Next round of releases (1 Viewer)

[Jefman]

With the 1st of May tomorrow I thought it would be fun to begin speculation on the next round of WB releases now that Richard has more or less gotten his arms around the conclusion of getting the bulk of the 2010 line onto the market. For starters I am most hopeful that the 2nd of the four quarterly releases planned for 2011 includes some ACW Confederate cavalry. Us ACW afficianados have waited many years for some mounted types to confront the numerous WB ACW Union Cavalry troopers including last years terrific line up of dismounted troopers that are now matriculating into the hands of collectors. My 2011 Collectors Club dismounted 1st Virginia Cavalry trooper sits idle eagerly awaiting a call up of extra troopers to supplement his look. It is a fantastic figure in need of perhaps four or five add ons as well as two or three mounted figures to give this early war look a plausible depiction. No intention to slight the WW1, Naps, Zulus or other lines but WB usually delivers the goods and us ACW collectors want this 150th anniversary year to be a significant one from a collection standpoint.

 

[Napoleon1er]

My focus is on the possibility of new Jane Austen figures, including the ones that have been shown on this forum (some more soldiers, a shepherd, and some sheep), as well as a new glossy range with buildings..... Richard? Ken?
-Sandor:salute::

 

[Jefman]

Obviously the 2011 rollouts are already in production. Since Richard has touched on 1862 to the next year of presentations for that being in the midst of the 150th anniversary of the ACW I would suggest strongly some mounted ACW Union Cavalry figurines for 2012. Most previous Union depictions in both mounted and dismounted form have been on a generic non unit specific angle contrary to the bulk of WB's Confederate mounted line which for the past 8 years or so a decidely 1st Virginia Cavalry slant. Richard: I'm suggesting for 2012 a four figure or so lineup of 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry or WB's first foray into the world of a state militia specific Federal Cavalry regiment. For it was in 1862 that Col. Richard Rush mustered out the blue bloods of upper crust Philadelphia society into a mounted unit that was armed with the ancient weapon: the lance. Adorned with red pennants at the end the lances that personifed the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry into the name Rush's Lancers. But this was not some type of well heeled, non battlefield oriented group of timid mounted wannabes. Instead this unit over time galvanized into a solid Federal unit on par with any Union Army regular cavalry regiment and achieving of every bit of notoriety that Custer's Michigan troopers earned or that of other well known 1st's: Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island to name a few. 1862 saw Rush's Lancers armed with lances and pistols, single collar braid militia jackets, dark blue as opposed to lighter blue mounted trousers and a can do attitude arriving to serve Lincoln's army. By early 1863 the 6th PA. had learned that the 12 foot lance was not suited for the formidable wooded terrain of northern Virginia in spirited light cavalry tussles with the adept horsemen of the Confederacy so that weapon was ditched with a few held onto in a distinct symbolic trademark capacity with the bulk of the regiment now being armed up with Sharps Carbines. During the epic all cavalry battle of June 1863 at Brandy Station, Virginia it was the 6th Pennsylvania that made the spine tingling charge at St. James Church crashing into Jeb Stuart's hastily formed up troops that etched the 6th PA.s honor and bravery into the context of the ACW. The 6th PA/Rush's Lancers skirmished into the 1865 Appomattox campaign and is a sterling example of a state raised militia unit that grasped the role of duty in the conflict and battled into legendary status most worthy of a depiction by WB.

 

[mestell]

While at the W. Britian/Wisconsin Veteran's Museum event yesterday I discussse this subject with Richard Walker and Ken Osen. Ken is finishing up/working on quite a few figures depicting the 114th PA Zouaves as they appeared at Gettysburg (heavily engaged on July 2, 1863 in the Wheatfield). The proto-types are very well done, excellent casualty figures. There was a positive indication that early war dismounted CSA cavalry will be making their appearance to go with this years Collector Club 1st VA Dismounted cavalry figure. I pleaded the case for more mounted cavalry . . . in due time. Special Iron Brigade sets to be developed. 19th century ACW barn should be here within next 30 days . . . and the rest is a secret :wink2::tongue:
:smile2: Mike

 

[Army of North Virginia]

While at the W. Britian/Wisconsin Veteran's Museum event yesterday I discussse this subject with Richard Walker and Ken Osen. Ken is finishing up/working on quite a few figures depicting the 114th PA Zouaves as they appeared at Gettysburg (heavily engaged on July 2, 1863 in the Wheatfield). The proto-types are very well done, excellent casualty figures. There was a positive indication that early war dismounted CSA cavalry will be making their appearance to go with this years Collector Club 1st VA Dismounted cavalry figure. I pleaded the case for more mounted cavalry . . . in due time. Special Iron Brigade sets to be developed. 19th century ACW barn should be here within next 30 days . . . and the rest is a secret :wink2::tongue:
:smile2: Mike

I suggest some Tennessee Army confederate regiment (blue flag with red cross), some confederate cavalry dismounted, 3 inch cannon and union generals: Thomas, Reynolds, Hooker and Burnside (there are already many confederates).

