Warlord Games Epic Battles ACW New Plastic Cavalry, Zouaves, Dismounted Cavalry & Skirmishers Review

[@norm977]

Thanks Stuart, another good bit of support for Epic by the company, especially welcome as times are clearly getting harder for manufacturers.

[@MiniatureRealms]

Absolutely, it’s nice to know that will be on a sale and supported for a while yet.

[@miketike3246]

Plastic Zouaves, yes!!! Thanks for the info. Stewart!

[@MiniatureRealms]

I’m glad I didn’t paint all my metal ones yet, I’ll definitely be adding some more of these to my collection.

[@Major_Problems]

Getting started with game the new bundles excites me!

[@MiniatureRealms]

The new starter sets are really good, it’s a good time to get started.

[@snaxalotl2901]

I was looking at adding a few zouaves to my existing force, and was pleasantly surprised to see them re-released in plastic. I also like the mixed approach to the new brigade boxes, at the previous metal prices I never would have likely invested in cavalry or skirmishers for my army, but can now have more variety which I wouldn't have considered previously. Great review!

[@MiniatureRealms]

Thank you 😊

[@aledroberts6580]

Great to see that Waord are investing in new plastic moulds. Which indicates that Epic ACW is still doing well in sales :)

[@MiniatureRealms]

It’s really encouraging

[@warpaint9385]

This is perfect. I’m glad I held off buying the metal Zouave’s and metal Cavalry. Been waiting for them to transfer to plastic.

[@MiniatureRealms]

I bought lots of metals, though most aren’t painted, so I may switch them out of these, or at least some of them.

[@NatuallySynthetic]

I just painted up a union brigade and I'm about to finish a confederate one. when I finish painting up all 24 regiments you get in the starter set I was gonna get a box of the metal Zouaves for the confederates, and the iron brigade for the union. honestly I like the metal ones better because you get more Zouaves and I don't really want skirmishers or Calvary right now. Great video!

[@MiniatureRealms]

Thank you. I didn’t mind the metal ones, I though the moaning about prices for the Zouaves/Iron Brigade/Cavalry was miss placed (based ore on box price than cost per mini), the metal skirmishers and Dismounted cav were a little pricy in comparison though. Makes sense to go with the metals if you can still get them.

[@MinisMyWay]

I like the fact that it can horseholders, I can't find in lead and it's a good alternative. Thank you for the review!

[@MiniatureRealms]

Thank you for watching 🙂

[@kelvinhawkins9535]

A sensible move to be honest. I really don't know of anyone now who enjoys working with metals. I'm sure it will certainly be a contributing factor driving future sales. I hope they do the same with some of their bolt action metal casts too. I just can't wait for the next Epic Battles range... I know it's not for everyone, but I just absolutely love the scope of battle and unit detail that the currents sets provide.

[@MiniatureRealms]

I think Bolt Action is popular enough that the big sellers will slowly get multi-part plastic kits. The older sculpts that are slower sellers I imagine are more likely to switch to resin. I can’t wait for the next set either. I’m hoping it will be a slightly smaller range 😅, something that can be covered in two sprues, maybe ECW. Would be nice to build a couple of small forces and not give myself a multi-year project 😂

[@simonwilliams3546]

Thanks again for another great video, nice to see you back with the ACW. I wish you hadn't shown the Gettysburg set that looks the business, but I must be good and finish my starter set lol. will definitely be going for a box each of these. And really looking forward to seeing more painting tutorials on the ACW. congratulations again on another great video 👍

[@MiniatureRealms]

Thank you Simon. I couldn’t imagine wanting another starter with all the stuff I have left to paint 😅, but adding some of these is a must for me now.

[@simonwilliams3546]

@@MiniatureRealms I totally agree Stuart, I've recently joined both Facebook groups for the epic Acw there are a few there who bought 2of the original starter kits. More power to their paint brush I say. I've recently approached hump day I have 12 union 3stand regiments complete save for flags 9 confederate complete save for flags 3 confederate regiments awaiting basing and varnish and a battery of each. Still have a few regiments to paint up and 120 kalistra figures for skirmishers, so eagerly awaiting your updated painting tutorials 😲 No pressure lol

[@MiniatureRealms]

😂 I get on it then 😅

[@simonwilliams3546]

@@MiniatureRealms Lol got to keep you busy 😂😂😂 In all seriousness really looking forward to seeing your new ideas for painting the regiments. I have one Texan regiment I believe it was they 4th what I read up was their uniforms were made up of 4 different shades of grey, so that's been my theme for Hoods Brigade

[@andrewwilson4975]

Thanks for this update. I have not bought into the ACW stuff as of yet. However, if I were to, I would build my units to be used with John Hill's Johnny Reb II. Doing so I would use the typical basing for those rule and require modifying the available sprues. By that I mean a ratio of 1-10 such that one stand would comprise two companies of five stands per regt/batt. Using these mini I think it is possible to recreate major ACW battles - start with First Bull Run to see how it works. What are others' thoughts on this?

[@MiniatureRealms]

I know loads of people splitting the strips down and/or using this range for loads of different rules systems. Sounds like a good idea to me, most things will work.

[@e-4airman124]

thinking about these

[@MiniatureRealms]

They’re pretty good

[@leonleese4919]

Great idea producing the command groups available separately. Or they could be listening to user opinion 😎

[@MiniatureRealms]

The regular command strips in metal have been out since wave 3 of the initial release I think, definitely went down well at the time. Would be nice to see them for Waterloo as well.

