Minden Hussar Update: Photo Coming Soon. . .

In the meantime, here is an image, presumably of 18th, or very early 19th Century vintage, of a Swedish hussar. A member of the Crown Prince's Regiment no less.

Happy to report that I am nearing completion of the first dozen of those 30 Minden Prussian hussars that I've been moaning about here for months. That should leave me with just over a month to complete the remaining 18 (in three batches of six) before the completion date of November 5th. . . the day before my 45th, er. . . um. . . ah. . . 29th birthday!

Anyway, my wife actually asked how painting was going the other evening about 9:30pm when we joined each other on the front porch for a few moments of quiet and calm. Caught off guard -- because the Grand Duchess almost NEVER asks about my soldier hobby -- I almost choked on my single malt and spluttered that things were going well, but if I had it to do over again, I would have purchased hussar figures from Spencer Smith, something I will do in future since my desire for more hussars on the tabletop never fully goes away. It's just painting the darn things!

Don't get me wrong, the Minden castings are exquisite works of art, but I've always felt they are so chock-a-block with tiny details that they intimidate all but the very best painters. They have certainly absolved me of any smugness I might have had at one time about my own ability to paint wargaming figures to a convincing standard. Just my two cents. That said, for personality figures, they are without equal, and I hope to add a few more of them to my collection at some point. Christmas is on the horizon after all, and it's time to start thinking about that annual letter to Santa Claus/Father Christmas.

Comments

Mosstrooper said…

The great advantage of Spencer Smith is that YOU paint the detail on yourself !.I'm 'sold' on them !

12:55 PM

Bluebear Jeff said…

While I admire the detail on fine figures like the Mindens, I prefer simpler castings.

Perhaps it is because I am not a particularly good painter and I don't like "details", but give me figures without a lot of detail please.

-- Jeff

1:50 PM

Conrad Kinch said…

All I would say is that you have an audience of one to please and there is simply nothing to do beyond that.

9:16 PM

The 18th century? What's the Fascination?

Hessian musketeers by All the King's Men Toy Soldiers of Snellville, Georgia, U.S.A. Just a quick post post today, but I thought the above question might be interesting food for thought. Obviously, there is an array of possible periods, theaters, and conflicts that might catch our eyes. But what is it about the era 1700-1799 -- either real, or imagined? Is it the commanders and politics? The fairly straightforward tactics? The myriad of uniforms and flags? The variety and scope of the conflicts? The patchwork of various and sundry petty states, (at least in Central Europe)? I'm very interested to learn your thoughts. Don't be a lurker! Please leave a comment -- or even two or three. Have a nice day everyone!

An Early July Hussar Update. . .

Marginally neater in appearance with green bases, girths, and ivory horse markings added, but I need to neaten up some hooves now before moving onto the rest of the tack. W here in the world did June go? While I still ponder the answer to that question, how about a quick painting update on the first batch of 14 Minden Austrian hussars and Nadasdy? Good. I'm glad we are of a like mind. Still on the sloppy side, but I've managed to move things along, painting the green bases, white (ivory) horse markings, and beginning the miles and miles of tack adorning the various horses. I always like to begin with the girths spanning the horses' ribs which helped hold the saddles in place. Even with the figures mounted individually on temporary painting bases, these can be kind of tricky to access, but there we are. I've also used various Army Painter washes (Mid-Brown and Strong Tone) as well as their Speed Paint (Grim Black) to make the manes and tails of the horses a bit m...

Basic Reds Done at Last. . .

S till quite a way to go with the current batch of 20 human figures and a horse (of course), but they're actually starting to look like something after all of the red distinctions. Quite a bit of painting in hour-long sessions the last week as and when time has allowed. Mostly applying the basic dark red to facing areas and turnbacks followed by the inevitable touch-ups to clean up wobbly edges and those misplaced, minute splotches of Citadel Khorne Red. They're looking like so many Austrian infantry regiments of the era at this point, but the eventual flags will turn them magically into the Anhalt-Zerbst Regiment, more or less, of the AWI period. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. One frustrating point (ahem) of sad discovery. I've started trying to use those Winsor & Newton 'Series Seven' brushes (#1 rounds) purchased last spring, and the blasted things simply will not keep a point. Very frustrating since I have heard over the y...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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