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"I've got bugs crawling on my legs!"

The base edges require a bit of touching up for a fully finished look, but here is the first company plus the mounted colonel and regimental staff at the front.


Not really, but I have been wrestling with a computer bug during the last ten days for the third time in about six months, which means that the desk-top PC has been out of commission. . . AGAIN. So, I've had to do most of my computing via a laptop this week, and that complicates blog posting and uploading photographs a bit. In any case, here are two pictures of the first company of those Huzzah Miniatures, finished last Sunday. I haven't included the extra officers, NCOs, or drummers though. I mean, why have too much of a good thing?

The flag was fairly easy to do. I found a conjectured Wurtemburg standard through Kronoskaf/Project Seven Years War (link at lower right on this page), resized, printed, and trimmed carefully with an X-acto hobby knife and a metal ruler. Once it was glued carefully around the flagpole and shaped into some fairly plausible folds, I let it dry overnight. Sunday afternoon, while the Grand Duchess and Young Master Paul were on a walk, I next painted over all of the computer ink colors, using a #2 round brush and a #1 for the tiny central devices and golden lettering. I overpaint like this because computer inks not only fade with time, but they also run admirably when you apply acrylic varnish, er, floor finish (Future/Klear). It's fairly easy to paint over the colors already on the paper "flag" with a little practice however.

Now, for you detail freaks, who might immediately set out to visit the Kronoskaf website with the intent of checking my work, the actual Wurtemburg standards featured tiny sabres in their outter corners. I chose not to attempt painting those in though. Awfully small, tedious, and the regiment will serve as a fictitious unit in the Army of Stollen after all, so I didn't mind omitting that particular detail.

Finally, I have managed to sit down to the painting table for a little while the last couple of evenings and apply two coats of black basecoat to the next batch of 16 infantry figures. Since all of the company officers, NCOs, and musicians are painted already, the painting of these should progress reasonably quickly. I know, I know. . . Famous last words!



And for good measure, another photograph, taken from a slightly different angle this time. Not terribly shabby, and I'm rather pleased with the painting outcome even if this part of the unit took much longer than necessary.

Comments

Prufrock said…
Great to see you back on the hobby horse, Stokes! You had me a bit worried there for a spell. Latest unit looking very good, and your project as inspirational as ever.

Best,
Aaron
Very smart troops I must say.... and I share your pain over the computer bugs

(altho at least the bugs crawling over my body are all neatly moustachioed with elegant sashes ... ooops, who put the hallucinogens in with the analgesics again?)
ColCampbell50 said…
Stokes,

A very nice looking unit. It will surely brings tremors of fear from the Zitenauers and their nefarious allies.

Jim
Fitz-Badger said…
Excellent work! Nice uniforms.
Capt Bill said…
Handsome lads, indeed!!!
Mark Dudley said…
Very nice indeed. I got a couple of samples from Ian at fighting15s and the figures are very close match to original Spencer Smith figures in look and size.
Prince Lupus said…
I wish I'd read your comments on "Klear" and ink a couple of days earlier!
Anonymous said…
Stokes - Could I make a request please?
When next you make a flag, could you show it to us before you paint over the computer colours? Kind of "before & after" shots.
I'd just like to see the difference, because I use my computer printer to colour my medieval banners, but I don't paint over them later.

- Steve
tidders2 said…
Stokes,

nice to see you new unit progressing; lovely paintwork as usual

-- Allan

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