"The Voltigeurs Were French Military Skirmish Units..."

"...Created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon."

This 28mm scale metal model is manufactured by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of their FN103 - Grenadiers Or Voltigeurs In Greatcoat Marching set. The figure is one of eight identical Napoleonic French infantrymen sculpted by Michael and Alan Perry found in the blister, and has proved surprisingly time-consuming due to its numerous colourful details.

"Skilled at sharpshooting", the soldier was first undercoated in "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and had all of his leather straps, as well as trousers and shako covering, pigmented with a combination of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and some heavily watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I then carefully applied some "Vallejo" Sombre Grey to his greatcoat, shaded it with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and later highlighted it back up with a little more "Vallejo" Sombre Grey.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - This second-hand Frodo Baggins is finally getting some love

I next 'picked out' the skirmisher's water bottle and strap with some "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, before plonking a little Ethereal Green by "Two Thin Coats" and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green on the Frenchman's epaulettes, lower plume and sword ribbon. Lastly, I dabbed a spot or two of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow onto his topmost pom-pom, and shaded it with a dash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade.

With the first 'recruit' of my tiny, four-figure Voltigeur unit completed, I have spent some time digging through my backlog of half-finished projects looking for something contrastingly different to work on. One such model I found is an old 28mm metal miniature of Frodo Baggins by "Games Workshop" which I believe I picked up second-hand from a wargames show many, many moons ago.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - More Alien Legionnaries getting ready to be recruited

The hobbit has clearly received some sort of paint-job from his previous owner, and ordinarily I would just give such a figure a quick lick of "Citadel" Abaddon Black to cover it over with. However, as this figure is so small, I thought some of its minute details were probably already in danger of being clogged up, so have decided to simply apply my own palette directly on it instead.

In addition, I have selected three more Alien Legionnaries by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" from my "7TV" collection to paint up as the Emperor Ming's minions from Mike Hodges' 1980 science fiction movie "Flash Gordon". As with the trio I've recently done, these miniatures had previously just been given a prime in "Vallejo" Heavy Red, so now need to have all their black straps, gold shoulder-pads and eye lenses properly 'picked out' before being tabletop ready...