The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Six

I've finally based a third stand of Napoleonic French Line Infantry by “Victrix", having had them standing around for a few days. I hope their completition will now let me more tightly focus my painting on two of the four 28mm models I plan to use for the French Command base (i.e. officer and standard bearer).

The pair of miniatures have previously been fighting for my attention alongside a couple of 20mm metal World War Two models by “Friend And Foe”, as well as some other plastic “Victrix” French Infantry models that required their white areas to be boxed in. However, both of the “Friend And Foe” British Paratroopers (‘Officer with map pointing’ and ‘Radio operator’ from their Command bag) have now been fully painted and glossed, whilst three of the four “Victrix” Fusiliers have had their initial white areas finished (in preparation for each soldier to be fully painted next month).

COMING SOON - I've undercoated a further four “Friend And Foe” 20mm British Airborne Division models (predominatly from their Rifle Firing bag) with Calthan Brown in order to continue the slow-time progress of my Memoir 44 Project, but probably more importantly have started to prepare a number of “GHQ Micro-Armour” Modern British infantry, vehicles and armour so I can give my “Battlefield Evolution" project a big push (hopefully) later this month.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Five

Painting has started in earnest upon three of the four “Victrix” plastic 28mm models I plan to use for the Command base of my first battalion of Napoleonic French Line Infantry. The paint schemes will be based upon the uniform plates found for the Standard-Bearer and Grenadier Drummer within “Austerlitz – The Empire at its Zenith” by “Histoire & Collections”, and that of a Lieutenant in winter quarters dress, 1810 in “The French Imperial Guard – The Foot Soldiers 1804-1815 also by “Histoire & Collections”. I hope to have both the Officer and Standard-Bearer finished within the next few days, in order to focus my attention on the stand’s Drummer and Porte-Aigle.

I'm currently basing up my third stand of four Fusiliers, so once the Command base has been completed I'll have already attained my monthly commitment of painting eight Napoleonic models per month for January. That will leave me a good three weeks clear for my painting to concentrate on some of the other projects I ended up putting to one side in 2011; projects such as doing Robert E. Howard's "Hyborian Age" using 15mm “Copplestone Castings", or "Battlefield Evolution: Modern Combat" using 6mm “GHQ Micro-Armour”, or even "Force on Force" using the 28mm models of “Empress Miniatures". Decisions decisions.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Four

Finished the second base of four French Fusiliers from the 28mm plastic boxed set ‘French Napoleonic Infantry 1804 – 1807’ by “Victrix”, and I have a third well on its way. Unfortunately my progress on these plastic models has been slightly delayed after I realised that one of the straps at the back of the soldiers should have been brown (as it was on the front of each Fusilier) instead of white. As a result some careful repainting has taken place.

In addition, the sculpting on one of the models appeared to have the soldier’s left turn back melt into some strapping and leg. My white colour scheme just made the site look odd, so I’ve subsequently glued a black pouch over the area and this has adequately hidden the problem from view.

I’ve glued together another drummer for the Command base, having thought of a simple way to paint the drum and all of its ropes etc. A coat of Khemri Brown and Devlan Mud wash has really brought out the instrument’s detail, As the model will be tucked away beside a standard bearer at the rear of the stand, I think that’ll suffice (with the odd blue piping etc). I’ve also changed my mind regarding the composition of the Command base, and now plan for it to consist of a drummer, standard-bearer, officer and Porte-Aigle.

COMING SOON – In order to see how easy my painting style copes with the new “Victrix” Napoleonic Austrians, I’ve ‘boxed in” all the white areas on these four Fusiliers. I don’t plan to finish painting these until the New Year, although with just a couple of hours more work I reckon they could be finished.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Three

Finished the first base of four French Fusiliers from the 28mm plastic boxed set ‘French Napoleonic Infantry 1804 – 1807’ by “Victrix”. I plan to field four such bases (amongst a mixture of Voltigeur, Command and Grenadier bases) to form a Line Infantry Battalion; and then field two such battalions along with one Light Infantry battalion in order to create a French infantry Brigade (having been inspired by the Army organisation structures found in "Napoleon At War" by "Man at War Miniature Games").

Painting is steadily progressing on a second base of Fusiliers, as well as the Command base; although my plans to have a drummer present alongside my standard bearers has fallen to the wayside, having spent a far portion of my time yesterday trying desperately to paint a drum and all its ropes etc. Instead each base will consist of an officer and two standard bearers instead.

COMING SOON - Despite my initial intentions to have this project be simply an all-infantry (and all "Victrix") affair, I've succumbed to the temptation that is "Perry Miniatures" and bought two boxes of their absolutely awesome "French Napoleonic Dragoons 1812-1815". I initially kidded myself that I was simply buying them in order to be to field a brigade of foot Dragoons. But having seen them in the flesh, the French will shortly be able to supported by a Heavy Cavalry Brigade consisting of one Dragoon Regiment (Elite Company with bearskins) and a second which can be fielded either as mounted or foot.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Two

Managed to finish the white areas on the Subaltern and two of the Fusiliers. To give some simple shading to the white uniforms and straps etc I’ve used a simple wash of watered down Astronomican Grey. I’ve also painted the tops of Junior Officer’s boots with Calthan brown and Devlan Mud.
To break up the monotony of white I’ve painted another Fusilier with Khemri Brown and Devlan Mud in order represent them wearing a pair of ‘marching/town’ trousers.

COMING SOON - Painting is slowly progressing on my unit of six Para’s advancing with Lee-Enfield Rifles. Hopefully this part of my planned British Sixth Airborne Division will be finished by the weekend.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part One

Inspired by blogs such as “Napoleonic Wargames Project” (albeit some months since it was last updated) and the batch painting method beautifully demonstrated at “WAB Corner”, I’ve actually started to try and paint a ‘battalion’ of French Napoleonic Infantry at the same time.

The ‘battalion’ will consist of twelve French fusiliers, four grenadiers, four voltigeurs, a drummer, standard bearer and officer from the “Victrix” 28mm plastic box set ‘French Napoleonic Infantry 1804 – 1807'. They’ll be painted to represent the Infantry of the Line as shown in “Austerlitz – The Empire at its Zenith” by “Histoire & Collections”.

As the majority of the soldiers will be white, I gave them all an undercoat of Skull White, and then painted a second coat over the trousers, waistcoats and straps etc. I then picked out the collars, cuffs and epaulettes that will be red with Mechrite Red. I then gave these areas a wash of Baal Red. I used a combination of Iyanden Darksun and Gryphonne Sepia for the Voltigeurs’ collars.

My painting style is based upon separating the different colours with Chaos Black, and then giving those areas an appropriate ink wash. As a result I’ve started to 'box off' the white areas from the rest of the models using Chaos Black, and also ‘cut in’ around the red areas as well; tidying the collars, cuffs and epaulettes up with Mechrite Red as and when needed.

Truth be told, I wanted to see what a ‘detachment’ of four fully painted Fusiliers on a 40mm x 40mm base looks like, so as a mini project I’ve been working away on them as well. The more ‘advanced’ fusilier is the fourth one of these soldiers.

I’ve almost finished the white areas for the officer, whom I’m painting as a Subaltern from a Fusilier company.

My hope is to get this ‘Battalion’ finished in just under three months, working on the rate of two models per week (as I do have a few other painting projects on the go), with the ultimate goal being that for Christmas 2012 I’ll have enough painted French (and Austrians) to field two ‘Battalions’ per army in order to ‘replicate’ the battle of Marengo using some homemade rules.