Just Three More Buttons. . .

A reprise of the second-from-the-top photograph, but this time brightened and cropped to show just the three figures making up the company command vignette. Or it will be a vignette once some minor terrain features have been added post-glossing.

Well, I mistakenly THOUGHT that my Ansbach-Beyreuth company of 15 (Fife & Drum) jaegers was done. But -- and it seems there is always a 'but' in these matters -- there are three, or possibly four or five buttons down the front of the officer's waistcoat that need a dot of gold. And one or two more touch-ups that I spot now looking at the pictures.

But then I will stop this madness and call them done save for the usual acrylic gloss varnish and some Woodland Scenics materials on the bases.

In any case, here are a few photographs snapped this (Saturday) morning to illustrate where things stand at the moment. Some of my favorite castings, I think, among the many gems produced by Minden, F&D, and Crann Tara. There are a number of other brands of mid-18th century miniatures that I like, and many more than that on the market (we all have our favorites), but these three are far and away the very best in my view.

And it's amazing what a tripod with timer will do to improve one's picture taking results! I did not brighten the pictures in the online editor I use (Fotor), however, to give a truer idea of my color-wash combination of the Citadel, Army Painter, Vallejo, and craft paint products used to paint the figures shown.

In a nutshell, the breeches, coats, and flesh received appropriate washes after the basic colors with many, but not all, of the surfaces highlighted sparingly as the final step. As the song goes, it's getting better all the time. . . It couldn't get much worse!

Otherwise, the company should be ready for the Young Master to command in our game set for next weekend. The planned Battle of Spargelzeit. We'll be using our emerging set of morale rules from our totally derivative A Tangled Mass set, which has a had a few changes and additions since our last outing.

Stay tuned!

-- Stokes

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

Search This Blog