[@stephenmarsh8821]

I'm happy to see these added to the ACW range. I hadn't rushed into buying anything as I felt there were gaps in the range. There's nothing worse than diving head first into new miniatures only to find the manufacturer is unlikely to complete the project. Warlord games ACW I'll probably buy. Their Waterloo range; at this stage, highly unlikely.

[@MiniatureRealms]

I’m really glad it’s done well enough for them to add these bits in plastic.

[@asgaard636]

I wonder if Warlord might release some different gun models ........

[@MiniatureRealms]

That would be ace, you should email and request them as an idea, if enough people ask those things might happen. I’d imagine they’d be in Warlord Resin if they did.

[@ShakosAndSprues]

Great round up Stu, good to see the continued investment in the ACW Epic range that rounds it off nicley. I think Warlord have learnt plenty from the initial release, and took onboard feedback around the costly metal/resin packs, which I assume didnt sell as well as hoped. The new starter sets look good value for those wanting to take a dip into Epic ACW and offer a much more interesting mixed force. The spure layout is good, getting so much on the one it really does round out the range. I think the 2 or 3 spure format will contine to work well in the future, especially now they have started to master the sprue layouts with mixed unit types, sure there will be those who grumble theres too many of x or not enough of y but overall they offer a much better value than the resin/metal kits. If i had one final wish for the Epic ranges (ACW and Waterloo) it would be some command sprues with generals, characters adc's etc, commercially maybe not super viable but I do wonder if they could work on a much smaller sprue footprint, maybe a quarter sprue covering ACW, and the 3 waterloo releases that they could then split for packing?

[@MiniatureRealms]

I like that last idea, it works well for Battlefront. I agree too, I’d love a sprue of generic characters/generals and such. I have a feeling we’re probably where we are with that though, we may see a bit more, but Siocast will be the thing. I could see ACW generals in the same way as Waterloo though, five in a box seems a better format, and they definitely have some more characters to cover.

[@ShakosAndSprues]

@@MiniatureRealms Yeah I agree, I doubt they would add any more but I would be awesome if they could crack the formula to make it cost effective like battlefront. Got to say im pretty tempted to maybe start up a Epic ACW project but had been putting it off, this rounds it off nicely.

[@MiniatureRealms]

If I was coming to it new now, I’d be very tempted by the smaller stater. It’s a really nice balanced force to get you going, but without so much plastic that it seems unachievable.

[@Andrew-se4tg]

I would love to see warlord give us some decent firing/reloading lines, until then I'll stick with Perry miniatures, great video though!👍🍻

[@MiniatureRealms]

I’d love that as well, not sure we will get them though.

[@philstephenson5855]

Am I going mad, there seem to be 120 Zouaves there, but the box says 100?

[@MiniatureRealms]

That’s a really good point, I focussed on looking at one frame, then the website images and description. You of course get enough to make 6 stands, so 120, however you get the same sprue 3 times, so have 3 command strips, so I order to make a 5 stand regiment with one command you only have enough for that. Good for those of use using less than recommend stands though.

[@leonleese4919]

It’s a pity that they didn’t put the infantry in ranks of 5 instead of 10 to make every one happy 🙁

[@MiniatureRealms]

They did for the metal versions, but I think 10 is the design aesthetic they went for, I like it myself, especially for the ACW range. But strips of 5 would be handy for Waterloo at times.

[@regwirth3004]

Once again they haven't failed to disappoint. When they first announced this line I was very interested, but upon seeing the figures I was quickly turned off. The position of the regular infantry is something that is in none of the drill manuals. Now they've gone and dropped the mounted horse holder. That is how they did it. The horses of the dismounted troopers were linked to the holder's mount. This way his mount controlled the other horses, while he controlled his. One man on foot does not have the strength to control 4 horses.

[@MiniatureRealms]

I didn’t know that myself, makes total sense though. I guess they didn’t know either it seems.

[@MrSarisoforos]

You are getting 4 extra cavalry models so you can built them like that.

[@ratelmike8825]

Thanks again for a great preview video Stuart. I've been following your channel since Epic ACW came about. I think I commented on this before that I was about to jump in boots and all into Epic ACW when the original massive starter boxset came out, but then got nervous with the pricing of the following expansions and then got caught up in the Epic Napoleonics rumours which all came to fruition. But now seeing this and I was very excited when I read the newsletter about these very kits going plastic. Still find some absolute bargains on the original plastic starter set on eBay or at my local shop Battlefield Hobbies price is still on old stock of £90 with still 10% discount off that. I'm definitely now grabbing that. So pleased to see that Warlords revisited ACW. Would you say the new big Gettysburg set beats the old starter set?

[@MiniatureRealms]

I think the new set is better for variety now that the new plastics are available, I’ve not crunched the maths on it compared to the old one though. I think if Battlefield hobbies has the old one for under £90 it might be worth it, but all depends how many sets of the new stuff you’d want I guess. I’d sit and work out a basic force/forces that you want to start with, then see which set best supports that. I popped into Battlefield Hobbies on Saturday on my way back from CrackCon in Derby, picked up my British FOW preorder. Lovely shop, and Graham is a nice chap.