A is for Awfully Angry Armed Americans Aggressively Attacking Aitch'urrtherr

So to my favourites after the 'Modern Infantry' and along with the AWI; the largest set as far as poses go, although not that many they did at least touch all the bases, with the inclusion of artillerymen. Also doing the listings, just now, I realised they need a re-numbering table like the connoisseur range?

They were never split (in the catalogues) into Union and Confederate, and while there was the whole 'old school' kepi vs. slouch-hat rule going on, it was only in the mind of the painter/wargame if he wanted it to be!

These are the kepi infantry poses; three figures in the standard walking forward stance of so much of Eriksson's output, and you can see they came in various colours over the years, the unpainted five being Norfolk production, the painted ones being older, a couple even coming back from Italy via Darius - a Blog reader.

The Sloch-hat infantry, as far as I know there were only the two - similar - poses (pack or blanket-roll) and I would be interested to know if there was a third plastic pose? Below them is a slouch-hat cavalryman, there is a kepi version listed in the metal range still available, but he's never been listed as having been available in the plastic range?

This chap is himself a late addition, the 'staff officer' being the only cavalryman in the ACW range for 15/20-odd years; and he seems to have been converted from the Napoleonic lancer by Ron Spencer Smith or Peter Johnson rather than Ericsson?

Speaking of 'staff', these are the command and control elements with a slouched-hat officer, kepied junior/field officer or SNCO and a bugler, the 1860's equivalent of the platoon radioman!

Which - closing the 'staff' circle - brings us back to the chap mentioned above. Originally the ACW cavalryman, he is now known as the staff officer and only available in metal, he is a much nicer sculpt than the replacement who is too skinny, almost semi-flat.

What the Napoleonics are missing - gunners! I love the beard on the moving-wheel guy; he wouldn't look out of place in a Hoxton coffee bar, this weekend, having all-day 'brunch' and plotting Remain, or a dot-com start-up!! While the flash on the tip of the swab-guy makes it look like he's weaponised his ramrod - with a pen-knife.

Listing

Mid 1970’s Production (approximately 1974)

Standard Range

American Civil War

- Bag of 24 Cavalry (walking pose suitable also as staff officer)

- Bag of 80 Infantry (12 officers, 6 buglers plus enlisted men)

- Bag of 30 Artillerymen (officers, buglers and gunners)

Early 1980’s Production (approximately 1981?)

Standard Range (1980’s)

American Civil War

- Bag of 8 Cavalry (walking pose suitable also as staff officer)

- Bag of 30 Infantry (officers, buglers plus enlisted men)

- Bag of 30 Artillerymen (officers, buglers and gunners)

- Bag of 2 Cannon (field)

- Bag of 2 Cannon (howitzer)

Move to Norfolk

Plastic Range

American Civil War

P1 - 30 Infantry in Kepi (charging, Running, Advancing)

P2 - 30 Infantry in Slouch-hat (advancing, walking at the ready) Hard Plastic

P3 - 20 Officers and 10 Buglers

P4 - 8 Mounted Staff Officers (original cavalryman sculpt, switched to metal mid-run)

P5 - 8 Cavalrymen Sabres Drawn - Hard Plastic (later; soft plastic, converted from Napoleonic lancer)

P6 - 24 Artillerymen

P7 - 2 Guns (1 each of 2 designs? Can be used as Napoleonic Howitzers and Field-guns)

P8 - 30 Indians

P9 - 30 Frontiersmen

P10 - 4 limber wheels (all one size, smaller than all gun wheels)

Plastic Sample Packs (contents differ)
SP3 - Standard - American Civil War (11 foot, 1 mounted, 1 gun)

Metal Range

Metal Sample Packs (6 foot, 1 mounted)

SM3 - Standard - American Civil War

American Civil War

C1 Infantry in Kepi Advancing

C2 Infantry in Kepi Charging

C3 Infantry in Kepi Running

C4 Infantry in Kepi Standing Firing

C5 Infantry in Kepi Marching

C6 Infantry in Slouch-hat Advancing (became C7a)

C7 Infantry in Slouch-hat with Blanket-roll

C8 Zouave Advancing

C9 Officers (pack of 2)

C10 Bugler

C11 Drummer

C12 Flag Bearer

CC1 Mounted Staff Officer

CC2 Mounted Cavalryman with Sabre Dawn

CC3 Dismounted Cavalryman (ex-AWI backwoodsman)

CR1 Artilleryman (pack of 3)

CR2 Cannon (duplicates as Napoleonic British 9-lbr.)

Metal Additions to ACW Range

P4 - 8 Mounted Staff Officers (originals were plastic)

P11 - 4 Wagon Wheels (2 large, 2 small)

Other Items

P28 - ACW Beginners Pack (270 foot, inc. gunners, 66 mounted, 4 guns, rules, some metal)

Internet/Metal Years

Standard Range

Civil War Range

C1 - Infantry in kepi advancing

C2 - Infantry in kepi charging

C3 - Infantry in kepi running

C4 - Infantry in kepi standing firing

C5 - Infantry in kepi marching

C6 - Infantry in slouch hat marching

C7 - Infantry in slouch hat (with rolled blanket) advancing

C7a - Infantry in slouch hat advancing (with pack - previously C6)

C8 - Infantry in slouch hat standing firing (with pack)

C9 - Infantry in slouch hat standing firing (no pack)

C10 - Zouave advancing (previously C8)

C11 - Officer in kepi (previously 50% of C9)

C12 - Staff Officer standing, sword raised (previously 50% of C9)

C13 - Bugler (previously C10)

C14 - Flag bearer (previously C12)

C15 - Drummer (previously C11)

CC1 - Staff Officer on horse

CC2 - Cavalryman with saber drawn (on horse) Confederate

CC3 - Cavalryman with saber drawn (on horse) Union

CC4 - Dismounted cavalryman (ex-AWI backwoodsman, previously CC3)

CR1 - Artillerymen (pack of 3)

CR2 - Cannon (duplicates as Napoleonic British 9-lbr.)

 Knocked-up between editing and publishing!