April 2008 Painting

April wasn't a very productive month although I started a few units that aren't finished yet.
My first unit is composed of old Spenser Smith plastic cavalry, painted as the Constantine Dragoons of the army of the Duchy of Courland. The mounted officer and four of the troopers came to me in an eBay lot with a large batch of artillery. When I lamented on the OSW Yahoo group about what to do with the four troopers, Peter Constantine of the UK sent me eight figures, including the mounted officer.
So I made him the honorary inhaber of the unit and asked him to suggest a uniform, which was a red coat with green facings. I liked that color scheme and the Constantine Dragoons were raised. I used the new Krylon plastic spray paint to prime them black and then used craft paints over that. The detail on these older figures was severely lacking so it was a chore to get the various bits and bobs painted. After glueing them to metal bases (for a little heft) I attached them by twos to 2" square Litko bases.

The remainder of my April painting was Victorian colonials figures to start getting ready for the George Carr, Sr. Memorial Zulu game at the Bayou Wars convention in New Orleans in June (20-22 to be exact). George Carr, Sr. was a friend and fellow gamer who died of cancer late last year. He gamed with Larry Brom (of the Sword and the Flame fame). The first time I went to Bayou Wars many years ago, George and Larry ran a huge Zulu game and invited members of the Mardi Gras Crewe of Zulu to come open the game, which they did in their (modern) Zulu finery. It was something to remember. So if you are in the southeast or south central USA and want to know more, check out the details at http://www.bayouwars.org/ .

The above picture is my first battery of British artillery, consisting of three muzzle-loading rifled guns and their crew. For the Sword and the Flame, there are 4 crew per gun, but we're using Larry Brom's convention rules, "By Battalion, Volley Fire!" which only has 6 crew for the three guns. By the way, (blatant advertisement) you can get any of Larry's rules at his web-store: http://www.sergeants3.com/ .

And finally, I painted dismounted officers for two of my previously painted British mounted officers and a senior Induna to lead the three units of Zulus that I have.

Next month I have to finish a unit of red-coated British infantry which will be painted as the 24th Foot (of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift fame). May will also see more Imagi-Nations Seven Years War figures painted as I continue to prepare for the Big Battalion BAR game in Austin, Texas, in November. Details for that game, which will include Der Alte Fritz (http://altefritz.blogspot.com/) and Mssr. Chevert (http://www.oldregimerules.com/) among the gamers, can be found here: http://texasbigbattalions2008.blogspot.com/ .

So for April I painted 1 mounted officer and 12 Spenser Smith cavalry, 3 Ral Partha British guns, 1 artillery officer and 4 gunners, 2 foot officers, and 1 Zulu induna, all Ral Partha figures. Total is 13 mounted, 8 foot, and 3 guns, or 37 Olley points if my figuring is correct.

March 2008 Painting

It seems like I didn't do much painting in March, but when I add it all together, I did 2 mounted officers, 16 cossacks, and 6 mounted knights, for a total of 24 mounted figures or 48 points.

Above are Yakov Alexandrovich Pavlov, the Duke of Courland, and his son, Colonel Pavlov. These are both Front Rank figures from their Russian SYW line.

Above are 16 cossacks of the Timofievich Pulk (regiment) of the army of the Duchy of Courland. I bought these from a gaming friend named Tim Broome (hence the name). I'm not sure what manufacturer these are, but at least two of them were two piece rider castings. They will provide a light cavalry screening and raiding force for the Duchy in its wars against the Markgraviate of Carpania.

Finally to get ready for a medieval game on March 29, I painted six mounted knights. Three of them are shown above (along with the High King from last month). The other three were figures to fill-in existing units. In the above picture, the High King (John de Bullion, who always wears black) and his banner bearer are on the left and William Worthington, Duke of Bentwood, and his banner bearer are on the right.

The Courland officers and the knights are mounted on Litko bases while the cossacks are on home-cut masonite (hard-board) bases.

Next month should see some more imagi-nation cavalry (especially a unit of Spenser-Smith figures), so stay tuned.

An Infantry Figure Option

As part of a recent order of Front Rank figures, I included three Russian artillery fusiliers. After painting them, I realized that they could easily be used as musketeers in a unit depicted as standing in reserve or as guards in front of an army headquarters. This picture shows the three of them along with the Russian artillery officer, all from Front Rank.

The High King

Another gaming interest of mine, among many, is the Medieval age. And in the Imagi-Nation theme, my medieval land is the Duchy of Bentwood, ruled by Duke William Worthington. The duke considers himself an independent state even though he has sworn fealty to the High King. The High King doesn't look with favor on vassals who step beyond his control. So, girded for war, the High King will soon be leading his loyal vassals into the duchy to remind Worthington of his place in the kingdom.

THE HIGH KING

February Painting - With Pictures

Finally I was able to take some pictures. Here we have the Margrave of Carpania's Baron Trask of Eisenmuhlen (left) and an aide de camp to Generalleutnant Baron von Stuppe (right). Both are RSM figures. Baron Trask is the Margraviate's armaments expert and a master gunner in his own right. Because he is related by marriage to the Britannian royal family, he is also a Major General in that army and wears the Britannian uniform most of the time.


Carpania also added the Teutonica Musketeer Regiment to their army in February. These are Sash and Saber castings. I was short officer castings so they will have to be painted and mounted later.

Meanwhile, the Duchy of Courland has been recruiting as well, adding the Severinski Grenadier Battalion. The figures are Foundry and the battalion was purchased from Mark "Extra Crispy" Severin, hence its name.

Courland was also busy with its artillery arm. Here is a 12-lb field gun (MiniFig) with its gun crew of Front Rank gunners and artillery fusiliers.

And here is a licorne howitzer (Newline) with its crew of bombardiers and artillery fusiliers from Front Rank.

And for March, I'll be finishing the Courland 12-lbr (still have to put the matte glaze on it) and two mounted officers (the Duke himself and his son, who will command all the grenadiers) as well as some Courland cavalry.

February Painting Totals

No pictures yet, but I completed the following figures in February:

26 Carpanian (AKA Prussian) musketeers of the Battalion Teutonica (Old Glory)
2 Carpanian mounted officers - one will be Baron Trask of Eisenmuhlen and the other is an aide-de-camp to GL von Stuppe (both RSM).
24 Courland (AKA Russian) grenadiers of the Battalion Severinski (Foundry)
4 gunners, 4 bombardiers, and 3 artillery fusiliers (Foundry) for Courland
1 Licorne howitzer (Newline) for Courland

For a total of 61 foot, 2 mounted, and 1 gun.

These were fewer than I had hoped to paint, but after all February is a shorter month.

The French Attack!

In a Franco-Prussian War battle last year between remnants of the mighty French army and the Prussian invaders, my composite French regiment saw action. Based for Larry Brom's Chassepot and Needlegun rules, this regiment has battlions of Tirailleurs Algerien, Zouaves, and Naval Infantry. The Tirailleurs and Zouaves are from Askari Miniatures and the Naval Infantry are Old Glory Boxer Rebellion French sailors. I converted one of the sailors and one of the Zouaves into flag bearers. The mounted officer is a Colonial French commander from Askari Miniatures.

Unfortunately they didn't fare very well in the battle, a report of which can be accessed here: www.angelfire.com/games3/jacksongamer/fpwar04.htm