The Chillington Mounted Rifles, 1938

After completing several British figures to populate the skirmish bases I wanted to add for our Wars of the French Revolution games {see previous blog entry} I quite fancied something different as my current painting focus. I'd returned from Derby Worlds with several units to add to our VBCW games set in and around 1938 Wolverhampton. Two of these were small mounted units: Mander's Horse and the Chillington Mounted Rifles. The former are the Perry Miniatures WWII Mounted Yeomanry scouting, the latter the Mutineer/Footloose Miniatures BUF/Yeomanry figures. As I'd figured out an acceptable colour scheme for the Chillington Mounted Rifles I started with them! As an aside, I've noticed in other folks' VBCW forces some fairly gairish colour schemes; a fact which always struck me as odd given the experiences of 1914-18 and numerous small Colonial engagements many VBCW recruits and volunteers would have experienced. Still, each to their own of course, but for my VBCW there will be only muted colours.
Back to the figures now! I painted them up in pairs of the Mounted and dismounted versions of the figure. It worked fine until I reached the last pair where I found the two versions had different heads: one face sported a fine 'tache, the other was bare as an infant's bottom! It seems my pack of three Mounted troopers contained a duplicate rather than three distinct figures! My solution? I painted the hair as a blond and added the 'tache that way. Not perfect but it will do for me! Anyway, to the figures ~

The Chillington Mounted Rifles

The lads in dismounted action

As a uniformed 'Rifles' unit I naturally chose a green scheme, adding a touch of red in the piping on the side cap reflecting the red on the unit's colors. As you probably realise by now, Pete Barfield made the standards for me, which really set off the figures I'm sure you will agree! A few close ups now, to disabuse any of you with a remaining idea that I can paint ~

The command group consists of an officer, a sergeant and an colour bearer. The pack of Troopers consists of three mounted figures with rifles. One oddity is that all the figures bear an arm band on their left arm, except the dismounted officer, who has none even though his mounted persona clearly does! As the figures are catalogued as BUF I neded some design for this arm band and chose a green 'CH' on an Ivory background as easy to duplicatee over eleven figures.

At Derby Worlds I'd also picked up some of the Footloose Miniatures civilians on the Flea Market. Frankly I've always thought them way overpriced for detritus in a game, so getting them at half price was a bonus. They are from both the packs in production, 'Town' and 'Country' figures ~

Two members of  the gentle(?) sex  and a schoolboy

Three chaps not yet in uniform

And finally, yet another clerical gentleman! I thought I could do with some help from a 'higher authority' so here he is, the visiting 'Bishop of Matabeleland', home for some well earned rest and recuperation ~

The Right Reverend Bishop of Matabeleland

I've decided to take a break at this point from the VBCW painting and return to my Wars of the French Revolution project for the rest of the month, in the form of a unit of 24 Brigade Games French Legere. The gunmetal is already applied to all 24, courtesy of my Valejo paints propensity to suffer 'premature ejaculation' when its opened! I've started with the central command stand of the unit and I have decided already that I'll not be up to painting in the eyes, there's just not the bold detail my old eyes need to do that! I'll pop some up on the Blog next week sometime when I've finished a base or three. Tomorrow its off to Phil's for another WWII Battlegroup something or other game. I'm sure it will be heavily features on his 'News From The Front' blog not long after.