September 21, 2014

The Plan: Americans for the Battle of Cowpens

I have written before that A Devil of Whipping is the book that gave me the push to finally collect models for an American war. For the most part he Battle of Cowpens was the perfect size to be manageable in 28mm at 1:10. The amount of cavalry at the battle is overkill for most of the period, but by mounting the models on single bases, I can use them in skirmish games - a role for which they would have been far more common -  so the effort is not wasted. I used Greg Novak's The American War of Independence, Book Two, The Southern Campaigns to rough out the models I would need. Please note that I am not really intent on replaying this battle, but merely interested in collecting initial forces that are similar.

The goal for my American army:

C-in-C (Brigadier General Daniel Morgan)
Two Brigade Commanders (Colonel Andrew Pickens and Lt Colonel William Washington)
One battalion of Maryland/Delaware Continental Infantry (6 stands)
One battalion of Virginian Militia Infantry (4 stands)
Three battalions of South Carolinian Militia Infantry (4 stands each)
One battalion of North Carolinian Militia Infantry (4 stands)
Skirmishers (14 models based singly, mixed uniformed and militia)
1st and 3rd Light Dragoons (3 stands)
VA/NC State Light Dragoons (1 stand, brigade with dragoons above)
Various Militia Light Horse (2 stands)

Now, I am already quite far along with what I need for this collection (and already have all of the models)...







I only need two more militia units, twelve cavalry, and a handful of skirmishers. Looking at my list, I actually want to expand the Continentals to eight stands to make two four-stand units (and maybe make three units... I think I have enough models on hand), push the cavalry to two stands for the 1st dragoons, two stands for the 3rd dragoons, and two stands for the VA/NC state dragoons, round out the skirmishers to 24 models, and add a couple of field guns and limbers.

Anyway, expect lots of AWI stuff over the next couple of months!

4 comments:

  1. Have you considered which castings you will use for your British entries? There's quite a bit of variety there with Banastre Tarleton's Legion and the two units of Highland Line Infantry. Jim Purky makes a smashing Tarleton figure in his Fife & Drum range!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I agree, the Fife & Drum minis are nice, but I actually already have over a hundred Perry Brits as well, including 24 British Legion Dragoons. I actually started this project before F&D launched, but for one reason or another I kept putting off the painting.

      Delete