This morning I finished off the base of another Russian infantry unit, the first wearing the distinctive flat topped cap with red band. Some fine detail on these tiny sculpts and very crisply defined. I find I can paint a base of 36 infantry or 12 cavalry in a round an hour long single session to a standard that is most pleasing to the eye. I like the variation in poses - something you won't really find with Baccus - and this unit are marching with shouldered muskets. I have also over the last few days painted another British Line battalion (white facings), another Rifles skirmishing base and most pleasing of all a 1st Battalion of Greek Legion in traditional attire - these standing at ease with grounded muskets. I based these on the illustration shown below of the Greek Legion at Sevastapol, as there were 2 battalions of them I need no further excuse to add another to my next order.
Next in line are some units of French infantry and cavalry. I tend to paint these after my daily commission painting, so you can see in the photo's below Lumleys Horse of the WSS in the background just awaiting final checks and gloss varnish. I have another horse regiment to paint, also for Tony this week before reverting to more 15mm Peter Pigs ACW's for Graham next week then back to Old John!
EDIT: painted the first French line battalion yesterday! Here they are, sporting the plain blue frock coats with red trousers. the little flag works a treat I think and they will fight shoulder to shoulder with the British who will of course envy them greatly for their superior supply chain, food, clothing and medical care. Zouaves to follow after Chasseur d'Afrique.
6mm Terrain - giving it more thought.
I have been doing a lot of thinking about terrain this week and have come to the conclusion that these little bases deserve something more than a plain green cloth to fight over. My plan from the start was to make fully textured terrain boards for them, which to me is one of the biggest advantages of the scale. So that's what I'm going to be working on next.
Good update on the 6mm, the painting speed is surprisingly fast for the excellent end result.
ReplyDeleteAre you cutting your own bases from plastic card?
Hi Norm, I'm very confident of my method for these 6mm strips now and they can be painted much faster than the Baccus more individual figures and give a more animated and varied look to the units. Speed and accuracy comes with spending several hours each day at the desk I think and the wet pallette helps as I can place a dot of several colours out together and move between them. I'm enjoying doing these for myself more than anything I can remember in a long time, it's a perfect side line project. The bases are cut from very thin plastic sheet, actually the covers of one of those sleeve insert binders which I bought specifically for the purpose, it stays dead flat even when glued and textured. I can just see the bases working so well on matching terrain boards and I'm very keen to get started on them. The card table will still suffice for alternative gridded games though.
DeleteWhat make are the figures?
ReplyDeleteHi FMB, the figures are all by Irregular Miniatures. The Crimean war range is very complete and contains all nations involved.
DeleteI had no idea the Greek Lehion were at Sevastopol??? Crackin looking figures though Lee.
ReplyDeleteThe Greeks make a nice colourful addition to the Russian side :) Thanks Ray.
DeleteGlad your enjoying yourself with this project. Looking forward to seeing you get some games in.
ReplyDeleteCheers JBM. I just need to get the terrain right to match the bases and I'll be away :)
DeleteLovely Russians and Greeks,they work really well!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
It's a onderful period for the military enthusiast, British and French fighting side by side, the Brits in red with dark blue trousers and the French in dark blue with red trousers!
DeleteMost beautiful and impressive as usual, congrats!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Phil, certainly changed my opinion about Irregular 6mm's!
DeleteThis 6mm project is looking great and really glad to see you’re enjoying yourself. You have the painting style for them spot on. Are you contemplating doing small terrain squares for them
ReplyDeleteGreat fun painting these Graham. For the terrain boards now I'm thinking along the lines of a folding 3 x 4 board with modular terrain, all made from 5mm sheets of foamboard as I think it will give more flexibility than small squares, at least to begin with. Plan now is to texture everything using the same materials and colours as the bases..... I have a plan!
DeleteYour 6mils look great - I do like the way you keep the bases quite small.
ReplyDeleteCheers Rob. I'm glad I went with the very thin and small bases they work well in this scale I think.
Delete"British and French fighting side by side? That won't do, surely you know that the French are the enemy Airey!"
ReplyDeleteGreat work with these Crimean figures Lee, such a good period for a wargame.
And of course the French were so much better supplied and envied by the Brits who froze in unsuitable clothing. Just one disaster of many was the fact that Winter clothing only began to arrive as the weather started to warm and there had been huge numbers of cases of frostbite..Brrrr! They do look pretty though.
DeleteI'm enjoying myself painting these Ian :)