Monday 4 November 2013

Prussian WIP 4.11.13

It's been a funny few weeks with a couple of lows but thankfully some very nice highs to.

Today was my 1st full shift back at work and my leg feels fine plus it's nice to be back! The past 2 weeks I have been fazing back with half days in a day center and have really enjoyed the experience. I have also been melting into the local pool doing between 2 and 4 miles a week, not a huge amount but perfect for getting my leg moving again.
  
Hobby wise I had been pretty excited about an up coming interest. However it fell through before even getting started so I was left feeling a bit deflated. No matter worse things happen in the world and it's only toy soldiers. Thankfully I've had 2 great games that have picked me back up. If you follow my blog regularly you will have seen our wee Plancenoit game last week, well yesterday I was fortunate enough to be asked to take part in a Leipzig game at my buddy Roberts. I'll Post a report soon . . .
   
The 2 games have given me enough inspiration to pick up the brushes again. I started this 2nd battalion of landwehr but I could tell a block was coming because I started jumping around nations and units.
  
 Anyway they are now well on the way with a few more figures almost finished.
  
I also started on a zimmerman using the French sapper. I figured landwehr troops would use any kit they could get their hands on so a captured French pack and greatcoat would work well. Sorry about the grainy pics!

I changed some of the detail to make him look less French. This is the drinking container, side bag and Litewka in WIP, they are much larger and better defined now. 

I also added a beard, The shape of this figure works well with a beard as the length of the body and head sitting on the collar can make the neck seem as if it is to long. I found this out when doing my Saxon sappers.  A beard appears to bring everything together? I have another 5 or 6 of these to do at some point!

I mounted this trio up even though the trumpeter is only base coated basically because I was struggling to finish them. When I get stuff to this stage all I really need is a wee bit of inspiration and I'll get them finished off. I have a few other commands in a similar state lying around.

Again I started this regiment off a wee while back and started to struggle with them because I had done 3 regiments of cavalry on the trot (sorry!!!). I am now well over half roads with them and I am aiming to finish them by the end of November. We will see!!!

I also decided to get the rest of my Prussian artillery based up. This is the follow up set to the battery I did a few months ago. I will be following the same painting process I did with the 1st lot and then they will be mixed together to give more variety in the 2 batteries. Again I apologize if the crew positions are off, I searched on line and could not for the life of me find a reference for them.
   
Here is a horse battery I have been working on and it is very close to being finished now. I took 2 Russian 6 gun batteries to the same stage as these and they are just waiting for my next jump! So that is basically what I have been working on during the odd free hour or 2.

I want to say a big thank you to Dirk from Germany who contacted me regarding some 15mm troops he was selling off and good luck with his new 28mm Napoleonic adventure . . .

Happy wargaming!!!


18 comments:

GaryA said...

Lovely stuff as usual!

Glad to hear the leg's behaving itself. I joined you last Friday when they raked out all the dead cartilage and such from my right knee. You might have set a trend!

Don't worry about hopping between units and nationalities. I hop between periods and scales. It just means it takes me 20 times longer to finish any project . . .

;O)

Gonsalvo said...

Glad to see you back to work after your injury, Paul!

Painting blocks happen to the best of us; I've been in a low production phase for a few months sue to outside time demands and no upcoming game in the near future to spur me on. Then again it could be because I have Napoleonic British on the painting table for the first time! :-)

Phil said...

Nice to see your leg is getting better...and great work, the artillery is really nice Paul.

The Angry Lurker said...

Good to hear your back at work and the leg is coming along, love your work as always!

John (VonBlucher) said...

Good to hear about the jeg and having your painting mojo back.

Getting back into a regu;ar work routine might help creating a painting schedule again.

Service Ration Distribution (Hobby) said...

Spectacular as ever. The unpainted figs next to the painted look like the ghosts of former fellow figures. Great idea about the pioneer fig.

Anonymous said...

Great that you're back on your feet. Keep up the good work - always a pleasure to see; inspiring stuff! What blues do you use for your Prussian Blue? Ru Lane

Sun of York said...

Some very impressive Prussians there. I've almost finished a unit of Landwher, and while I am very happy with them they are no where near your quality. My figures are Battle Honors and very similar in pose.

I'm also a painter who hops all over the place.

gorgarrak (Mike) said...

Glad to see you are feeling better, you has inspired me to get started on some 15-18mm Prussians of my own, my first order from warmodeling arrived today and my BlueMoon should be here soon, they look tiny next to my 1:72 WW2, Happy Painting
Mike

Christopher(aka Axebreaker) said...

Good to hear your moving around and back on the job. As usual very nice miniature work!

Christopher

Paulalba said...

Thanks for all the good wishes regarding my leg, it wasn't sewn up but cast so hopefully it will hold together.

Hi Gary, hope you will be on the mend soon after your own bit of pain. Your spot on with the jumps although the painting block lasts a lot longer when you concentrate on 1 unit.

Hi Peter, British will do that to you! If only the Brits had stuck to the Stove pipe shako throughout the period!

Hi Phil,Thanks and hopefully you will see the artillery finished pretty soon, that's just the base coats.

Hi Fran, Thanks! I would love to get down for one of your Posties rejects games at some point. Your games always look like a lot of fun. Good to see you guys doing Naps again recently.

Hi john
Thanks, yes I hope so. Maybe we will see some more units from your self in the very close future?

Hi SRD, That's nice thinking about the unpainted figures. Every figures deserves a good coat of paint! Hopefully the rest in the battalion will soon come to life!

Hi Ru,
Thanks and good to see you here, The Prussian blues I use are the foundry set of 3. Block in with the shade, heavy highlight with the medium and a controlled highlight on the raised areas with the light. They are a dull set of blues that only come to life when varnished. You could use the 2 dark shade or the 2 lighter shades and still get a nice result. How is your Naps project coming along?

Thanks Mike,
Yes they will do. I spent 20 years painting nothing but 1/72 scale WW2 kits and figures and you wouldn't think there would be so much difference but you get into the swing of it. That's really kind of you to say you got some inspiration from my blog. I hope you'll enjoy the 15-18mm naps! Would be great to see how your units come together!

Hi Christopher,
As always thanks for your encouragement. I find a great inspiration from both you and Giles work over the past few years and have considered jumping into 28mm AWI, ACW and Naps while looking through your blog posts !!! Keep up the great painting!!!

Best regards
Paul

Happy wargaming, modelling and Paint!!!

Carlo said...

Hi Paul,

Let me also join the team of global gamers very pleased to hear on the mend and regaining the "pep in your step" -so to speak!! Hope it all continues well and to plan.

Always love your site and the Prussians are very much inspiring me.

Best wishes

Carlo

Paulalba said...

Hi Carlo,
That's very kind of you and very much appreciated. I'm glad you are enjoying my blog and Prussians. Hopefully have some more finished units to show soon.
Best
Paul

Ray Rousell said...

Great conversion work, love that chaps beard! Your welcome down to Reject HQ anytime. Just let us know roughly when and we'll try and sort something out.

Paulalba said...

Thanks Ray,
If I make it down south I'll defo let you guys know. Was thinking about blog con but I'm not 100% on stamina with the leg yet. It's a fair distance.

Anonymous said...

Looking real good. This should turn out to be a magnificent formation once done!

I love that Zimmermann conversion.

Paulalba said...

Hi Son of York,
I was using some BH landwehr at the weekend, they are very close to the later AB figures. I'll look out for them on your blog!
Cheers
Paul

Anonymous said...

Paul, trickling along...will set up a blog I think by 2014... Ru