 

[Jefman]

That's good stuff Mike. The 114th PA. Zouaves would be a tremendous augmentation to Federal Regulars and the Iron Brigade. I'm sure the 1st VA. Cavalry figure was not a lone wolf rollout...and that will be really exciting to see a circa 1861 look to that unit in a dismounted setting. I plan on backdropping that group (hopefully 4-6 figures) in front of the mounted 1st VA's that were made previously. The flair of an early war Confederate Artillery battery with a distinctive state militia flavor say Hampton's Legion-Washington Artillery pulling or firing an english made Blakely rifle would also be a nice adddition.

 

[Dragoon]

I suggest some Tennessee Army confederate regiment (blue flag with red cross), some confederate cavalry dismounted, 3 inch cannon and union generals: Thomas, Reynolds, Hooker and Burnside (there are already many confederates).

Also would like to see Sherman and Sheridan.

 

[pfd119]

I agree on more generals! But I would also like to see some mtd. figures of Lee, Hancock and Jeb Stuart!

 

[Jefman]

It is gratifying to see other ACW afficianados chiming in with a desire to see more mounted figures. Yes costs are significanlty higher than stand alone figures but the mounted side of the ACW is a great topic. I have been immersed this afternoon studying the efforts of General Philip Sheridan (glad he was brought up) and his June 1864 raid to Trevilian Station. A great study in the evolving tactics of both sides of the ACW. Basically Grant orders Sheridan to break away from the stalemate at Petersburg and descend on cutting Lee's critical supply line via the Central Virginia Railroad that was bringing in food and ammunition from the Shenandoah Valley via Charlottesville and Gordonsville to Petersburg. By this juncture of the war the Federals are now being primarily equipped with Spencer Repeating Carbines and Blakeslee boxes: a long cartidge box that could accompany the tubes of ammunition to reload through the buttstock of the ammo guzzling rapid firing Spencer's. The weapon gave Sheridan's mounted forces superior firepower over their Confederate opponents that lacked these state of the art carbines and ammunition to neutralize the Union made weapon. To counter this advantage, Confederate Cavalry leader Wade Hampton (assuming the role after Jeb's Stuart's death a month earlier at Yellow Tavern) began more and more espousing a technique of keeping a tactical distance from the Union forces choosing only to engage when he had a position of superior terrain, a venue to dismount and deploy his troopers along a protected skirmish line and use the better tactical distance of his primarily muzzle loading carbine and rifle equipped regiments to volley off solid counterattacks to the well concentrated and superior armed Union.A textbook of this application is Hampton's effective execution of this axiom at the Battle of Haws Shop 5/28/1864.This fight ended tactically a draw. Hampton could not pick the place to fight in Sheridan's Trevilan Station Raid with a mandate to tear up the Central Virginia RR but he could muster a plausible and effective stop gap and prevent the Union forces from making a lasting stoppage of the running of trains on the CVRR. Therefore to depict ACW Cavalry in an 1864 setting it would be a smart move to embrace the look of Spencer Carbines and Blakeslee boxes on the Federal side and to craft renditions of tattered Rebels holding muzzle loading carbines and rifles in the look.It is a great contrast in matching the well equipped Union mounts against the poorly degraded southerners but that is exactly what happened and despite the prohibitive odds against the Rebels achieving success, the CSA Cavalry was still an effective fighting force because of their adaptibility and willingness to modify their tactical disadvantages into at least an ability to counter the opponents. I think WB can craft a series of figurines that more or less depicts this juncture of the ACW with high quality looks that clarifies and articulates this aspect of the conflict. All too often the depictions by most manufacturers seem to stop at the Gettysburg campaign, its tactics and applications and we forget that the conflict lasted almost another two years.

