Thursday 28 October 2010

Bavarians . . . Watch this space

I've hit a little modelling/painting block at the moment.

1) I have my 1st Bavarian battalion (11th Kinkel) based needing varnished, grassed and a flag added.

2) I have my 1st artillery battery also pretty much finished with guns painted (bar 4 wheels needing done). Still needs varnished and grassed

3) I have converted a (Battle honours/AB?) Austrian artillery limber and have based and painted it. Needing wire attached then finished off, varnished and grassed. I am pretty happy with this 1 as it was very simple head swaps with some little details added and altered and I think it's looks the part.

However I've decided to have the weekend off as I kind of overdone it. I'd been preparing Russian horse and foot artillery limbers and also a 2nd Bavarian battalion for painting at the same time as doing the above and then my beloved tub of black paint I use for undercoating ran out!!!!! The wee shop I get it from no longer sells it and Chaos Black just doesn't cut it. Any suggestions?

On a brighter note I ordered a copy of "A soldier for Napoleon" telling the history of the Bavarian 7th regiment throughout the napoleonic wars. Interestingly seen through the letters sent home from an officer in the regiment. so hopefully it will arrive today and inspire me on.

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Russian Horse Artillery

Here are some pictures of my 15mm AB Russian horse artillery.

Ahhh there is nothing quite like a 6 gun horse artillery battery (especially when you have finished painting it!).

I am now addicted to the AB 15mm figures and especially the Russians. With my OG Prussians you could just about get away with them in the same battalion as their AB comrades but not a chance with the Russians.

My figures as usual are cleaned up and undercoated in black then I pick out the flesh. I painted the uniform with Foundry Russian green light then highlighted with Vallejo Russian Green.


A mix of greys on the trousers and a little highlight of dark grey on the leather then it was onto the white belts and metal work.

I drilled out the barrels of the guns with a pin vice and they were given a coat of Vallejo Russian green with a lighter green gradually put through it and the same green was used on the hand tools.


I've given them 2 coats of revell matt varnish and still they have a slight satin shine. This was my main fear when I started painting with the Foundry paints. I think eventually I will use a dull coat spray but for now they will do fine.

As always your comments are most welcome.

Monday 4 October 2010

Prussian Landwehr Finished



At last I finally spent a half hour finishing off my 1st battalion of Pommeranian landwehr.





They have sat in my "to finish" pile for a very long time, far to many months! (quite embarrassing to be honest). I have been very unfair on them as I jumped from battalion to battalion leaving them crying out to join in all the fun.





To be honest I believe the Old Glory landwehr to be up there with AB's landwehr and before you spill your pint with anger please hear me out on this 1. I believe the AB figures to be the best looking but for landwehr they just look too elegant to me (although I would be pretty happy to have all my landwehr ranks filled with AB figures!). When I look at the Old Glory figures they look to me how I imagine Prussian landwher would look (a mob) brave but prone to uncontrolled charges.






A wee note: I have the OG Prussian landwehr with shako's added through my battalions. I cut off the top of their shako's and added caps with miliput to give more variety to my units.

Sunday 3 October 2010

My 1st AB Russians

I am still getting to grips with my newly returned camera so the images are a little different in shade, on a positive note I am able to finally take some pictures of my finished work!

So this is the 1st of many 15mm AB Russian battalions.


I have decided to do the 7th Division from 1812 and this is the 3rd battalion of Libau Infantry regiment.


The AB Russians are a pure joy to paint with the detail on a par with many 28mm figures.

I now wish I would have skipped my Old Glory Russians and started with my AB's! I have around 12 battalions to paint up with 3 already well on the way to being finished.

Again a huge thanks to James (Suvurov) from the USA who sent me the Russian flags that he designed himself. When printed from a good quality printer they are perfect. I drilled out the hands and attached paper clip flagpoles to make them stronger.

A wee question to anyone in the know: Does anyone have any idea what colour the pompom of the drummers be? I know the plume in full dress is red and so I made the pompom red too but I would guess this would only be reserved for drummers of the grenadier companies and battalions?




You can't make it out from the pictures but there are different shades in the trousers starting with Games Workshop foundation paint dhenb stone and progressively highlighted with white.



Next up: I'll post pictures of my Prussian Old Glory Landwher and then my AB Russian horse battery . . .