Friday, 3 November 2023

"Originally Chasseurs, Or Chasseurs A Pied (“On Foot”), Were Light-Infantry Regiments."

“Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength.”

This 28mm scale metal model is sold by “Wargames Foundry", and these days can be purchased as part of the identical eight-figure FN054 - Light Infantry Chasseurs Advancing blister. However, I actually found this miniature in a packet of ten Perry Twin sculpts labelled Chasseurs In Campaign Dress Advancing, whilst searching through a long-thought lost pile of lead, and am rather ashamed to say that it dates back as far as my earliest days in the hobby - probably some twenty-three years ago.

The Frenchman was originally primed using a combination of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before rather roughly pigmenting his uniform and cuffs with "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade, I then 'picked out' the soldier's numerous leather straps using a couple of layers of  White Star by "Two Thin Coats" and 'muddied' these areas up a little with some heavily watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Two Russians, a British Rifleman and French Chasseur

With arguably the biggest hurdle of the Chasseur overcome, I began patiently applying a little "Vallejo" Heavy Grey and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green to his epaulettes and sabre-briquet ribbon, "Vallejo" Gold to parts of the trooper's sword and pure "Citadel" Abbadon Black to his cartridge pouch. In addition I painted the miniature's back-pack and gun-stock with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and his bedroll in "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

Trying to follow the official paint scheme on the Newark-based company's website to the letter, I gave model's shako covering a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and sploshed it with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Plus dolloped the figure's plume with "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow, darkened it with "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade and re-lightened it with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow. As a last touch, I carefully dry-brushed the main uniform with some extra "Vallejo" Heavy Blue to bring out some of the sculpt's details.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Klonk the squig is slowly being progressed

Sticking with my Napoleonic project I have also made some progress on four more Nineteenth Century soldiers by "Wargames Foundry", including a second French Chasseur. This quartet's purpose is essentially to help me start doubling up the figures within each of my planned squads for "Xenos Rampant" by "Osprey Games". Though I might occasionally use a few of them as (more) "single model units" in order to play some 30 point or even 36 point skirmish games.

Furthermore, I've finally knuckled down to getting some serious paint on my 28mm multi-piece plastic Klonk by "Games Workshop". I had hoped to paint the squig alongside its master, Zoggrok Anvilsmasha, last month. But simply ran out of time, courtesy of my sudden distraction with the Nottingham-based company's "Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game" range. Considering how reasonably straightforward the model is though, I now aim to get the legendary Ironjawz smith's pet finished within the next few hobby sessions...

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