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| Two companies of Reichsarmee grenadiers painted back in 2017 or 2018. Minden Austrians of course. |
A lovely early autumn day here in the grand duchy. Bright sunshine and a light breeze with cool temperatures will make for some very pleasant late afternoon lawn mowing in a little while. But first a bit more discussion of painting plans for the future.
Last time, I looked back at the various and sundry units, support troops, and civilians that I've managed to paint in the last 17 years as the Grand Duchy of Stollen project has developed. So today, let's look into the seemingly bottomless Drawer 'o' Lead to my left for a clue to the new direction. Be forewarned, it's not going to be a quick job getting everything painted and based, but there we are.
The following plans are based on the pile of unpainted figures already here. Any future purchases will be limited to small things that might be needed to fill out the envisioned units (the odd few officers mounted or on foot, musicians, and the like) although I believe that I actually have everything necessary.
Here we go then:
Planned Additional Zichenauer OOB
De Ligne Infantry (60+ Minden Austrians) -- TBD
Kurkoeln Wildenenstein (60+ Minden Austrians) – TBD
Kurpfalz-Effern Infantry Regiment (60+ Minden Austrians)– TBD
Pfalz-Zweibrucken Ysenburg, (60+ Minden Prussians) – TBD
4th (Sachsen) Kreis Regiment (Mix of 30+) -- TBD
Grenaiders (2 or 3 cos.. . . 48+) -- TBD
Karlstädter-Szuliner Grenzer Croats (1 co. . . 15) -- TBD
(Saxony) Curassiers (1 sqn.. . . 15) – TBD
(Saxony( Cuirassiers (1 sqn.. . . 15) -- TBD
(Wurttemburg) Cavalrie (2 Sqns Cuirassiers in Bearskin. . . 30) -- TBD
Lanciers de Saxe (2 Sqns. . . 30) -- TBD
Lauzun’s Legion Artillery (13 figures, two guns, and limber teams) -- TBD
Planned Additional Stollenian OOB
Ansbach-Beyreuth/Waldeck/Anhalt-Zerbst Regt. (60+ Fife & Drum figs.)– TBD
(Hesse-Hanau) Fusilier Regt. Erbprinz (60+ Minden) -- TBD
(Hanover) Legion Britanique Composite (60+ Minden Russians) – TBD
Grenadiers (2 or 3 cos. 32-48 Minden figs.) -- TBD
Von Hordt Frei-Infanterie (1 co.. . . 15 figs.) Currently in Progress
Von Priese Dragoons (2 sqns. 30 figs) – Holger Eriksson drgaoons Need Rebasing!!!
(Hanover) Grothaus Kavalrie (15 RSM Dragoons 1 sqn.) – TBD
(Hanover) Dachenhausen Kavalrie ( 15 RSM Dragoons 1 sqn.) - TBD
(Hesse-Kassel) Husarencorps (15 RSM Prussian Hussars 1 sqn) – TBD
(Brunswick) von Roth Hussars (15 RSM Prussian Hussars 1 sqn) -- TBD
As I say, everything necessary to paint the units above is already here, and in many cases the figures have been sorted into units and stowed in small plastic snap-top tubs to keep the aforementioned (and heavily loaded) Drawer 'o' Lead manageable. Plainly speaking, the above is one hell of a lot of miniatures to get through given my glacial painting rate of recent years, but I like a challenge, and it should keep me happily engaged until well in decrepitude.
60 is just a little more than three years off you know. ;-)
In any case, when everything has been finished, the armies should be something to behold. And that is putting it lightly. Good thing I am a Johnny One-Note and have managed to limit myself to just a single period of interest since the early 2000s. But enough prattle! Time to get busy with the paints and brushes.
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In other news, I have finally cleaned up, put away the figures and scenery, and stowed the folding tables. The Young Master inexplicably has lost interest in finishing the game we have tried to start twice in the last month. Rather than let everything gather dust and/or risk feline mischief, it made better sense to put units, scenery, and grass mats safely away until a later date.
I am, however, planning a solo affair for myself during the long (US) Thanskgiving weekend in November. If our son cares to join me, he is welcome to do so, but I'm not banking on it. Between you and me, I've never seen a kid take greater pleasure in complaining about terminal boredom. Jeeze Louise!
Given the house full of books, very pleasant back yard, and numerous other opportunities available to him, it's hard to feel sorry about the situation. It could just be that fairly typical adolescent ennui that some, though by no means all, young people suffer from. Growing pains some call it. But I hope, in any case, that he manages to snap himself out of it before long.
As for yours truly, it's time to fire up the ol' Toro Timemaster and then return to that company of von Hordt frei-infanterie over on the painting table this evening.
-- Stokes
A Sunday Morning P.S.
Thank you for your kind words and suggestions, Neil and Rob. Indeed, the contrast paints and similar have caught my interest and, while I have yet to jump in up to my hips, I have begun using various Army Painter washes as part of my painting process during the last year. More as a way to add depth and definition to figure surfaces, but I like the results so far.
The Army Painter 'Flesh Wash' yields especially nice results on faces and hands after the basic flesh color has been blocked in. I never realized the sheer amount of facial details that the late sculptor Richard Ansell managed to work into the figures he created for Minden and Fife & Drum miniatures. The flash wash certainly helps bring 'em to life.
Kind Regards,
Stokes
Comments
Having passed that particular milestone, with retirement tantalisingly close (yet still far enough away), I too have mentally reviewed the painting queue.....
While it is possible to delude yourself that once full time employment ceases you will do nothing but paint, the experience or reality suggests otherwise.
Short of giving up, I'd suggest you may need to review how you paint. As a "black undercoat, main, shade and highlights" painter I know how long that takes.
I'm moving to the use of things like washes and Contrast paints. Looking at your style, I'd suggest it would accommodate Contrast paints very well. The flow qualities really do speed up coverage.
A good example is here:
https://arteis.wordpress.com/2021/09/04/painting-guide-british-grenadiers-with-contrast-paints/
Neil
Are you going to play one, or both, sides with pre-programmed orders in your solo game? Perhaps with different battle plans selected by dice?
Neil
The lure of the video game proved too much for such old school activity.
Still there are enough old codgers still around who are willing to recreate our childhoods. Plus the occasional solo game.