United States Army 1/10 *

A page devoted to the miniatures for the army, cavalry, infantry, and the fort: Dis Courage (well, maybe on that last name).

February 6, 2025

Soon I shall be returning to working on the army figures and here is the overall plan for the individually based figures:

UNITED STATES ARMY FORCE FOR FISTFUL OF LEAD (and Bigger Battles version)

CAVALRY

Senior Officer, Senior Cornet, Chief Musician

Sergeant Major, Quartermaster Sergeant, Saddler Sergeant

Junior Officer, Cornet, Musician, Sergeant, Corporal, Privates x 7

Junior Officer, Cornet, Musician, Sergeant, Corporal, Privates x 7

Junior Officer, Cornet, Musician, Sergeant, Corporal, Privates x 7

Native Scout x 6

Total Strength 48 figures

All of the above figures have a mounted on a horse, a dismounted, and a dead version.

For every three of above there is an ‘empty’ standing saddled horse to mark points of dismount and a dead horse.  Total number of figures to paint is 196.

INFANTRY

Senior Officer, Standard Bearer, Drummer

Junior Officer, Sergeant, Corporal, Privates x 9

Junior Officer, Sergeant, Corporal, Privates x 9

Junior Officer, Sergeant, Corporal, Privates x 9

Total Strength 39 figures

For senior, one dead figure, for balance, one dead figure for every six for a total of nine dead figures.  Total number of figures to paint is 48.

ARTILLERY AND GATLING GUNS

6 gunners and 1 gun - assigned to fort

6 gunners and 1 gun - assigned to fort

6 gunners and 1 gun - add a limber and caisson (number of figures to be determined)

6 gunners and 1 gun - add a limber and caisson (number of figures to be determined)

6 crew and 1 gatling gun on wheeled carriage plus limber with additional 6 figures

6 crew and 1 gatling gun on wheeled carriage plus limber with additional 6 figures

Total fighting strength is 36

For each gun there is 1 dead figure, for each limber/caisson or carriage/limber there is also a dead figure.  Six pieces of weapon equipment and six non-weapon equipment, 48 (+?) crew figures, at least eight dead.  Total number of figures/equipment/horses(8?) to paint is 68 (subject to possible change with addition of limbers and caissons)

GARRISON TROOPS TO MAN FORT DISCOURAGE

Mounted officer with dismounted version, standard bearer, musician plus one dead figure, one dead horse, one standing horse

Officer, Standard, Music (1)  

6(1), 6(1), 6(1) men at ease (parenthetical is dead, same for below listed)

6(1), 6(1) men firing

6(1), 6(1) men marching

3(1), 3(1) signals detachments

3(1) native scouts attached to fort

Total strength is 42

Total numbers of figures to paint for the fort is 73.

48 39 36 42 = 165

196 48 68 (?) 73 = 385 figures to paint (unless a little more or less with limbers / caissons

If that seems excessive, the plan is to paint cavalry high command and one unit of 12 figures, infantry high command and one unit of 12 figures, one gun and gatling with crew, and one portion of the fort equal to approximately 1/3 of inclusive figures.  And then, if still desired for more, to paint the next roughly 1/3 of figures and, again if desired, then paint the balance.  So, closer to 130 figures to paint to get ‘the ball started’.

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Note that I still intend to have a multi-based cavalry regiment for Pony Wars battles against the Lakota and/or the Apache but at much reduced numbers, less than half of previous plans.  So the four companies shown below will now be eight companies with fewer dead horses - though those already painted will still be used.  Just part of a push across my entire collection to reduce numbers to a more realistic total.

April 23, 2022

Some shots of my painted 7th cavalry, so far - and note these were not painted by me but by a friend.  Obviously, the bases need to be textured.  I just wanted to get them up to be seen to remind me that progress is being made.  

Below are companies A-D of the 7th in mounted, dismounted, and 'disorganized' form.  When the whole regiment is painted there will be three such battalions and then a command group. I also have a pack train that, for me at least, is necessary for a recreation of the battle of the Little Big Horn.

Above shows the battalion in column - still need to paint the pennants.

A head on view of same.

And an overhead view.

Just another shot, note that each companies horse color matches to the historical record.

Here is the battalion dismounted - with a single horse in the appropriate color to mark the point of dismount, no horse holder.  I don't plan on decreasing the figure strength when dismounted but I might reduce the firepower, maybe one less die rolled for firing.  

A frontal view of the same.  I might have to add in some horse holders after all.  Will have to think upon this.

Another side view.  Based on when I started collecting for this period and what was available, I have a lot of figures in kepis but I'm not going to let that bother me.  They are, after all, just toys.

Here is what is left of the battalion after the survivors left the field in too big a hurry to bury the dead, those 'disorganized' ones.  And, yes, a better representation would be stripped, bloated, and severely mutilated bodies but those are not available and that might be a bit too much 'reality' for any public display.  There are three dead horses and two dead men for each company.

Just another shot.

And one last closer shot.

With this battalion done, except for basing, that is one sixth of the cavalry - less leadership - done.  I have the full 7th and the equivalent of another regiment that will represent at least three other regiments including one battalion of buffalo soldiers.  

Still to go will be the mounted infantry and foot slogging infantry and the forces for the fort.  And one last company I bought in in the 12 mounted, 12 foot, 12 dead, 4 standing horses manner of the Good Guys/Bad Guys sets - these will be used when a more 'characterful' bit of cavalry are needed in a game. Especially for something based on Hallelujah Trail.  And I need to paint the rolling portion, the supply wagons and the Gatling guns and some damaged wagons.

Minor megalomania in miniature can be so much fun! 😀