A happy discovery as I sorted and restowed boxes yesterday, I found I had an overlooked small unit of Peter Laing 15mm American Civil War Union infantry that I had bought online already painted and based in threes some years ago.
In their painting at least, these in Bob Cordery’s words are OBEs – Other Beggars’ Efforts.
I found tucked away in a small box 33 painted figures of ACW Infantry advancing with rifle (Kepi) F3009 of the small ACW range from the now discontinued ‘out of production’ Peter Laing 15mm range.
As they were when I found them, well based in threes, and painted in union blue, mostly with black kepis.
When I discovered them, they were based in threes, which is no use to me as I fight individual figure skirmish games. So the often tedious process of F and B (Flocking and Basing) or in this case, Rebasing and Flocking began yesterday.
Once split off their triple bases, I tried to keep as much of the original figure flocking as I could. Something of their OBE original basing would remain. I glued each figure to a 15mm by 15mm base of scrap mounting board, then used PVA glue and railway flock to cover the gaps.
Once the figures have their base gaps covered in PVA, they were gently plunged into the layers of mixed railway flock in the pink box and left for a while.
I was short of a unit officer, so a previous paint conversion of an A503 Gunner with handspike from the Peter Laing ECW range stepped in to lead them temporarily.
More of my Peter Laing ACW figures can be seen in action here in 2016 in an action in the Hicksville River Valley: https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/21/peter-laing-american-civil-war-skirmish/
Late in the evening after rebasing I spent some time catching up with the fascinating old and mostly decaying American buildings on the Forgotten Georgia blog
WordPress tell me that this is my 500th Blogpost on Man of TIN blog since it began in 2016. Thank you for reading!
Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN, 5 April 2020
B.P.S. Blog Post Script
As this is a “hands-on, brain off” type of activity, which is calming enough in itself, I found some suitable period music free on a YouTube or Spotify playlist to listen to. Instrumental versions of Songs of the North by Craig Duncan (and its twin recording Songs of the South) kept me company.
I’m not sure what you might listen to whilst painting and basing, but I’m sure the tiny men appreciate it and it is somehow absorbed into their tiny tin DNA during the painting and basing, giving them entertainment and fighting spirit. Enjoy!
Man of Tin blog 
Give you joy of your 500th post!
Figures have turned out really well and I look forward to seeing them in action.
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Thanks Alan – it works out as something like a post every three days for four years, which seems a lot of work, but fun all the same.
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Mark. I agree with your description of the mental state when doing this sort of work. Listening to music is a good idea. Personally I fight battles etc , I wonder what other people do with their minds when engaged in modelling activities ???
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I listen to the radio or to podcasts,sometimes audio books. Rarely do I listen to music whilst modelling. My favourite is Test Match Special to do modelling tasks to.
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I think I am the opposite to you in this, but it has to be music somehow linked to what figures etc I am doing.
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Interesting question, Tony. I have tried half listening to the chatty gaming podcasts like Henry Hyde’s Battle Games / Chats and Meeples and Miniatures. I have tried listening to audiobooks with one person talking but often find them hard to follow if doing something else.
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Congrats on 500 post. I’m looking forward to the next 500.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Well done on reaching 500 posts. Sometimes I listen to music on my headphones but other times I just listen to the chatter in the house of my wife and daughter. Painting ofen seems to occupy a nice meditative space all of itself.
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That’s the benefit of the roll top desk and headphones – you can be part of it all or not.
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