The Grand Duchy of Stollen

Florence Nightingale, The Lady with the Lamp, was an early proponent of hand-washing and better personal hygiene as a way to stem the spread of communicable illnesses. H as it been more than a month since my last update?  Why, yes.  Yes, it has.  Funny how that happens sometimes. Following a wonderful week visiting ol' Mom and dogs in Pinehurst, North Carolina, it was back to work for two days before my university sent everyone home and decided that classes would be conducted remotely through the end of the semester and Final Exam Week.   All well, good, and completely understandable, but it has had the added effect of making free time less common than everyone thought initially.  I am online even more now in connection to my work, responding to student emails, and the like than I was before 'The Blight' came along.  Factor in the help I have been giving The Young Master with some online schoolwork since he has been at home for the last two w...

Needless to say, the white piping along the edges of the red tunic collars was murder to get right.  I fear it's time to have the bifocal discussion with my ophthalmologist at the next exam later this spring, blast it. T ime in the painting chair earlier this Sunday afternoon finishing up the red tunic collars piped white, and then starting on the black horizontal stripes along the scarlet lances carried by 12 of the 14 Minden Bosniaks that comprise this large squadron.   Once that step is done, just a few touch-ups, and then onto the two coats of acrylic gloss.  I am off to visit ol' Mom and dogs for a few days at the end of the week though -- Spring Break next week -- so, let's see how far I get before the 5:30am flight Friday morning.   I did splurge for First and/or Business Class all the way this time though.  A bit more forgiving for the knobby, middle-aged knees you understand.  With any luck, I should be in Pinehurst, North Carol...

Painstaking piping preparation continues. . .  Whew! W ell Sir, the Minden Bosniaken are not quite finished, but I bit the bullet and sat down for three (or as it four?) painting sessions during the last couple of days: a hour or so Friday evening, another stint on Saturday afternoon, and again that same evening to apply the white piping c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y along the edges of the red tunic cuffs, black kaftan  sleeve edges, and kaftan lapels behind each rider's neck.  I've also gone back and cleaned up a few wobbly white edges with either scarlet, or black depending.  Both, of course, cover white nicely.  Just the collar piping on the tiny red tunic collars to tackle today followed by the decorative white piping 'round about hip-level on the black kaftans. Still nowhere near finished -- and let's not even speak of the horizontal black stripes that will need to be applied to the lances -- but the 14 figures and horses really are coming along nicely at this ...

Nowhere near finished, but I managed to make a bit of head way with the white lining yesterday (Saturday) evening and this afternoon. B esides all of this foolish talk of morale rules, I have managed to keep the painting on those Minden Bosniaks moving forward.  Just barely.  Sat my you-know-what down the the painting chair and worked on white trim on the black kaftans for about 90 minutes or so yesterday evening.  Not too many mishaps with the brush although there were a couple of notable errant white splotches that had to be fixed after the fact.  Still, it is this particular stage that helps the figures start to look like something other than the finely sculpted castings they are.   Still a long way to go, of course, but I'm pleased with the way things are coming together.  Besides the white piping on the red tunics and trousers, I need to finish the white piping on the black kaftans than runs behind each figure's neck and the highly decor...

Another old Knoetel illustration from our period of focus. M orale, as I understand the concept, is the psychological state of a body of troops.   Morale ratings in Call It Macaroni attempt to reflect the training, skill, and fortitude of units in the face of contact with the enemy.   Troops with a better morale rating -- guards, grenadier battalions, veterans -- last longer in battle, remain under control for longer, and are easier for officers and NCOs to sort out and rally.   Lower quality troops -- average, green, or militia formations for example -- less so.  A unit's morale is a fluid thing that can change as battle wears on, new and unforeseen situations arise, and casualties mount.   That said, my thinking is that lower quality units would also be more brittle and more likely to succumb sooner to the effects of what is happening around and to them.  In addition, it seems that it would be harder for officers and NCOs to restore order ...