Saxon WIP 7

So my pics are mince, sorry for that as I'm actually very happy with these guys. I have been jumping about (thankfully within the same nation, however still destructive for a good flow of painting) from line to lights and then to artillery. I have managed to screw the nut and get all of my Von Low battalion base painted, AP'd and have done almost half to completion.
   

I managed to forget the gold band on the officers shakos so I'll have catch that later. I used regal blue for my facing colour and I feel it works a treat, not to dark after the army painter and not to light either.
   

The mounted officer is slightly converted so he looks different from from my last battalion officer. I repositioned his arm and took off his head and repositioned him looking forward. I have no idea if the saddle covers should have royal logo's but I just gave them a few light swirls for fun.
 

The regular infantry guys look sweet and as well as the AP are shaded with all 3 Foundry whites (were they needed, I don't really know? maybe just 2 would have done fine?).
   

despite his glossy appearance this little guy is a dream for me (compared to the last 1 I did!) as I feel the head swap came out fine (he used to be a french grenadier sapper with beard). I struggled a bit with the apron but it looks not to bad. I now have him all highlighted and matt.
 
The Saxon sappers/pioneers are a little bit of pain for me as when I think of any S/P's I think grenadier and red cords and the only pic I've seen of 1 had red cords (however he was from the artillery so that didn't really help). With the Saxons having completely independent grenadier battalions I think of their S/P having red cords but the line guy I have decided to go with the white cords and NCO coloured pompom (and my light infantry S/P will have dark green). I you know any different please feel free to correct me!!!

15mm Prussian 1806 (3)

In between working on my Saxons I thought it was about time I posted some more pics of Von Blucher (Johns) excellent early Prussian collection.

This time up are the infantry, not sure of the regiments name so hopefully John will fill us in?

   

I have the officer in this set but he is destined to be head swapped into a Bavarians officer at some point.

 

And the lights (jagers?). My brother David and I painted a good few 15mm Minifigs in this uniform basically because we followed the Funcken and thought that the main Prussian troops were in green (seems daft now but we were just starting out and we didn't know anything).
  

The AB early Prussians look the business . . .
    

 . . . and John has done a fine job with them!

I hope everyone is getting back into the swing of painting etc after Christmas and New Year, I'm snowed under at work at the moment and don't get nearly enough time to paint or even look around blogs.Thanks to everone who has followed my we blog and feel free to leave a link to your own in the comments as sometimes when I click on the avatar there is no returning link. All the best!!!

Saxon Command

That's the brigade command finished for my 1812 Saxons. Took a while with the conversions but I'm happy how they turned out. I feel the General especially turned out well and I like the combination of uniforms from the big French hat with Saxon cockade to the Germanic style short boots and red breeches plus big shiny star.
   

Also happy how the horses came out. The Generals horse was painted bestial brown, AP'd then repainted with with the same colour and highlighted with a little cream added, then the socks and mane etc were lightened progressively.
   

I know the Army Painter method is seen as taking a shortcut but there was quite a bit of painting involved in these 2 afterwards. The horse furniture on both riders I used a GW crimson with Formula P3 Skorne red then AP'd then the skorne red was used on its own (I kept the Generals a shade darker). The Generals breeches were 1st painted skorne red then AP'd and highlighted by repainting skorne red and then adding a little Vallejo vermillion for the highlight.
  

I went with a warmer flesh tone then highlighted with a lighter flesh after the AP. The coat was GW regal blue, AP'd then repainted and highlighted with a mix of regal blue and mordian blue. I had to go lighter again afterwards as my shading was too subtle (my old WW2 tank painting habits catching me out again!).
  

 I'm pleased with how the epaulets etc turned out. Not sure if I would use wire again or pro-create for the aiguillette? I'll have to do more tests.
   

1 area I messed around too much was my grey highlights on the bicornes (daft I know). With my shakos I just use a dark grey for speed however with larger surface areas I think I will need to do 2 shades by adding black to the grey as my dark grey is a bit to light.
  

My wee dudes with their buddies. I'll have to get stuck into the next battalion when I am next off work. Can't fight those massed Russian with only 1 battalion. Very tempted to go straight to my artillery but I really want to have Saxon looking guns and the only way is to convert the French guns I have. I found pics on line of the Calpe Saxon guns un-assembled and pics from Dr Summerfield's Saxon artillery book but to do them right I would really need to see how everything fits together. 1 for the future maybe?

Saxon WIP 6

I've had a Saxon command stand in the back of my mind for months, thinking what figures I would use for them. I finally settled on 2 as mentioned in my last post and I just wanted to show you how they developed into a Saxon General and ADC.
  

 The figure on the left is an AB Austrian command figure. He fits the bill because he has the short boots shown on the pics of Saxon General plus he is pretty much a blank canvas as he has no epaulettes or turn-backs and there is very litte saddle detail.
  

I started by adding the saddle detail to the General as well as reshaping its rear. I gave him epaulettes and repositioned his hat to the later style (this was pinned into place). I then turned it into a French pattern bicorne while adding the Saxon style of national cockade and pin. The ADC was given an aiguillette made of wire and the ADC armband on the right side and rear.
    

Here they are mounted up, baset coated and painted with Army Painter dark tone. I'm finding the Army Painter is helping me get my figures painted quicker however after the AP is applied I still do a fair bit of fine detailing. I believe I do just as much painting as before when I worked from dark to light from a black undercoat.
     

Forgot to mention I also added some appropriate lace to the Generals chest plus turn-backs and an iron cross to the ADC. I'll post pics when they are totally finished.