"The Pokalem Was Introduced In 1812..."

"...And replaced the bonnet de police."

This 28mm scale metal model is sold by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of their eight-figure FN137 - Late Fusiliers Or Voltigeurs In Greatcoats And Assorted Headgear Marching blister. The miniatures are crafted by Michael and Alan Perry, with the majority of the sculpts shown wearing a Pokalem forage cap.

The Frenchman was initially undercoated using a mixture of "Citadel" Abaddon Black and Vallejo Surface Primer Black, before his trousers and painfully numerous leather straps were patiently 'picked out' with "Two Thin Coats" White Star. These areas were subsequently shaded with some heavily watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Four Imperial Guard Dutch Grenadiers In Greatcoat Marching

I then pigmented the soldier's greatcoat with some "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, and water bottle in Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. The musket's butt and other wooden elements were treated to a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and a dash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Before its metal parts received a line or two of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

In addition, I gave the model's bayonet a quick dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo Gunmetal to help it stand out, and carefully applied a combination of Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade to the Fusilier's headwear. Having scoured a few examples of the Pokalem I soon became aware that the hat was ordinarily covered in red braid-work and bore the regimental number or élite company badge. Happily, in my mind at least, none of this intricate detail was actually present on the figure itself - nor any of its comrades-in-arms - so for time and sanity's sake, I simply stuck to the forage cap being blue and finished it off with a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue. Lastly, I doused the man's coat in "Citadel" Nuln Oil and quite meticulously dry-brushed the garment with (more) "Vallejo" Sombre Grey.

"Black Site Studios" WIPS - Three Soviet Cosmonauts

With my latest long-term Napoleonic project combatant completed, I've turned my attention towards pigmenting another tiny unit of French soldiers, this time using a quartet of models plucked from the Nottingham-based manufacturer's FN175 - Imperial Guard Dutch Grenadiers In Greatcoat Marching blister. I still remember plucking these guys off of the rack whilst visiting "Wargames Foundry" this time last year, and smugly believing they'd prove a 'quick win' to paint as they were wearing long coats. You can therefore imagine my dismay to discover that around the back of the sculpts - which I couldn't see at the time - they are still festooned with plenty of straps, as well as the necessary leatherwork to hold their bayonet scabbard and sabre-briquet.

To help soften this blow, and provide me with something significantly simpler to put my brush-tip to, I have also dabbled a bit more with the five Soviet Cosmonauts I own by "Black Site Studios". I've now managed to get the majority of the Russian astronauts' metallics completed, and hope to have those just carrying firearms finished within a short(ish) while...