Monday 26 October 2020

Sikh Regular Foot No 5

So this is battalion number five for the Sikh regulars, as I am generally doing them in regiments of two battalIons I will have another one to match this at some point. The lighting is not as good with these as I took these a little wile ago before I got the new lights.

I like the mix of colours with this unit, the red-pink turban I think works really well, its a little more subdued than some of the other units I have done, but still nice and bright.
A recent discussion has put some significant doubt on the accuracy of the flags, a shame as this is a paricularly pretty one. Latest discussion suggests that all the regulars had the same flag, triangular red and gold "Rajas colour" Studio miniatures do one which is apparantly about right, however they come on two flag sheets with ones that are probably not correct. So for now its a case of use the ones I have and if we get correct ones in future I can decide if I want to replace them.
The figures are a mix of Wargames Foundry and Old Glory, I am not an Old Glory fan generally but the Sikh Wars is one of their better ranges and they fit in with Foundry quite nicely.
I have already made a little start on the next battalion of this regiment, 3 Studio miniatures troopers marching. They look quite nice, each brigade will typically be 2 regiments of two identical paired battalions, which I think will look well.

Being back in lockdown here in Bradford its likely still some months off having a game but at least we will have plenty for a nice Sikh Wars battle.
Hope you like them, plenty more of this collection on the way when I ma finally allowed to pick them back up from the basing department in York. Stay safe.

Monday 19 October 2020

More off the Workbench for the 45

 I am really enjoying painting these figures for the 1745 rising, some wonderful sculpts and fun to paint too.

A nice mix with the regulars for both sides, the simple paints of the lowlanders and the challenge of the tartan for the highlanders.

Wiht this next lot I have a decent mix of all of these although no recoats on foot this time. I did manage to finish my first group of Dragoons however.

These five added to the other four of Cobhams give me a group of 8 with leader. Pretty happy with them to be honest.

You will recall that after some experimenting and frustration I left off the black piping through the middle of the white border on the saddle cloth and holster covers. For the same reason I have also left it off the white lace of the drummer. Again this is really frustrating for me and no doubt some readers may feel more effort should have been taken, my only defence is that it looks better than my attempst to add it.

Part of me wishes I had done Kingstons Horse instead. No drummer at all there, although it does mean this chap would have been wasted. Kingstons did also see a lot of outpost action making them ideal for the smaller scale actions that suit Black Powder so well.
The officer is a cracking figure and will be based on a seperate base as a leader, the drummer will sit within the 8 figure unit along with the standard bearer and 6 troopers.
The Royal Ecossais are making great progress with four more musketeers and the standard bearers. I have pinched a piper from another pack and may incorporate him into this unit to free up one of the command figures. These flags are just wonderful.
This gives me 12 complete Royal Ecossais, I want 26 really, thats 3 groups of 8 and two leaders. I will need to pick up two packs loading from the next release to flesh out the unit and finish it off once I paint the next lot of 4 kneeling firing.
The farm by the way is the Hudson and Allan walled farm which fits in quite nicely for these guys I feel.
This is the Lowlander command pack all with Jacobite white cockades accompanied by a loyalist Sergeant of the Glasgow regiment.
The sergeant started life as an Ebor Russian pikeman for Great Northern War, I gave him a halberd and a head swap and I think he looks quite nifty.
The Lowlanders are a really nice pack of figures the standard bearer with a longer coat is possibly my favourite amonst these.
I have been putting off the highlanders, mainly as the tartan takes a bit more time but I do need to start mixing some of these guys in. Below are a mix of Flags of War, Front ranka dn Redoubt Enerprises.
The tartan patterns are very simple and more of  anod towards tartan than anythign particularly complicated, my understanding is that is probably fairly accurate anyway for the normal clansmen.
These two are Redoubt Enterprises and I have another 25 or so of these picked up form ebay. They come with a sepeate torso and legs so there is a lot of variety, he figures are very dynamic and the plaids do look to be sweepign around them as they charge, some of the heads however let them down a little. They are from the English Civil War range so dont have muskets and bayonets, they probably fit my Elizabethan collection at leats as well as the 45, they may get used for both. 

The two musketeers are Flags of War, these guys in jackets charging with fixed bayonets are very much how I see the maority of Clansmen after Prestonpans at the latest, I will be doing more of these.
I have done most of these first lot in plain jackets, I may add some patterned ones in later.
The shot figures is from Front Rank, still very nice figures despite beign a few years ol now. they should fit in size and  build wise althought the style is of course quite different.

So there you go, plenty of progress, hope to have more Royal Ecossais and Highlanders for you soon. I also want to have  aproper look at how I am going to base these guys very soon.

See you soon, stay safe.

Thursday 15 October 2020

The Zambureks & others based for Sikh Wars

 Back from the basing department a bunch more stuff for the Sikh Wars. Again a mix of Mobile phone pictures and tablet.

Firstly three Zamburek Camel guns mainly with Afghan crews to represent Muslim hill tribes.


Gunners are all Wargames Foundry, mainly Afghans with an Indian Mutiny chief and a Sikh Gunner on the middle gun.


