"What Does Russia Want From Me?"

"You know it’s easy to start a war but it’s very difficult to finish one."

This 28mm scale metal model is produced by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of their RN023 Infantry in Oilskin Covered 1812 Shako Marching set. The figure is one of eight similar-looking Napoleonic Russian soldiers sculpted by Alan Perry, with all of the infantrymen wearing heavy clothing to protect them from the bitter cold of their country's infamous freezing winter.

Having previously painted a quartet of these soldiers last year using the 'official' palette shown on the Nottingham-based company's website, I primed this miniature with a couple of coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, and then applied some "Citadel" Abaddon Black on his shoes and leggings, as well as his knapsack, sabre and cartridge belt.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - This French Officer is being painted from the feet up

I next 'picked out' all of Russian's somewhat off-putting leather straps, trousers, and sword tassel with White Star by "Two Thin Coats". All of these areas, along with the scabbard's tip, shako straps and any other spots requiring a dab of "Vallejo" Gold", were subsequently 'weathered' with a small dash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and a brush-load of water.

Penultimately, I also applied a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to the model's tin water bottle and musket barrel, before using "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Charred Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade on the rest of the rifle. This left me with just needing to give the chap a generous splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade over his long coat and a careful dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Brown.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - This Stormcast Eternal Liberator has been primed, layered and shaded

Moving across to my Napoleonic French force, I have started work on an officer from blister FN140 - Late Infantry Command In Greatcoat. This "Wargames Foundry" pack contains some cracking individual sculpts which can all arguably be used to fill a specialist role or two in "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games" - so having found myself using a lone Light Infantryman as my ad hoc officer for that rule-set in the past I thought it was high time to fill that role with a 'proper' miniature.

Alongside all these fiddly cuffs, collars and straps, I've put together one of the Stormcast Eternal Liberators from my recent acquired Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Skaventide launch box. Unfortunately, I found the multi-piece plastic model by "Games Workshop" to be a truly time-consuming pain to assemble, so my initial plan to build and paint five of Sigmar's warriors simultaneously has been shelved. Instead, I simply plan to potter about on the one figure and leave putting together another of its comrades-in-arms for a rainy day...