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. 

The de Lusignan Cavallerie

 

De Lusignan's cavallerie legere with Von Abriegelung's Cuirassiers in the background

In reversed colours with a banner cribbed from Kronoskaf with some small overpainting.

Well, I do like it when I can close the book on a project and this has been one I have enjoyed doing. I am going to take a couple of days to consider what's up next. Do I paint another regiment? I have to say that once I got into the swing of painting these two cavalry regiments, things just hummed along, so it's a temptation to be sure. Perhaps a red-coated one? Or green? 

The other siren call for me is to round out a couple of LOTR armies I have doodled away at over the past 5-6 years - Rohan and Orcs. Each is at around 80 odd figures each and I could see myself building them out to around 130 Rohan (60 riders and 50-80 shieldwall). and 150-180 Orcs (mostly infantry with about 20 Warg riders). That's a rather big temptation, and I painted 5 orcs in between working on the last batch of de Lusignan's.

Another thought is to carry on with my Y2K Bundeswehr. I have a platoon of infantry painted (1:1), four diecast Marder 1A5s undercoated, a Gepard coming in the post and my eye firmly on some Leopard 2s. Looking around for Soviets and I think Zveda "Art of Tactic" Cold WAr Hot figures will do nicely for Soviets/Russians. There are plenty of kits of BTRs, BMPs and BRDMs about. Ditto later model Soviet era tanks as well.

And then also too there is my Blitzkreig to Barbarossa collection which burgeons. Have to admit there though that I had a wobble and trailed off in a 1944-ish direction with some panthers and Maultier trucks.

Plenty of options to chose from. Thoughts and opinions more than welcome! :)

Graf Von Abriegelung Regiment of Cuirassiers

 

And that is the last figure of that fine body of horsemen. Looking at the lace pattern on the saddle-cloth and the pole, I would assume that this will be an Alzheimer Regiment.

The Graf Von Abriegelung is a solitary, introverted type of chap who enjoys long, quiet days in the library, taking a constitutional around the battlements of his ancient, Ivy infested old Schloss. It's said that the Plague went through the town below and he didn't even notice.

Daily management of the Regiment of which he is Inhaber is of course devolved upon the senior Captain....

And a quick update:

Things to do During Lockdown.

 I could have done some work in the garden, I suppose.

But I didn't. 

With their gloss varnish drying in the early morning sunshine, I present the latest unit of Spencer Smiths, painted very much as 'German" cuirassiers. They still require two officers and an Ensign.

The naming Dear Readers, I leave to you. If it helps, they will be in the Imperial service.

A Change of Scene

 Time to take a little break from 1/72 panzer grenadiers and let my eyes rest for a while on something larger and yet also simpler.

I went and pulled out the Comardo Collection of cavalry with my son and arranged them all on the floor of the shedio. We picked out four units for renovation, and if I had been thinking straight this morning I would have shot all four of them, but that's me without coffee.

So the idea is I'll go nuts on them for the next six weeks and se if I can get thru four units of 27 figs.

That should get my ratios of SSM infantry better in keeping with the cavalry arm. 

The idea is to repaint them while honouring their original look. They are old veterans with a lot of years on them and they deserve to be remembered in their old livery - or at least a modenised version thereof. 

Just crane your neck to the right

This is a couple of them post renovation. So, more or less a German Cuirassier on the left or- -ah - top with a French Cavalerie Legere to the right.