ACW Total Battles Miniature Building/Terrain review

As I mentioned earlier [in my ACW painting thread] I got some Total Battles Miniatures range of ACW buildings for my Gettysburg battles here they are:

Gettysburg Seminary: Resin


Assorted Buildings: Resin


Assorted Buildings: Resin


Assorted Buildings: Resin


The Town set up: A flexible resin tile is used.


Dirt Roads: flexible resin.


Rail fences: Metal


Snake Fences: Metal


Overall these pics do not do the Buildings any justice [add it up to my failing as a photographer]
These minis are not cheap but are not overly expensive. The detail is amazing and as I really wanted the Gettysburg Seminary [It will be part of my 1st day battles of Gettysburg]

The service was good with no hassles. For international buyers the quoted postage cost is for overland NOT air mail. You will need to pay extra.

but its not much more. so its all good. I am rather nervous about painting these buildings I have never used Resin terrain before and its all quite new. they did provide me with an in depth painting guide. The good thing about ACW buildings is the patcher the painting the better, [eg weathered]

I'll post pics once I get them started.

Total Battles Miniatures

Cheers
LGW

Prime it as normal. You do fine! Resin just feels differently than metal when holding it... and it sculpts better.

OHHH!!!! Make sure to wash the models with soap and water. They use a release agent to aid on mold removal process and some of it may still be on the model. It feels a little greasy at parts... soap the models on water with dish-washing soap (those that are 'tough on grease'!) and brush with SOFT toothbrush. If you use a hard brush, you may put lines on the model. Pat dry and let dry for 24 hours.... THEN prime as normal.

Good luck!

I may try one of the smaller buildings tomorrow after I wash them all tonight.

so spray paint will be fine to use? as I have white undercoat I know with the flexible resin roads they say just paint it straight away no need for under coating.

Cheers
LGW

If you do not undercoat, the paint MAY peel off over time... on ANY model. I use a primer for plastic that comes in COLOR.

For example, use a light brown primer for the wooden fences, then dip on dark shade, spray with Matt Finish & add the grass. Since the 'fence' is wood brown, you get lots of details with minimal effort. Since the 'dirt' is brown, any space visible through the grass would look normal.

As for the flexible resin here is a direct quote from the supplier of said roads:

Quote :

Painting Scenic Tiles and Roads

Give them a wash in warm soapy water and dry thoroughly. Flexible resin doesn’t want any sort of undercoat, if it’s hard resin tile or part of a building then undercoat in line with Wooden or Masonry Buildings.

so hard resin undercoat the flexible stuff no undercoat needed.

Also here is a scale comparison:


the scale is pretty bang on for the Adler miniature range.

Cheers
LGW

That is a tall building!

Well, priming is always good. You want to use a fine grain primer, so the details are not obscured. The Krylon Primer for Plastics in COLOR does two things... primes (bonds to the material and allows more paint to be added) and adds the base color.

Take that Gettysburg Seminary building...




Prime it light brick, or even soft pink. Paint the roof dark grey, the windows & columns white and the base light grey. Then dip/wash with sepia or even black. After it dries, dry-brush the windows white (will look like a highlight) and MAYBE a light drybrush with light red/brick. Then spray paint MATT sealer to take the gloss off and protect the model. It will look AWESOME!

thx Mord your words are truly inspirational and your advice is 2nd to none.

I shell endeavour to meet and exceed your expectations. well I'll try no promises.

LGW

You do fine!

The cool thing about this (as well as Flames of War) is that you can find PLENTY of pictures on the web to figure out how to paint something. To me that is the hardest thing to do... other than starting!

I'll try out some of the buildings soon

Got a lot still to do on the ACW grunts and I have decided to finish my BKC II Germans. All they need is some basing done and they are done.

Will post pics of them once they are done. should be tomorrow some time.

LGW