Black Powder Epic ACW Painting Progress

Having purchased the Black Powder Epic Gettysburg Starter set from Warlord Games I'm starting to work my way through the massive task of assembling and painting the two armies it contains.

 
I've opted to start with painting up two identical Brigades for the Union and Confederate armies.comprising

• Two infantry Regiments of 3 stands
• One Zouave Regiment of 3 stands
• A Cavalry Regiment of 3 stands
• A two gun base Artillery Battery 
• A Brigade commander 

I've also been using this as a chance to try out some Contrast paints for the first time. I began with a Union Brigade which I've recently finished.


 First up are two Infantry Regiments

With their distinctive red bloused trousers and kepi we have the Zouave regiment, These have a little more detail than the normal infantry and required more effort.

The cavalry I've done four riders to a stand because I'll get more regiments for my bucks and cavalry of the period were light in nature being used more often as not as dismounted infantry. 

Lastly we have the Artillery Battery and Brigade Commander

It's taken me about four weeks, a couple of hours most evenings, to get these painted and here I think the contrast paints have worked well. If I'd painted these in my traditional manner of colour blocking then washing and dry brushing it would probably have taken me an extra couple of weeks.

On a general note the paint is a nice consistency that flows well, It takes some adjustment applying the paints as it's only as the paint drys that it's true colouration comes through but they also seem fast drying once applied to the models. Applied in the correct order they are also very forgiving especially at this small scale. My only real criticism is the bloody awful, easily knocked over bottles. 

With the first Union Brigade done it's time to make a start on the opposing CSA Force