40mm Peninsular Update

 I am really enjoying these guys, the Rifles of course, being simple, are getting completed ahead of others but still good progress.

So this weeks progress has been 7 rifles and 3 French, all three French still being Voltigeurs. I am still a way of painting the line infantry so far.

The three French represent a degree of progress in that at least I am painting some French. 

I am keen that these remain pretty varied so three different trouser colours with these, the sleeved waistcoats are a slightly whiter white, I particularly like this head with the neck flap. Hard to think this is the same figure with the arm added by chum Chris and the different heads.

I particularly like this chap in the bonnet de police. The Spanish come with a bunch of these so I will mix the odd one into the French and possibly even the Hussars.

Four more firing rifles, I am adding some different shades to the trousers to give me some variety when I come to pick those that stay and those that go. It occured to me that I might slacken off on the quality when I didnt think figures would be used but the standard is still the same really and happy with these guys.

The next three add some variety the advancing figure in particular I have not used before. Trying a different colour handkerchief around the neck of the right hand two, orange, undecided if it has worked well, not enough contrast with the red collar really.

The box of painted 40mm is starting to look something like now. Still a lot more firing 60th than anything else though.

Before posting this I was also able to finish off some Spanish, a Priest, a Guerillero and the first of my Spanish regulars.

I'm really happy with these, the Guerillero's rakish hat looks great and sets him apart from the same figure I have painted with a Bicorne, the Priest has worked well too. The regular is of the Hibernia regiment of Irishmen. I like the colour combo but also the idea of using an Irish unit, which is straight out of Sharpe. These will be a fairly untidy bunch when I get stuck into them.

So again, happy with this progress, a bit more focus on the French skirmishers then I can start to get some line units started so we have rounded forces to play with.

42nd Bengal Native Infantry Complete

 Another unit back from the basing department. Complete with a Brigade commander too.

This commander is actually a Perry Carlist Wars British officer but fits perfectly with the Sikh Wars figures. Its a particular favourite of mine.

I have mixed a few of the Perry Carlist War figures in, I think they fit really well, obviousley in style given they have the same sculpters, but also not too much bigger than the older stuff.

So to the 42nd, these fought in both Sikh Wars and start off a new Brigade for me, Pennys, I will need the 50th foot and the 48th BNI to support them at some point. Four different ranges on this command base. Front left another Perry Carlist Wars Officer, front right is Foundry Sikh Wars drummer, to the back at the left is actually a Perry Plastic British Napoleonic ensign with a Sikh Wars head swapped on and next to hm an Empress standard bearer.

There is some debate about whether the Sepoys had reversed colours for musicians, clearly these guys havnt and it may be that some units did and others not so a couple of my units will have reversed colours.

My light company are in green which is also debatable, the Sepoys were still moving to rifle companys with baker rifles and green uniforms at the start of the mutiny but I think it makes a nice addition.

The rank and file of this unit are a mix of Empress Mutiny Sepoys and Foundry Sikh Wars chaps, they fit quite nicely despite the disparity in age of the castings. I really like using the mix of manufacturers.

I think these guys came out ok, they will get their second outing at Partizan shortly for our demo game.

These chaps fought in all of the engagements of the First Sikh War, I beleive they were also at the Siege of Multan in the second Sikh war but dont seem to have fought in the other major engagements. Either way a very useful unit.

Happy with those, now whats next?

Sharp Practice 2 AWI Continentals and Hessians

 We had another SP2 game this evening with a slightly different mix of troops for a change. Interesting game.

A mainly Hessian force was to destroy a Patriot force holding a small farm.

The crown forces were better quality with solid level 2 leaders across the board they consisted of:

3 groups of 8 Heassian Fusiliers

1 group of 6 Jaegers

2 groups of 6 British Light Bobs

1 group of 6 British Legion cavalry 

The Rebels ... ahem, patriots had a more mixed force benefiting from deploying into the cover of the farm. Their overall commander was a level 3.

3 groups of 8 continentals level 3 leader

1 group of 6 rifles level 3 leader

2 groups of 6 militia skirmishers level 1 leaders

So 42 Loyalist foot would try to hold 42 Crown foot with 6 horse in support. The Crown had the edge in troop quality the Rebels the adavantage of cover and slightly better leaders.

True to form the Loyalist light s and cavalry bounded off to start harrassing the Rebels whilst the Hessians meandered aroudn the deploy ment point. The Patriots quickly ensonced themseleves inside the fences of the farm.

At a bit of a loss what to do with the cavalry with all the enemy behind fences, so I pushed toem behind a wood maybe an opportunity would present itslef.

Long range rifle fire saw casualties to both sides As the Hessians continued not to get their act together.

Chris decided to throw one unit of Milita skirmishers through the wood to harass me, before they could disapear my cavalry decided to try snaffle them u.

Unfortunately Chris wheeled on of his groups of regulars and the cavalry were hit by a volley from both sides and broke, so much for the British Legion.

