First Jacobite Highlanders Based for the 1745 Rising

The basing department has been busy and the first of the highlanders is done on their new round bases. Our plan is to base them in twos and threes on 40mm and 50mm bases. This allows for a flexible approach to the unit sizes.

I have multiple different manufacturers in the ranks of the highlanders, some have come out surprisingly well. 

In these shots you see the Flags of War highlanders with muskets charging alongside the Redoubt Enterprises ECW highlanders.

In the below a further Flags of War highlander with musket charges alongside two Front Eank highlanders.

Viewed from above you can see how the circular bases lend themselves to the more irregular formations of the highlanders.

I am purposely keeping those earlier scots on separate bases, this will allow me the option to field them with earlier forces such as my Elizabethans should I wish to at some point.

The tartans are all very simple but I think they look quite effective, particularly when en-masse as here.

The odd figure has an extra thread of colour running through to add some variety, still simple though.

Lastly a low land leader figure, probably will use this as a level one leader for my Loyalist militias, a nice Galloping Major figure in suitably simple clothing.

I am reasonably happy with the progress of this project, it will tootle along for a while until the new Flags of War Kickstarter posts out in April next year at which point the regular units will get their final troops and start to finish off, expect to see a lot of posts in the spring, with a few in between as I work through the highlanders I already have.

More Highland Buildings for the Jacobite 1745 Rising

 The last two (for now at least) of my buildings for the 45. Again both are lovely Hudson and Allen buildings, same basic painting approach as the last one, this now gives me a really good selection of buildings that will also be ideal for Border Reivers and Elizabethan Ireland.

This first one is half timbered and thatched, sort of half cow shed half croft. Couple of figures for scale.

The contrast in colours between the thatch, wood and stone works really well with this model.

 This last one is the largest I bought on this occasion and is a lovely piece.

At some point I will set a table up and photograph the whole lot together, probably when I have more of the figures based to set them off.

I have used a number of different purple flowers to represent heather and add a touch of colour to the model, it doesnt need many to lift things and soften some edges.

The only different colours used on this model are for the earth between the walls. I have matched this to the colours I used on the based figures so its Colour Party again leather brown as a base coat, wet brushed with ECW Buff and then dry brushed same as everything else with the bleached linen.

Different enough from the stone that its obvious its not the same but close enough not to look odd. Well thats my theory anyway.

Its a really lovely scenic piece this one and I look forward to seeing it on table with muskets lining the walls.

Taken as a whole that gives around a dozen buildings, mainly Hudson and Allen, that I can use for the 1745 rising but also for the Borders and Elizabethan Ireland. I am picturing a table with a village around a large Inn with a walled manor at one end and a scatter of crofts around the edges.

Chum Chris who is also doing the 45 with me has some of these models also, so plenty for a large table set up.

Mainly Afghan Tribesmen off the Workbench

 So I have given myself a break from Tartan (mostly) and got stuck into my Afghans, including some of the new Perry plastics and Empress figures.

I am enjoying the change but first I do have two highlanders to share I finished before moving on. These are Warlord and Front Rank which fit in reasonably well with the Flags of War and others. Whilst the Warlord figures are not everyones cup of tea I do like their highlanders and this figure with his axe in particular is a favourite.

Close ups can be cruel and these leave me thinking I should touch up the faces a bit, other than that happy to mix these in.

For the Sikh Wars project I have quite a few bits, this Officer for Skinners horse is an Empress Miniatures Indian Mutiny figure so truthfully the pistol is too late for Sikh Wars, I wont tell anyone if you dont though.

For comparison purposes I have put him next to the earlier Skinners Sowar test figure, I much prefer the officers deeper yellow.

The Iron Duke horses have also come out really nice I think so I will press on with the other 8 of these at some point in the not too distant future.

To some extent the irregulars I have tried to divide up by manufacturer or type for photography and posting purposes but they will be mixed up as randomly as possible for basing the units. Firstly the two Empress Afghans.

These are georgous figures, although I felt I didnt quite do the matchlock armed figure justice. Happy with the subdued colour schemes and splashes of colour.

The flag is straight from the Perry plastics box sheet which should provide enough for the rest of my Afghans. I say Afghans but I very much think of these as Muslim Hill tribes, lots of these fought in the Sikh Wars and in the second Sikh War could be found fighting in large numbers for both sides especially at the siege of Multan.

The next couple of lots are all Foundry from the original 25mm range, I have said it before but these are just as nice as any of the other ranges currently being released and nicer than some of them still. Really timeless castings.

These jezailchis look suitably villainous, I have used a limited pallette of subdued colours for all of these with the odd splash of colour to lift them, again they all get mixed up once I base them so the various pallettes are mixed over the units too.

These two look perfect as skirmishers and I will be using some of these guys to create some 6 man skirmish screens.

Timeless......should I just move on?

These next  swordsmen are two Perry's with one Studio Miniatures figure at the front. The Studio figure is nice enough and paints really easily as its very simple, but they are not my favourite, a different league to Perry, Foundry or Empress I think. Of course its all personal taste though.
Cracking figures, I will base blade armed troops seperately to firearms troops to allow seperate units with swords and spears.

This figure is a plastic Wargames Atlantic, these figures are quite nice but again not quite in the same league as some of the others. Nice enough for me to mix them in though.

Lastly we have the Perry Plastics. I have built the first 22 and really pleased with the results. That said my modelling skills are not great and you will see the odd mistake here and there, hopefully these are not too visible on the gaming table and my skills may improve as I build more, or not......

These are the first 6 painted and I have another 6 on the painting table waiting for base coats, I really like these figures they are just lovely, mildly frustrating that my modelling skills are not quite up to it, I can see exactly what I want to achieve and the end result here is not far off. I do struggle to get the arms entirely flush.

I have a close up for each figure to share what can be achieved even with fat fingers, again a limited pallete of subdued colours for these 6 wich I will change slightly for the next 6. The head for this one would be a good fit for a Mahratta which makes me consider the other uses for these chaps.

A classic Foundry Afghan pose, I wont do narrative for all the figures but pretty happy with most of them.

This one is my least favourite, I will try something different with this body next time, the head looks great on the sprue but for some reason I have just not been able to capture it.

For this last one I have used a Bolt Action Sikh head, I hope to make up a full unit using these, it has worked really well.

That puts me well on the way for my next two units of hill tribes with a real mix of manufacturers, A few more and I can start glueing them to bases and getting them over to the basing department.

Thanks for reading see you again soon. Stay safe.