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  • 19/09/2017 at 15:08 #71844
    Avatar photoDeleted User
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    Our little group look set to have our first ACW game within the next 8 months.

    We have quite good collections of terrain for our other games: C19th Europe, The Sudan and South Africa for the Zulu Wars etc.

    A challenge will be assembling the necessary for an ACW battleground.

    It seems to me (probably in my ignorance) that a distinctive aspect (“the” distinctive aspect?) of ACW battle fields is the ubiquitous fencing.

    Snake-rail, split or log rail etc; lots of fences of different types, dividing up the battle area.

    What other elements are important in creating a reasonable facsimile of an ACW battlefield?

    donald

    19/09/2017 at 16:20 #71848
    Avatar photoAutodidact-O-Saurus
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    Just remember that the fences enclosed fields of crops or pasturage. Other than than that, woods, woods and more woods.

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    19/09/2017 at 17:08 #71855
    Avatar photozippyfusenet
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    What AOS said. And still more woods. And the occasional swamp. If you’re playing a skirmish-level game, you will also need poison ivy, sticker bushes and yellow-jacket nests. Many ACW battles developed as they did because the commanders couldn’t see what was going on for all the trees.

    You'll shoot your eye out, kid!

    19/09/2017 at 22:20 #71882
    Avatar photoDarryl Smith
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    The fields at Gettysburg and Perryville were fairly open (for the former the first day mostly, the latter had few wood lots), as compared to places like Shiloh, Chickamauga, the Wilderness. So depending on the fight you may need a lot or not a lot of woods.

    Plenty of stone walls as well.

    At Perryville there was a “devil’s racecourse”…two property owners who’s land was side by side had an argument about property lines, so they both built a rail fence just a few feet apart.

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    20/09/2017 at 15:19 #71919
    Avatar photoDeleted User
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    Thanks for the advice so far. I think that capturing the unique look of battlefield is even more important than uniform details.

    I’ve already started looking at internet photos of people’s ACW games to learn more.

     

    donald

    20/09/2017 at 18:30 #71943
    Avatar photoJames Manto
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    Woods, fences, Indian corn or maize fields,

    stone walls mentioned are often just piles of stones picked from fields during plowing and piled along the edge. over the years the pile grows into a low wall (maybe knee high)

    20/09/2017 at 22:47 #71964
    Avatar photoDeleted User
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    James Manto wrote:

    Indian corn or maize fields,

    Yes, I’ve already worked out that my approach to building these will be crucial. As of yet, I have no idea.

     

    donald

    21/09/2017 at 02:33 #71974
    Avatar photoPaintingLittleSoldiers
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    Get a nice wooden church too !

    21/09/2017 at 14:48 #72013
    Avatar photoDarkest Star Games
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    Are you aiming at any particular battles, or generic engagements?

    "I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

    21/09/2017 at 16:32 #72028
    Avatar photoJames Manto
    Participant

    An easy and effective way is to use pieces of artificial Christmas greenery as the corn stalks.

    You can see some here

    http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.ca/2015/07/battle-at-cornpone-corners.html?m=0

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