Something Different: Americana's Gettysburg Playset - Pt 1 54mm Blue & Gray Skirmish

I got the urge to break out some of my Little Green Army Men (or in this case, the Blue & Gray). The Halloween train layout has been dismantled and I started putting down track for another temporary set-up but then thought, hey, why don't I play with some of my other toys instead? - at least for a little while. Soooo, I broke out the Americana Souvenir and Gifts (the immediate successor to BMC, prior to BMC regaining its foothold) Gettysburg playset. I had covered the playset before back in 2014, but that was basically a photo essay of the set contents. This time I wanted to see it set-up in a play environment. So here's what it looked like. The space is about 44" (1.11m) x 70" (1.78m) which isn't that big, but it still dwarfed the 64 figures in the set. In this set-up the field looks empty, as if this were a minor skirmish between a couple of scouting parties. Tomorrow we'll have a look at a proper battleground - or at least as proper as can be had in 40"x70".   Enjoy! Opa Fritz

A very selectively compressed version of Little Round Top perhaps?

Good vantage point for artillery

Americana Souvenirs & Gifts #98536 Meade's HQ

Okay, this is an unusual feeling. I'm typing with one hand and holding my little granddaughter with the other. Melody is sleeping nice and peaceful in Opa's arms. It's been many a year since I held a little one :-)

During the Battle of Gettysburg Union Gen Meade set up his headquarters in the farmhouse owned by Lydia Leister. Her husband had passed away in 1859 and she bought the the house in 1861. She temporarily vacated the house just prior to the start of battle and when she returned found 17 dead horses in her yard and the house quite punctured by shot and shell.

Gettysburg, Pa. Headquarters of Gen. George G. Meade on Cemetery Ridge

Library of Congress

Library of Congress

Americana Souvenirs & Gifts #98536 Meade's HQ

I had read some interesting reviews about Americana's toys and kits in Amazon.com. Many of them are from frustrated parents trying to cobble together these things and I have to sympathize with them. The kits are made of a flexible, but fairly sturdy polyvinyl plastic. Their biggest drawbacks are the flash, warped parts, and awkward joinery methods. The kits don't require glue and just when you get two walls together and try to get that third wall on, the first two walls fly apart! arrrrgh!! Trying to get the tabs on the walls to securely lock into the slots on the roof panels can be problematic as well and you may end up with broken tabs.

Okay, with equal parts patience, luck, and skill my HQ went together just fine. There are some separations in the walls as a result of warping and perhaps the old method of immersing the part in hot water, straightening it, then dunking it in ice water would help but I didn't feel like doing that. When assembled it measures 8 3/4" (22.2cm) W x 7 1/4" (18.4cm) D x 7" (17.8cm) H.

These kits from Americana are really terrific additions to the miniature Civil War landscape and can certainly be used for other types of displays as well. They are tricky to assemble and may not stand up to the rigors of child's play but for a dioramist or casual player they're just fine. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

Meade's HQ alongside Americana's Dunker Church.

Americana Souvenirs and Gifts Item#98521 Authentic Gettysburg Action Figures

We've been covering quite a few American Civil War sets from Americana but this set has a wider variety of figures than any of the others posted to date. It's labeled as Gettysburg figures, but could be used for other battles sans the generals. Set contents are:

-3 12" Stone walls w/Fence
-4 Cannons
-2 Limbers
-Union: 22 figures /15 poses
-Confederate: 22 figures / 15 poses

A terrific stone wall with integral wooden fence. 12" (30.5cm)  L

Americana (L), Magic (Hingfat) (R)

The only difference between the two is American's pole is longer and the pintle hook somewhat larger

Thecannons are the same size for Americana and Magic

Union

General Grant at City Point

A good photo of General Grant on his horse. 

Why can't Americana cast some of their horses in black and include them in their sets???

Library of Congress

 General Winfield Scott Hancock

Flag Bearer

Advancing, Rifle Across Chest

Marching, Left Shoulder Arms

Standing, Firing Rifle

Shot in Head

Kneeling, Firing Rifle

Kneeling, Loading Rifle

Standing, Rifle at Side

Standing, Right Hand Outstretched

This is a multi-purpose figure. he can be receiving orders, shaking hands with his Confederate counterpart, or holding a cannon lanyard as part of a cannon battery

Standing w/Cannon Swab

Using Cannon Swab

Carrying Water Bucket

Confederate

All Confederate figures are molded in a medium gray but the lighting conditions during the time of shooting may cause them to look bluish.

'The last meeting between Gen. Lee and Jackson'

A good portrait of General lee on his horse

Library of Congress

Confederate General James Longstreet

Flag Bearer

Advancing, Rifle Across Chest

Advancing, Rifle Across Chest 2nd Pose

Advancing, Rifle at Side 

Walking Casually

Standing, Firing Rifle

Kneeling, Firing Rifle

Kneeling, Loading Rifle

Standing, Right Hand Outstretched

Standing w/Cannon Swab

Using Cannon Swab

Carrying Water Bucket