Again sorry about my lack of activity in our blogging community, life has been pretty busy so fitting in painting time plus blogging has been tricky. Good news for my Saxon project is I have all but finished my von Liebenau grenadier battalion plus I have started another line battalion. I have also joined in a 'Community Big Build' over at MyWargamingLife that I'll explain at the end.
I made a video to show what I'm aiming to get done this year:
Grand plans . . . we will see how I get on!!!
So I've managed to get the von Liebenau grenadier battalion based up, they were a lot of fun to paint. I considered trimming the plumes down and shaping them to pom-poms however I figured it was a lot of extra work and they will stand out well on the table, full dress does make them more eye catching in 15mm.
The more I read about the Saxon army of 1812-13 the more I enjoy painting them. They seem to have been a hard fighting army that fought on against the odds with lack of ammunition and support at times. I'm really enjoying putting the army together and hope my interest will stay strong through the year.
This wee guy is a conversion from the new AB French sergeant with a Saxon grenadier head pinned in place, makes a nice addition to the battalion. I hope to do the same for the rest of the line battalions I've still to do using the same grenadier figure with the plume reshaped as the head matches the French body well. I've been thinking about the Saxon uniform and it's perfect for the tabletop as it gives you the striking appearance of the Austrians with the added bonus of a good flash of colour to help with the snow blindness when painting them. I think they are becoming my favourite army to paint?
I have also made a start on my next line battalion, I need 2 yellow faced line battalions for the 1st brigade for 1813. These guys will be the 2nd battalion von Rechten. I'm just working out my yellow colours at the moment using Vallejo paints. I could have went for another green faced battalion but I will try to mix it up a bit to keep my enthusiasm for the project fresh.
Ok so I mentioned the 'Community Big Build' over at MyWargamingLife. MyWargamingLife is a pretty new wargaming website that an enthusiastic friend from over on YouTube and his buddies have started for our wargaming community. It's a pretty friendly place where gamers, figure painters and hobby enthusiasts can come together to discuss our hobby and show the projects they are working on.
The 'Community Big Build' is 1 of the ideas the community has on the go. You set out a plan, a project you want to build throughout the year, it could be your main project or a back burner and you share your progress throughout the year, as simple as that. It's meant to be a low budget affair to see at the end who spent the least on their army however to take part that's not an issue. I'm just jogging alongside as I have already purchased my army over the months and years. It's an interesting place and although in the early stages of development I can see a lot of potential and it having a positive impact on our community. Well worth a look!
Ok that's me for the moment, I hope everyone is finding time for painting and gaming!
Happy Wargaming!!!
Great work once again Paul! How do you do your head swaps on the minis? Do you cut just the head off or do you cut the collars off as well? Seems a bit tricky trying to get a clean cut.
ReplyDeleteHi Samuli it's actually quite easy on most AB figures. You need a sharpe scalpel. I careful indent/cut around the head below the neck and chin line above the collars, and you softly rock the head with your thumb and index finger. Indent a little further them rock again. Then eventual the head comes off well. You have to clean about the collar with file and scalpel. I drill a hole in the collar a few millimetres in and the same with the head I'll use with a pin vice and drill bit and incert a clipped paper clip. You dry fit till your happy with the results, you may have to take a litt extra away from the base of the head or the collar to get a good fit. It's all practice. Then when I'm read I glue in the pin the superglue on the head. Sometimes afterwards there are little areas that need filling with free stuff or similar.
DeleteHope that helps!
Should read green stuff not free stuff.
DeleteGorgeous as ever !
ReplyDeleteThanks cery much Sgt, S. Good to see you around buddy!
DeleteMWL is already a good site so the future looks bright.
ReplyDeleteUseful information on the head swaps. Generally, if you want to cut a head off and include the collar, a firmly scored line("cut it a bit" is nearer the mark, but doesn't make sense, even to me) along the 'seam' between the coat and the bottom of the collar will work, but hold the head gently in a pair of suitably padded long nose pliers and carefully twist the head and collar off. If that doesn't make a pig's ear of it, nothing will 😉
Good advice Gary!
DeleteGreat looking Saxons, Paul. It is a fun army to paint with the different facing colors, the green coated artillery, the red coated Dragoons, Light Blue Hussars, and white or yellow coated cuirassiers. The Saxon flags are very unique as well!
ReplyDeleteYes all round very nice peter, and it's limited size definitely 1 to collect!
DeleteThe yellows came out very good Paul, I like them .
ReplyDeleteCheers Gav .
Thanks Gav! You have Spanish to look forward to for your peninsular collection so I'd think some similar unifirms
DeleteThey look wonderful Paul. It totally agree about the appeal of the saxon uniforms - the bright white with that splash of colour - a pleasure to behold.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jacksarge, yeah the are definitely a nice army to own.
DeleteThey look really very lovely Paul!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Thanks Christopher, a nice chance from dark blue and dark green.
DeleteSimply gorgeous. Like where the yellow's going.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ru, it's a tricky balance close to the white.
DeleteExcellent stuff Paul. I love these guys!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rodger, they are slowly coming together.
Delete