British Legion Project - Update

I managed to get some writing done this weekend. The main source currently is Carl Borick's book "A Gallant Defense." It covers the siege of Charleston broadly while I am looking more at the actions surrounding the siege itself. Crossreferencing this with my other books has been fun. Spent some time reading on the action at McPherson's Plantation - March 14, 1780. The incident would be very hard to put on the tabletop since both sides were British/Provincials. I have been working to try to find where this plantation would have been. The actual location is probably lost to history. It was located near the present town of McPhersonville. The 1820 map from Robert Mills of the Buford District of South Carolina. The area is in present day Buford county.

Robert Mills did a series of maps of South Carolina involving every district at the time. They are very details and would make for an excelent source for a map campaign. In addition, there is a website detailing information on plantations across the state: https://south-carolina-plantations.com/. This is also useful to attempt to find locations referenced on the Mouzon map that disapeared by the production of the Mills Maps.

I managed to pick up a can of primer last week. I did undercoat some Cold War vehicles with it. I have not picked up a brush though. Need to correct that soon.

British Legion Project Continues

I spent some time working on some scenarios last week. Mostly been reading the first portion of Tarleton's book on the Southern Campaign. It makes for interesting if sparse reading. There isn't great details there on the actions he fought. It comes across that he didn't think much of the Continentals and Militia that he faced during the seige of Charleston. The distances that his cavalry covered is surprising. I can understand how his opponents would feel that he was everywhere at once.

I also spent a bit of time working some casualty figures. Not much if I am honest. The two dead horses I was working on still need saddles and tack painted. Once those are done, I will move on to the Infantry. I have two more groups on painting sticks. One is half painted and the other is unstarted. The cavalry needs paint as well. I think I have at least two more groups on painting sticks plus some officers. Currently these figures are sharing space on the painting desk with the Cold War miniatures. I need to find a day or two to get some work in.

Fall Pivot to the AWI

Given the lack of primer and an inability to sit still, I have pivoted to researching the early actions of the British Legion in the Southern Theater of the AWI. What is standing out is how quickly the Legion was able to move across the area around Charleston and how they had outmatched the light cavalry of the Continental forces in the area. One battle in particular was interesting since it seems to have been a rematch of sorts. Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Walton White arrived in South Carolina on April 23rd. He was the senior calvaly officer and assumed direct command of the 1st Continental Light Dragoons. He also outranked LTC William Washington, the commander of the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons. Colonel White had previously fought against Banastre Tarleton twice before in August and September of 1779. Apparently, White didn't hold a high opinion of the young cavalry officer.

Over the objections of LTC Washington, he had ordered his men to remove saddles and bridles while waiting to be joined by Colonel Buford's Virginia Continentals that were marching South to join them at Lenud's Ferry. This was a mistake that led to Both Washington and White smimming across the river in defeat. This happened while Buford's Virginia Continentals watched on the other side of the Santee. This could make for an interesting scenario.

Some painting

I managed to paint some more. I now have 4 of these tanks painted up. They are smaller than my other Soviet tanks and I am not sure what they are. I think they look like T-55s but a bit smaller than others. I may add some dust to them. Not sure what else I will do with them. Once again, the pictures came out poorly.

I also assembled some T-72s. I have one more left in the box of Team Yankee T-72s that I bought still on the sprue.

I also finished the basing of my painted Flank March Soviets. I really like these figures. The picture came out dark. I really don't have good lighting for my painting area.

Building out some Tanks and AFVs and Finally painting

I managed to get some work done on the Merkava 1 that I am working on. I managed to get the barrel fitted. I still have to glue the bustle to the turret and the MGs to the turret. I need to finish the other Team Yankee T-72s that I have. I need to fit the mine rakes to the front of at least one of them. I found some spray paint that I will use as a primer. I managed to get my miniatures primed. They will need a second coat.

On Saturday afternoon, I reecived my paint sets. I received two AK sets, one was for MERDC and the other was late Cold War Soviet. The first up on the painting table was some of what I think are Old Glory or QRF T-55s? I am not entirely sure. They are smaller than the other T-55s that I have including the wrecked Peter Pig one that I got for Christmas years back. They still look like T-55s to me just undersized. Anyway, I was able to get some paint on them. I plan on going back with some highlights.

I also got started on the bases of the painted Soviet infantry that I have done. These are all Flank March 3d prints. The bases need more work. Mostly just some highlights and flock.

I aslo took a look at my 1980s IDF. Partially, I wanted to know how many M60s I had that I might steal for my US forces. As it turns out, I have one. I have a pair of 3D printed Magach 6s that I may have pulled from Thingiverse a while back. Those will stay with the IDF. The lone M60A3 will likely be pulled for service with the US. I have my base forces for the IDF but these are all extras that I want to finish off. Especially the armor. Not shown here is the Merkava 1 I am still assembling. I just have the machine guns and another piece to glue on before undercoating.