Filing in time

 

The 42nd

So, that was a fairly productive long weekend. I dipped into my new stash of Willie Highlanders and pushed out another half-dozen figures including the Grenadier you see in the right of the photo.

Despite the tartan and the separate swords and muskets, these are less of a chore to paint than the Arquebisiers de Grassin and I expect (hope for?) fairly decent progress on these.

I think they are quite a useful regiment to have as they can be used at both Carillion/Ticonderoga and Fontenoy with some companies also being used at Prestonpans of all places.

Small update

I just painted myself out of Prussians. IR 5 stands currently at eight figures.

I've put in an order, so watch this space.

In the meantime, a small order for the 42nd has arrived, so I'll get on with that for the moment. I've painted one figure and prepped another half dozen, so expect pictures soon..! :^)

There is nothing quite like...

 

...Stadden Prussians

A small follow-up as to what's been coming off the painting desk since my "What's Next" post of a few days back.

IR #5 has had a few minor additions with a few more yet to come. Then I'll be out of stock locally and will have to make a decision on whether I should order more in if I am to continue.

My question to myself is do I want to commit to painting another 50? At my rate of painting, they would take me about two months of my hobby time.

To ask the question is to have the answer.

La poudre noire et les Guerres de la Révolution Française

 

This kind of works for me

So, where to start.

A few years back I had from John P. a couple of hundred (maybe a few more than that) very nicely painted Elite Miniatures French infantry of the Revolutionary period.

I started basing them up, 4 to a 40mm base because it seemed like a good idea at the time. That done, I sort of ran out of steam as I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with them or even what ruleset I liked the look of. Besides, they were just the infantry and needed cavalry and artillery to be added to get them into some sort of fighting shape, so they got boxed up and put away. 

However, they always lurked at the back of my mind. 

Now, I'm not sure why, but Back Powder cropped up in some wargamey context recently and these fellows started jumping up and down and waving their bicornes and tarletons at me. "Choose us! Choose us!"

So I looked at them, laid them out. Took a good look at the BP unit organisations and thought, "Hm. This could do."

Then I slapped myself on the forehead with the realisation that this was a wargames army that really only needed the fun stuff painted. You know, the units and stands you use as motivation while you crank out the masses of infantry.

I always was a little slow.

Arquebusiers Unchained or, What's Next?

 Well, it has been a long job, but I have finished the Arquebusiers de Grassin.

Lurking in a wood near you.

They were not a tough job, but there was a fair bit of flash on them. In retrospect, I would question using the remastered minis that are on the Tradition website. They do not seem to offer much extra value; the officer is identical to Suren's original and has all the flaws that it came with. There is a Grenadier which was nice, but it was so miserably sculpted that it was painful to paint. It would also have been nice if it could have been provided separately so you could adjust the proportion of them in your unit. There is a drummer which I have not yet had the heart to paint, but looks like a bit of a trial to assemble drum to drummer. The fusiliers have all been modified, but when that's happened, the cartridge boxes have somehow been rather 'flattened' and pushed into the miniature.

So, while I am glad I did them, I am glad I won't have to do them again!

So, now the question arises... what' next.

I have a few options. I spent some time last week painting a few sample Highlanders I have had knocking about here for months. I have a method now for tartan that works well for me; it's a bit impressionistic, but looks 'right' and I can knock out an infantryman in the course of a 45 minute painting session. I'd build the unit to the "Drums of War" organisation (4 x sub units of musketeers @ 19 figs each plus additional Grenadier and Light companies, two of each) - but it's a double-sized unit so it would be a long project. The first batch of figures are on order.

42nd Highlanders

44th Foot

Next option would be to finish off the 44th Foot. This was a hard-working regiment in the French and Indian war, being present at numerous engagements, not the least of which were the Monongahela and the siege of Fort Niagara. I started work on this unit when I finished my third French unit for the French and Indian war. I only need to paint about a dozen figures and flag the unit to put this one to bed.

Another project that tempts me is to crack on with the 46th Foot. I have some of the command in Staddens. I also found a few Grenadiers unexpectedly this morning which has dangled temptation in front of me. They are very handsome figures.

IR 5

So, who does not like a Stadden Prussian Grenadier? This chap got painted this morning. Took about an hour because they are quite demanding figures to paint as they require your very best in terms of precision. 

Lastly, I also watched on Henry Hydes' YouTube channel his restoration of the Spencer Smith "Oldenberg" Regiment and some of Charles Grants' rather super old buildings which have come to him. and now I have an itch to pull out some of my unpainted Spencer Smiths and have a go at them.