My right hand light bobs have pressed forward and started firign into the flank of the Continentals, but they are taken heavy fire from the American rifles in the farmstead and quickly lose 2 of their number.

My lights and rifles have been ignorign the Patriot skirmishers and firign away at the continentals and now their line is startign to llok pretty badly damaed. The Hessians are finally rollign ponderousley forward down the middle.

However gnorign the skirmishers means they are takign a steady toll on my lights and we are quickly runnign out of skirmishers.

I get itno range only to recieve a devastating volley from the continentals leavign 6 dead and 11 shock.

My lights are now being pushed back by the enemy skirmishrs and close to breaking.

My Hessians at last throw avolley into the continentals and cause havoc amongst their ranks, one unit of 8 is completey goen an d the other two very badly mauled.

However in return I lose both my light infantry screens and my Jeagers are at half stregnth.

As we draw to a close the game is on a knife edhge, My Hessians are in reasonably good shape with a small contingent of Jaegers to support, however the Continentals are ont he edge breakign whilst the three skirmish screens for the Patriots are intact.

We need another 3 turns to decide it at least, we only have one andour rushed firing makes no impression.

A hard fought draw is declared.

Another enjoyable evening of Sharp Practice. We really need to start using force morales, I wonder how soon it might have ended if we had?
 

More Bahawalpur Contingent Baluchi Matchlocks for the Sikh Wars

 I really enjoyed painting this particular unit.

I am particularly pleased that although there is a very strong colour theme there is lots of variety in the colours, especially with the commander.

I may already have mentioned that Bahawalpur was mainly Baluchi from a tribal persepctive with a large Pathan minority, so having the vast majority of these guys as Baluchi from Foundrys Darkest Africa Range fits really well.

There are a couple of Empress Indian Mutiny Pathans in there too but they mix really well. The flag is one of those in the Perry Plastic Afghan box.

The different poses added to the different colour shades enhances the irregular look I think. I particularly like how the commanders dress stands out but is still in keeping with his men.

More to follow thanks very much folks.

40mm Napoleonics, The First French and Spanish Figures

 So I have put the French off a little bit, I really dont like all that piping. I have however bitten the bullet and made a start. I also managed to get some Guerillero's and some more 60th Rifles done. Happy days!

The French have either habit, sleeved waistocat or greatcoat so I started with one of each and a Spaniard. Happy with how they have come out so dig into some more.

This weeks final output then looks like this with 5 French, 3 Spanish and 3 Rifles complete. Pretty happy with that, its a side project afterall and very much about enjoying the painting.

For the Spanish I am hoping to have something of a theme with many of them being ex-regulars taken to the Mountains and ideally from the same unit. So wherever possible I will try include some uniform elements. Two of these chaps still have their uniform bicorne, the chap on the left having retained his jacket which is not really that white any more, the kneeling figure also has his Bicorne along with his uniform waistcoat. The chap on the end has no such luck and simply wears his civilian clothes.

Three more firing rifles, most of these firing figures will be surplus to requirements so I intend to pick through them when they are all finished and decide which I keep and which I ebay. I am enjoying painting them though so getting through them quite quickly.

Here are the first of the French, like the rest these are all Perry figures, there is a little conversion amongst these but not by me, I am not much of a modeller. I am reasonably happy with the outcome of these.

The first two are in habit, I struggle with this coat it has so much piping, the end result does look ok though, I will be bit happier to do try my hnd with a few more of these guys now.

This chap is one of the figures converted by the chap I bought them from on ebay, he has done a cracking job turning this one from a light infantryman in sleeved waistcoat to a greatcoat, you would never know. With the limited number of castings available these conversions are invaluable. The face is slightly clunky as the wash it came with was a bit heavy and had covered some of the features, overall though pleased with this guy. I think there is just one more of them in greatcoats a shame as they do make  a nice addition.

Lastly the chaps in sleeved waistcoat. These are the easiest to paint and I quite enjoyed them. The waistcoats are very off white here, I will do others that are a bit more Persil when I get into it. The firing figure was missing an arm so chum Chris Charlton pressed a British arm into service which looks really nice. I intend to have a fair bit of variety in trouser and shako cover colour to make these more campaigny.  

I am reasonably happy with these and have a few more on the painting table. I still need to decide on basing, do I use my European dark/mid brown my Indian tan or a new basing colour scheme entirely? I am undecided. 

The figures I have so far are all Perry's and I will be getting more, I am however looking at picking up some Sash and Sabre to mix in and add variety. The jury is out for me on these, I much prefer the style of the Perrys but S&S will give me a lot of added variety. Its personal taste and I know a lot of folks prefer the S&S. I will make up my mind when I have some painted side by side with the Perry's. I have Guerilla's, French Hussars and British centre companies coming so lets see.

Hopefully you like this break from the norm for me. See you soon.