Hello,

This is my first post on this or any site about my interest in getting int building a diorama. First off, if this is the wrong forum (or site for that matter) for my interest, please give me a suggestion or two if you are aware of any.

My preference for a scale would be 1:64 or 28mm (HO would be nice in that I could build a larger scene, but as a beginner, I imagine it would be more difficult).

For right now I am just looking for ideas, media on how to build a diorama (books, DVDs, etc.), sources for supplies, figurines, buildings, landscape items (fences, foliage, etc.), and a good place to ask questions as I take this journey.

I live in the Kansas City, MO area if there are some enthusiasts in my area I could visit with or if anyone knows of some good shops around to get the items I'll need.

Thank you a bunch in advance for any help.

RC

You could probably get a better response on Historicus Formus, but to get you going, some 28mm ACW manufacturers:

Sash and Saber
http://www.sashandsaber.com/catalogACW.php4

Redoubt (no US distributor, you have to order from the UK)
http://www.redoubtenterprises.com/shop/?page=shop/browse&category_id=ffde61eb8243ee6a271642c091c663e5

Perry Brothers (available through the War Store & others)
http://www.thewarstore.com/PerryBros28mmAmericanCivilWar.html

Steve Barber (avail. in the US from Triangle Miniatures who also carry Perry Bros)
http://www.triangleminiatures.com/SBM_ACW.htm


There are of course many others but this should get you started. I personally have ordered from Redoubt, Sash and Saber and The War Store and had good experiences.

As for ideas you might pick an instance in a battle that interests you. Which side do you want to depict, combat or in camp, infantry, artillery or cavalry are some of the questions you should ask yourself. The diorama end, planning and making terrain etc. is pretty well covered here, if you search the site you should find plenty of how tos.

Welcome! I live in the same area, Overland Park, actually, and can highly recommend Hobby Haven off Metcalf, in the same shopping complex as Carabba's and Chucky Cheese. They have tons of airplanes and RC stuff, but they have quite a good selection of Dragon kits and paints. They even sell Life Color and Tamiya paints. They don't carry Vallejo, I still order those online. The customer service is great as well. I had just gotten an airbrush (not from them) and couldn't figure out why paint was coming out when only air should. I popped in and asked and sure enough, the guy working there (Robert, I think) pulled out an airbrush and showed me how to correctly seat the needle. Haven't had any problems since! They really are nice. And they seem to be well versed in scale models.
There is also a nice game shop in Lenexa that carries some Vallejo. They are mostly Warhammer and the like, but they have some of the Woodland Scenics stuff as well.
Books, Shep Paine's "How to Build Dioramas" 2nd edition and check out the "Scale Modelling Handbook". Very good stuff, even if they are old!
As far as Civil War stuff, if that's your fancy, start checking Half Price Books (online and in-store) as well as Amazon for reference books if you don't have any yet. But being an enthusiast, I'm sure you're already into that!
If you need ideas, just flip through the books, or watch the movies about the Civil War and build scenes from them.
By far, the Shep Paine book will be more than plenty to get you well on your way. It covers basics and more advanced stuff and the photos are fantastic.
Welcome to the hobby! You've chosen a great one!

Awesome! Thank you, both, for the help. I know exactly where that HH is; I'll check em out. I don't know how old you are, Brandi, I am 38 and remember a place off Metcalf called King's Crown. I remember going in there as a kid with my dad. They had all kinds of kick ass stuff. I remember a big mural on the wall of a dust-off in Vietnam. I wish thaey were still around.

Jon, I'm only 27 and moved here about 2 years ago, so I never had the pleasure of getting to know that place. Too bad, sounds like the kind of place we could use. HH is great, but I certainly wish there were more options near by. Sucks that HobbyTown is all the way north
Aslo, I don't know if you're aware, but Sprue Bros is based in Liberty, so the shipping is awesomely fast. But I think you can place an order online and pick it up there, but I'm not sure. I'm gonna check into that because then I don't have to wait for the stuff to get in and I don't have to pay shipping. Win-Win!

Welcome to the wonderful world of dios buddy! I would only add to the previous comments that there is a great source of inexpensive figures made by Esci or Italeri or Revel in soft plastic. These will suit your scale and are good figs to learn to paint with as they are so cheap! Justmake sure that you give them a good wash with dish detergent and paint away!
I have had no luck modifying these figs though as I have found no glue that will bind them,not even super glue. But then again,you are just beginning so this will probably not be an issue?
Good luck and HAVE FUN!! That is the crucial thing here.
J

what all does Spruce Bros. carry?

Jon,
You'd really have to go to their site. they have tons of stuff. Sprruebros.com

:)

The problem with soft plastic, at least for me, is that the paint always flakes off eventually. Also 1/72nd is much smaller than 28mm, being closer to 20mm in the miniature world (yes, I know that 1/72nd works out to 25mm but wargaming scales are rather inexact. For example some ijust don't look good together even though they are the same "scale."

I recommend Perry miniatures they are hard plastic 28mm with white metal special figures also available http://www.perry-miniatures.com/index.php

Here is a great Civil war vignette by Angel Aparicio on Historica Forma and here is his blog showing what is possible in 28mm.

Here's another vignette of his in 28mm- this time Napoleonic

The book 'Guns of the South' by Harry Turtledove along with a large selection of 1/35th Scale AK47s...