“Henry DeLamar Clayton Was A Prominent Alabama Attorney.”

“He also served as a major general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.”

This 15mm scale plastic Confederate Commander is produced by “Warlord Games” and came free on a sprue accompanying Issue 397 of "Wargames Illustrated". The mounted figure is from the Nottingham-based company's "Epic Battles: American Civil War" range and is actually supplied with a square stand. Nevertheless, as I wanted my officers to stand out a bit more on the tabletop, I decided to glue the single-piece model to a thin-lipped 30mm circular base instead.

The miniature was initially primed with a couple of coats of “Citadel” Abaddon Black, and painted from the hooves up. This meant applying some “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna to the horse, before subsequently shading the animal with a combination of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. I also dry-brushed some (additional) “Citadel” Abaddon Black to the horse’s legs, and then used the base paint to tidy up its mane, tail and leather straps.

"Catalyst Game Labs" WIPs - These three different mechs have been primed "Vallejo" Earth

The animal’s saddle-rug was ‘picked out’ using a little “Vallejo” Heavy Blue and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade, whilst the saddle itself with pigmented with “Vallejo” Heavy Brown and “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I applied a tiny amount of “Vallejo” Gunmetal to the stirrups (as well as the rider’s sword), and later darkened these up with a splash of “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

With the horse finished (at least in my eyes as I like to keep my animals simple), I gave the officer’s trousers a dab of “Vallejo” Steel Grey and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade, and his long coat a healthy dose of “Vallejo” Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I did actually consider using "Vallejo" Heavy Blue for the jacket, as I plan for the general to be the commander of my Alabama forces, and they apparently wore "a dark blue frock coat" and "black broad brimmed felt hats at the war's start."

"Brigade Models" WIPs - A Britannic, Warlord and four Mark I Armoured Gun Carriers

However, I thought a blue-jacketed Confederate officer might be a bit confusing during an actual game, so instead plumbed for a semi-stereotypical palette instead. Resultantly, the general’s cuffs and collar with given a lick of “Vallejo” Heavy Ochre and “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade, whilst his broad-brimmed hat was treated to a layer of “Vallejo” Heavy Brown and some “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade.

With my latest Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge entry completed I have turned my attention towards progressing some British reinforcements for my Weird War Two homebrew rule-set, using some 1:285 scale plastic “Battletech” figures by “Catalyst Game Labs”. In addition, as I’ve currently got my pot of “Vallejo” Earth out, I thought I’d finally tackle some 1/1200th (or “near-as-makes-no-odds” 2mm) British Ironclads by “Brigade Models”. These diminutive-sized war machines have been sat gathering dust for at least a decade or more, and are helping scratch an itch I’ve been recently experiencing to play some large-scale mass battles…