Very British Weekend

To celebrate Her Royal Majesty's visit to my town, I thought I would paint up a few British units to boost their numbers.

First off the rank were two British line units to complete Pack's Brigade. The 1st Royal Scots, also know as the Pontius Pilots bodyguards, had blue facings. The 44th East Essex, known as the Little Fighting Fours due to a large number of short soldiers serving in the unit in the Peninsular, had the yellow facing. They joined the previously painted 42nd Black Watch and the 92nd Gordon Highlanders. As part of Pictons 5th Reserve Division, there were some of the most experienced fighters during the Hundred days.

1st and 44th (left two) joining the 42nd and 92nd (right)

Both were part of the Redline range, fast to paint and well proportioned. I tried out a new magic wash formula (more about that in another post) which worked out really well until I tried to matt coat them with varnish. Not sure what happened but went frosted, dulled all the colours and generally looked pretty ordinary. I've tried to touch up the colours, but not a great improvment. Unfortunately not my best effort.

1/95th formed up and 2/95th in skirmish order

Next were two battalions of the 95th Rifles, one formed up and one skirmished. There were 3 battalions of the famous "Grasshoppers" at Waterloo as part of a couple of brigades - Kempt, and Adam. Kept's are the next brigade to paint as part of Picton's 5th Division. The rifles were part of the GH range, which are very detailed. I must admit I don't like their swords. They maybe the correct proportions but they seem very wispy to me, and bendy.


Finally to clear my painting desk, I finished off some British RHA limbers that had been sitting there for months. I wasn't happy with the colour my old magic wash turned the grey of the limbers (all brown and muddy), so I tried out my new black version, much better. The riders were quickly finished and based up to join a RHA battery done earlier.

Some of Redline's 4 horse RHA limbers

Limbers supporting a RHA battery

So now I have a brigade + of British to take on the French. Probably another weekend would see Kempt's brigade done and enough for a reasonable battle, with some help from the Brunswick. Now I need to pay attention to some French line, who at the moment are hopelessly out numbered about 13:7! Back to the blue and white.

1/95th and 2/95th (right), Pack's Brigade (centre right), KGL Hussars and Light Dragoons (centre left), RHA battery and limbers (right)

So I hope Her Majesty is pleased at my busy work.

The Black Duke has arrived!

The Duke pointing something out to his staff - probably a hiding Frenchman

With my Brunswick 100 days force nearly completed (2 units of Lights to go), my focus has shifted to make sure they are ably led. No manufacturer that I am aware of makes a 10mm Brunswick command (not a big seller) so conversion was the only option.

A few months ago I picked up a packet of 10mm Old Glory Prussian Generals with the view of using them as a base. Old Glory has some inconsistent scaling with its mounted figures.  Some of the riders look a lot smaller than others, but from a distance it is not noticeable as long as you base them seperately.

The Black Duke just needed a longer shabraque. One of his ADC's had his bicorne cut off and replace with a small ball of greenstuff and flattened. Two brigade commanders needed bicornes cut off and replaced with shakos and plumes as well as the saddles fixed. The other Brigade commander just needed a saddle adjustment.

There is always a bit of fiddling getting Old Glory riders to sit on the horses. While is in nice to have interchangeable horses, there is a fair bit of fiddling around to get them to sit well. This is ok for half a dozen command figures, but I'm not to keen on doing this for a heavy calvary division. Much easier having them moulded as one unit like Redline or Pendraken.

The foot officer with a telescope is left over from the Brunswick Horse Artillery pack from GHQ. A little tall compared to the riders, but slim enough to disguise it.

Painting is pretty straight forward, and I think they turned out quite well. 10mm is easy to convert as distance and smallness is on your side.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho - Sappers

For something different I painted up 3 companies of French Sappers. The figures come from the GHQ French Infantry command packs. Beautifully detailed, with even insignia on the arms. R2E has some great rules for Fighting In Built Up Areas (FIBUA).  Having a company of sappers adds modifiers to the attacking force.

They do look like a bunch of grumpy dwarves heading off to the mine.

Beginnings of an Artillery Park

My French forces are currently missing artillery. One benefit of switching from 28mm down to 10mm is that artillery is more affordable. Nine 10mm guns and 36 crew cost 12 pounds from Bend Sinister plus shipping. They are also are much quicker to paint.

I've started assembling 34 French guns. The wheels are the hardest to clean up. I'll spray the carriages green, do the black metal parts, then maybe a wash/dip. The barrels will be done in bronze, then a wash. There is also a dozen limbers to go with the artillery. Not sure if I will do the guns all in the same go, or spread them out in groups of 12.

Obviously 34 guns is a lot for a small brigade! Not all will be batteries, some will go on the limber sets. But I have in mind the end size of my force of a Corps, so though I would start with the end in mind. And they look impressive - I've always wanted a Grand Battery.

Using masking tape rolled over is a little easier to hold tiny pieces for painting

A few guns and limbers here

The artillery crews have been primed in blue. They should be a quick to finish, picking out the details.

French Artillery (Redline) and some Sappers (GHQ)

10mm Eye candy

I set the troops I had painted up on the table for a trial run. I don't have enough yet for a game, but I hope this won't stay like this for long. A couple more weeks and I should have enough for a modest brigade action to try out the new scale.

While you are waiting, enjoy

Fastest unit to paint?

Aside from an invisible ninja army, it has to be Brunswick Horse Artillery. Black uniforms with black braid, black cartridge pouch and belts, black hat, and black plume! Officers have a gold sash and silver waist belt.

So after a black spray undercoat (obvious I know) a good dry brush all over with dark grey, then I picked out the face and hands. A wash with some brown ink to pick up the facial features. Then paint the equipment - silver scabbard, brown shafts on the artillery bits, some silver highlights on different parts and that is about it.

This were my first GHQ miniatures, quite different to the Redline ones. Very clear detail, but quite stiff and formal poses. Maybe they are doing drill. The swords and flagpoles are ridiculously thin, I know they are supposed to be true to scale but they are very, very thin. The guns have a fantastic level of detail in them,  almost too much for the 10mm scale. There was a wide variety of poses in the 13 figures per box, and a different combination in each box. I only need three crew per gun so I have a bunch left over for maybe some small vignettes with leaders or in the "artillery park".

All up it took 2 hours to clean up, undercoat, paint, detail, glue to the base and sand 26 men and 4 guns. Twenty more minutes to drybrush the base and flock and they are done. I'm sure I can improve this speed with practice.

It's a pity there was only ever 8 Horse Artillery guns total in the Bruswick army. I use a 1:2 scale so I have painted the whole battery. I'll have to find someone who make a foot artillery line so I can improve my black speed painting.

I have ordered all the infantry of the Brunswick army (1 Leib, 3 Line, 3 Light, and 1 Jaegers/Avantegarde) from Bend Sinister so I can have them painted up in quick time. Si at Bend Sinister is currently working on making Brunswick Hussars available shortly. Then I just need to convert some mounted officers for the Black Duke himself and his small staff. I've ordered some Old Glory Prussian Officers to see if I can make something.

Shame the troops were so raw in battle, brave and feisty, but raw.