Anglo-Canadian Militia Command

Continuing with the depletion of the Lead Pimple here in GHQ I've finished the last two mounted command figures for my War of 1812-15 collection. They are from Perry Miniatures, one from the British in Egypt range and one from the British Peninsular War range I think. They are a Colonel and an ADC. They seemed to me to fit together well in a dynamic way, suggesting an urgent order being sent out verbally during the heat of battle ~

That leaves just two Foundry American infantry regiments, in the later war tombstone shakos, to paint up at some stage later in the year. In the meantime, a new project is stirring here in GHQ. More on this in a subsequent blog post next week.

Only Two years...

...in the Lead Pimple? It seems longer somehow now I think about how many times I've seen these waiting their moment under the brush. These are the last part of my Salute pre-order of 2018, shared with chum Colin Ashton to take advantage of the great discount and to avoid postage charges! These are Eureka Miniatures French Battalion guns and crew which I think I ordered in the end just to make up my side of the order, as I'd already painted four sets from Trent Miniatures. That probably explains why they sat so long in a RUB under my desk! Nevertheless, here they are finished at last ~

I thought that I'd try a few close ups as well to try to show how even average brushwork enhances the on table look of figures and units ~

No wargames project should ever really be called finished, and indeed I have a unit of Scots Greys still awaiting the command to be made, along with another French infantry battalion gifted me by chum Aly Morrison, but it's hard to see anything else being added any time soon!

Chipping away at the Lead Pimple

Like many of us confined to quarters during this pandemic malarkey I've been keeping my spirits up through my hobby. As the Lead Pimple is now reduced to less than one 4L RUB, the choice of what to paint is somewhat limited; in fact to ACW Cavalry, US Regulars of 1812-15 or some FRW French infantry and battalion guns. Oh, and some ACW Personalities from Perrys.
As I was on a roll with horses after my recent FRW French cavalry I plunged right in to paint my remaining Union cavalry by Dixon Miniatures and here they are, finished ~

My Union cavalry force now comprises two Brigades, each of two regiments; one Brigade each from New York and from Pennsylvania ( I had the flags from GMB Designs) I've not quite enough dismounted figures if I deploy both brigades in a game, but I can get by.
With these done I've started on a FRW French Battalion gun and crew, the last of my Eureka preorder from Salute two years ago. I will also paint the second gun and crew up of course once this one is done. In the meantime, do keep safe.

French Line Cavalry

In the shape of more Eureka Miniatures for my Wars of the French Revolution collection, also part of the Salute pre-order from two years ago. I had intended that Phil would paint these for me, but with lockdown curtailing our freedom of movement I decided I'd better tackle them myself, buoyed up by the generally warm reception my efforts at O'Donnell's Frei-korps received. I found an illustration of the 20th cavalry from 1795 showing them with rose pink facings so I decided to go with those. The flag is a modified free download from a French website, now defunct I think, and the bases are sabots and movement trays from Warbases. A few pictures which I hope will give an impression of the look of the unit ~

In the end they turned out to be less fiddly than I had feared, although the poses of one or two of the ones piece castings of the rank and file caused me some overpainting in correcting smudges where I'd caught details inadvertently. After these were completed, as my latest order for more Dixon Miniatures ACW figures had still not arrived, I cleaned up and undercoated some of the cavalry from my last order. Some New York cavalry I think.

O'Donnel's Frei-korps 2

With the periodic cooperation of hand and eye I have finished the five bases which make up the full unit of O'Donnel's Frei-korps to add to my Austrian army in the Wars of the French Revolution collection. I'm satisfied with the final look of the figures and the unit as a whole. As usual a shot of the unit drawn up in line ~

And a couple of closer views which should disabuse those who think I'm a decent artist ~

The truth is I'm a 'looks ok on the table' sort of artist. As my dad used to say, "It looks alright from the top of a 118 bus!" Next up some French Heavy Cavalry from Eureka again, also part of the pre-order from Salute two years ago.

O'Donnel's Frei-korps 1

The first bases of figures I've painted for my Wars of the French Revolution collection for many months! They are Eureka Miniatures figures I've had in the Lead Pimple for almost two years, so long that I can't really remember what made me buy them in a Salute pre-order or what I intended to paint them up as. So I cast around on the internet and hit on some period illustrations of O'Donnel's Frei-korps, natily attired in red and green, so I thought they'd do nicely thank you. The unit will be five bases, each of three figures when completed.  I'm finding it very slow and fiddly, the figure style is very delicate and my eyes and hand are struggling along gamely trying to cope. I'm confident there are several areas where the figures are incorrect for the chosen unit, but I'm no longer worried by such issues, they will do for me as toys in a game ~

What I have learned from this so far is that I'm better to concentrate my painting efforts on figures whose sculpting style is kinder to my aged eyes and hands. So, I'm waiting on an order from Dixon Miniatures for some ACW figures to supplement the diminishing Lead Pimple.

39th New York Volunteers...

...otherwise known as the Garibaldi Guards. This is the second time I've added this unit to my ACW collection, the first time using the single Dixon Miniatures dedicated figure and modifying officers, standard bearers and drummer, but this time I'm attempting a portrayal of how they might have appeared mid war using a range of Dixon Miniatures instead. I also gave them three flags, adding a GMB Designs New York Volunteers flag to the two dedicated flags for the unit including the Italian tricolour. For now I used the two flags from the Battle Flag sheet of New York's foreign regiments, but the colours are too pale I found next to the GMB Designs flag, so I've ordered up replacement flags from there. Postal service permitting I'll exchange the flags before I varnish the unit. Here is my version of the unit for now ~

 Some closer pictures, faults and all, to give a better impression of the individual figures ~

I'm not sure what I'll tackle next. I have a unit of Dixon Union cavalry, but I really don't like horses! I shall think on it, as they say...