks worth using, perhaps he would write to me so we can swop notes. And perhaps A.C.W. wargamers will start being a little more voluble in these pages, and extoll the virtues of the period for wargaming!
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© Copyright 1975 by Donald Featherstone.
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