We then have  a command base of Sikh Irregulars, three Foundry figures with a plastic Wargames Atlantic Afghan jezailchi sporting a Black Powder Sikh head, I think it mixes quite well.

Then the Bengal European Light Infantry skirmish screen, minor conversion work on the bell top shakoe's, Just trimming off the detail and pompoms then painting it white like a tight fitting cover. I have enough to do a full unit of these too when I get around to them. Wargames Foundry Opium War figures.



I am still experimenting with cameras so here are a bunch more pictures using the mobile phone, much better colour and clarity.

















So there you go, the collection continues to head in the right direction, it should look pretty impressive when we finally get it all on table.

Cheers!


Monday 12 October 2020

An update on the Jacobite 1745 Project

 Over the last couple of weeks I have made some decent progress with my 1745 project, I thought I might share some images with you and also my thoughts on what it might actually look like.

The project itself is aimed at Sharp Practice, gaming company level actions for the most part. I want a good mix of troop types but only really those that would likely have seen extensive action.

Extending out a bit chum Chris has decided to throw in his lot and pick up some figures (mainly I suspect because I didn't want to do the Irish and Chris felt this a must) this will add great variety to our larger games. He picked up a bunch of second hand Front Rank figures which I think will compliment well the Flags of War I mainly have as both are nice chunky characterful figures.

For the Government side I plan either 3 or 5 groups of 8 British regulars, these will be based on Barrels regiment, 2 groups of 8 Dragoons mounted and dismounted based on Cobham's. A few Loyalist volunteers as the Glasgow Regiment and some Loyalist Highland Militia to round it off. This gives me enough for a reasonable sized action and figures for a number of different scenarios. I may add some Government Highlanders but fancy these as skirmishers really.

For the Jacobite's 3 groups of 8 Royal Ecossais, 1 group of 8 Baggot's Hussars and lots of wild Highlanders supported by 2 or 3 groups of lowlanders.

I have no plans for artillery at this stage.

These particular pictures were taken with the Hudson and Allan Inn as the background, always a good place to start with soldiers of any nation I find.

The first figures to share with you are the first 4 of Cobham's Dragoons, I had a hard time with the saddle cloths as they should have black piping through the middle of the white border, I tried a number of times but it looked awful so I decided to get rid, I much prefer this look to be honest, hope it doesn't offend anyone's historical accuracy sensibilities. Like most of the figures I am painting these are the excellent Flags of War, my only criticism of these, and its a small one, is the lack of a third horse option in the pack of three. Not a big deal but I am a wargaming snob about these things.



Finally getting to grips with the photography, the new lights coupled with the mobile phone camera seem to have done the trick for the most part.
Now Cobham's, as mentioned, have black piping through the middle of the white edging on the saddle cloth and holster covers, I tried numerous times but it looked awful so I have decided to go without. Personally I think its the right decision, but that doesnt mean I am particularly happy about it.
For the Government foot its Barrels, here are a group of 8 with their officer, again Flags of War and very nice too. I plan to base these in fours which we have found works for us. The base size still to be finalised, probably 40mm frontage or similar, depth may be greater for highlanders to allow for more dynamic charging poses.
The close up here gives you a good idea of the detail on these fellas and also captures the madder red I have used quite well, I wanted a different red that wasn't quite so bright and really happy with this result.


With the departure of the redcoats a bunch of Royal Ecossais turn up to see if the Inn has anything worth drinking left over. Again all Flags of War and one of my all time favourite units. Sorry about the lack of check on the socks, I actually prefer this sergeant as he is. 

Looking forward to doing the standard bearers next, the Flags are fantastic.
Both sides will have Militia and Volunteers in civilian clothes, if I am careful with the basing approach these may be able to be used by both sides on some occasions, for the moment though these guys are the Glasgow Loyalist Regiment. two Ebor musketeers and two Perry's AWI drummers, one with a head swap.

The highlanders are not entirely forgotten, two Warlord ECW chaps who fit in nicely enough and another Perry AWI militiaman with a head swap and overalls painted as trews. Not as enamoured of this last figure but he might be OK at the back.

Jacobite Lowlanders, these guys have been done for a while and already based, although there is a good chance they will be re-based into fours. A real mix of manufacturers from left to right 2 Ebor WSS musketeers with head swaps, a Warlord highlander with Lochaber axe at the back and 4 Flags of War Lowlanders.

I particularly like how these two Ebor figures with Flags of War heads have come out.
Three more for the Glasgow regiment, all Ebor with two head swaps.
And a few figures I can use for both sides as they have no cockade, another Ebor with head swap and 4 Warlord highlanders.
The Flags of War bandaged head is lovely and goes really well with the Paul Hicks sculpted Ebor musketeer body.
The Glaswegians will need leaders and these three from Galloping Major are full of character, They are chunkier than the other figures so don't mix within units but work really well as leader figures.
Not to be outdone we also have a bunch of Highland Leader figures, mainly to be used as Jacobite's and all from the Flags of War character pack, I do like these chaps, even if the close ups are slightly out of focus.




So some good progress on this new project and some really lovely figures which I am generally pretty pleased with.

The photography seems to have improved, just the focus on the close ups to work on, I will get there promise.

Hope you like them, more to come in due course.