 

[Terp152]

I would like to see more regimental flags to go with the great selection of infantry figs. Especially would like to see another Iron Bgde and Irish Bgde standard to portray multiple regts of same bgde. Looking fwd to the artillery guidon Ken mentioned. :smile2: Chris

 

[mestell]

I would like to see more regimental flags to go with the great selection of infantry figs. Especially would like to see another Iron Bgde and Irish Bgde standard to portray multiple regts of same bgde. Looking fwd to the artillery guidon Ken mentioned. :smile2: Chris

Chris . . . W. Britain did announce yesterday that they will be making a standard bearer figure for each of the regiments in the Iron Brigade . . . the 2nd WI is already available . . . the new ones will include the 6th WI, 7th WI, 19th IN and the 24th MI. I believe these will include both the National and the Regimental flags . . .
:smile2: Mike

 

[Terp152]

Chris . . . W. Britain did announce yesterday that they will be making a standard bearer figure for each of the regiments in the Iron Brigade . . . the 2nd WI is already available . . . the new ones will include the 6th WI, 7th WI, 19th IN and the 24th MI. I believe these will include both the National and the Regimental flags . . .
:smile2: Mike

Great stuff Mike! Now I have to get a bigger battle board. {eek3} Chris

 

[6th Wisconsin]

Chris . . . W. Britain did announce yesterday that they will be making a standard bearer figure for each of the regiments in the Iron Brigade . . . the 2nd WI is already available . . . the new ones will include the 6th WI, 7th WI, 19th IN and the 24th MI. I believe these will include both the National and the Regimental flags . . .
:smile2: Mike

Awesome!! I already have 2nd and 6th Wisconsin, as well as 24th Michigan flags, but I will be excited to add the rest someday. You can never have too much Iron Brigade.

 

[Army of North Virginia]

It is gratifying to see other ACW afficianados chiming in with a desire to see more mounted figures. Yes costs are significanlty higher than stand alone figures but the mounted side of the ACW is a great topic. I have been immersed this afternoon studying the efforts of General Philip Sheridan (glad he was brought up) and his June 1864 raid to Trevilian Station. A great study in the evolving tactics of both sides of the ACW. Basically Grant orders Sheridan to break away from the stalemate at Petersburg and descend on cutting Lee's critical supply line via the Central Virginia Railroad that was bringing in food and ammunition from the Shenandoah Valley via Charlottesville and Gordonsville to Petersburg. By this juncture of the war the Federals are now being primarily equipped with Spencer Repeating Carbines and Blakeslee boxes: a long cartidge box that could accompany the tubes of ammunition to reload through the buttstock of the ammo guzzling rapid firing Spencer's. The weapon gave Sheridan's mounted forces superior firepower over their Confederate opponents that lacked these state of the art carbines and ammunition to neutralize the Union made weapon. To counter this advantage, Confederate Cavalry leader Wade Hampton (assuming the role after Jeb's Stuart's death a month earlier at Yellow Tavern) began more and more espousing a technique of keeping a tactical distance from the Union forces choosing only to engage when he had a position of superior terrain, a venue to dismount and deploy his troopers along a protected skirmish line and use the better tactical distance of his primarily muzzle loading carbine and rifle equipped regiments to volley off solid counterattacks to the well concentrated and superior armed Union.A textbook of this application is Hampton's effective execution of this axiom at the Battle of Haws Shop 5/28/1864.This fight ended tactically a draw. Hampton could not pick the place to fight in Sheridan's Trevilan Station Raid with a mandate to tear up the Central Virginia RR but he could muster a plausible and effective stop gap and prevent the Union forces from making a lasting stoppage of the running of trains on the CVRR. Therefore to depict ACW Cavalry in an 1864 setting it would be a smart move to embrace the look of Spencer Carbines and Blakeslee boxes on the Federal side and to craft renditions of tattered Rebels holding muzzle loading carbines and rifles in the look.It is a great contrast in matching the well equipped Union mounts against the poorly degraded southerners but that is exactly what happened and despite the prohibitive odds against the Rebels achieving success, the CSA Cavalry was still an effective fighting force because of their adaptibility and willingness to modify their tactical disadvantages into at least an ability to counter the opponents. I think WB can craft a series of figurines that more or less depicts this juncture of the ACW with high quality looks that clarifies and articulates this aspect of the conflict. All too often the depictions by most manufacturers seem to stop at the Gettysburg campaign, its tactics and applications and we forget that the conflict lasted almost another two years.

Interesting and accurate study. Very well!!

 

[Nooooo9]

I hope the Union Artillery guidon bearer is part of a command set with a Battery Commander like the confederate release was. I would also like to see Sherman and Sheridan.