WiPs and Butchered Bits

With the WW2 items finished it's time to do some more vintage 20mm Napoleonics; in this case the French 4th Hussars, courtesy of a very kind gift from a fellow blogger (Hinton Hunt Odyssey).  I had been trying, without success, to obtain some of these figures since I had been seduced into this vintage madness by 'The Hinton Spieler' back in 2017.   So, having finally obtained some, they have been fast-tracked to the front of the painting queue.

Now, as is ever the case with vintage OOP figures, comes the inevitable cleaning up and repair of the castings; plus, converting some rank and file into command figures that were sadly lacking in the Hinton Hunt range.

First up the horses.  These have been cleaned of any flash and had any holes from in the castings filled with Milliput. 

The filling is rather simple but cleaning out the excess metal between the horses back legs would be a real bore without my trusty Dremel rotary tool and grinding bits.  As I didn't take any 'before' photos of this process, here's one of a handy one-piece casting showing the problem next to one of the 4th Hussar horses that was free of this flaw.

The troopers, seen in the first photo, now need cleaning up and the following photo shows the figures selected for conversion into an officer and trumpeter, ...

... together with one trooper who needs his sword repaired, the photo below showing the missing point that needs replacing.

The 'butchered bits' in the title to this post are standing by to be cannibalised for these figures; including a Newline Design trumpeter - trumpets are just too fiddly to fabricate from scratch.

To command these hussars, I've included a personality figure in this painting batch, and who better to command a regiment of hussars than the man himself, General Antoine-Charles-Louis, Comte de Lasalle.

I hadn't originally intended to do any mods to the figure but his right hand resting on his thigh was just begging to have a pipe added as I've never seen an illustration of him without it.  

That's all for now, but these will take some time to complete so there will probably be another WiP post before they are completed and ready for a full-dress parade. 

Rabbit Holes and Sidetracks

A few posts back, before I started playing in the current Chain of Command campaign (the last three posts), I posted on some work in progress (WiP).  I had hoped to have completed those items by now, but in addition to the campaign and some DIY chores I also started on some other items.  Anyway, here's a quick update on what has been finished, including a few of the distractions.

First, here's my Bromefield[1] M1800 Iron 10" Howitzer, being tried out for size by one of my RHA crews (the RA crews are still in the painting queue).

Also, as I'm rather proud of them and haven't posted them before, here's my rocket troop, featuring a Phoenix Miniatures crew and scratch-built launcher.

Getting back to the original WiP items, here are the WW2 20mm items that have made it across the finish line.  

The Unic P107 half-track and Daimler Scout Car, with their respective crews are the only original members of the last WiP post.  So, they deserve a few more photos, starting with the P107 with driver, gunner and a few infantry ...

... and then removed for when they disembark to be replaced by based troops.

These figures are joined with steel wire inserted through them, the rigid grouping being enough to hold them securely in place without wobbling.

By contrast the Dingo Scout Car has its crew fixed in place - there is a driver in there, honest, you just can't see him.

The other completed items, indicated by yellow arrows[2], consist of two MG, and one ATG, entrenchments, a kneeling figure and some casualties.

The entrenchments were the result of messing with Milliput when filling the tanks that haven't as yet been completed - I always make up too much.  The larger gun emplacement was a set of plastic 1/72 sandbags that came with a Checkpoint kit (Hasegawa IIRC) and thought I might as well do them as well.

The dead figure was found when going through my stash looking for crew for the P107, and got included as I'm short of German dead.  Likewise, the kneeling figure was missing his right arm, and half his right leg, cut off for use in a previous conversion, but as I also found a spare arm I thought I'd repair him being short of kneeling figures.  And with some other spare parts (6 legs & 1 arm, mostly from the crews for the Dingo and the unfinished tanks), together with some of the spare Milliput I fashioned another grisly addition to the collection.

The final distraction was finishing off a Hinchliffe 25mm Hellenistic General that had been sitting half-painted on the window ledge for longer than I care to admit.

So, as the next CoC campaign game is not scheduled for a while yet, I should be getting on with completing the tanks[3], which are pretty well advanced, for my next post.  Well, once the last of the DIY chores is done - they don't take that long but I'm a world-class procrastinator.

Notes:

[1.]  I have seen various spellings for 'Bromefield', and last time went with 'Blomefield', but Bromefield seems more common so I'm now using that until corrected.

[2.]  The MG teams and ATG occupying the entrenchments are just added for aesthetic effect and to show the fit.

[3.]  A Tetrarch, a Pz II Luchs and a Pz III J.

The Old, the Quick and the Obsolescent

With another so-called heatwave making painting difficult / unpleasant, I am using the time to make up some metal kits.

First out of the blocks was a British M1800 Bromefield 10" Iron Howitzer ('The Old').  This will be a drop-in[1] option for my 20mm Napoleonic gun crews.  This piece, was only used in sieges during the Napoleonic period and rarely at that, BUT it's just so full of character I couldn't resist getting one.

The armoured vehicles are to fill out my 20mm WW2 collection, and add some recce capability ('The Quick'), and some second-rate equipment ('The Obsolescent') that was fielded in NW Europe when there was nothing better available - it's also cheap (support points) in Chain of Command.

The kits are by the now sadly defunct MMS Models, and clockwise from bottom left are: a Panzer II 'Luchs' (light recce tank); a Panzer III Ausf J (still awaiting its main armament, a 5cm KwK 38 L/42); a Unic P107 half-track (a French hand-me-down used by 21st Pz); a Daimler Scout Car[2]; and a Tetrarch CS to support my upcoming Airborne platoon.

Of these, I have to say my favourite is the Panzer III, and I'm justifying getting one on the basis of several being in Panzer Kompanie Mielke at Arnhem; and I'm particularly partial to the marks with the short 50mm gun.  But, having put the kit together I have to say I found the Luchs has rather caught my fancy. 

All these kits will need some additional cleaning and filling, but I'll do them all together in a single session when they're all ready.  With the exception of the Tetrarch, I will be fitting figures to the vehicles (removable in some cases) which is why most still have their hatches missing - they will be fitted when I work out how the figures will be placed / posed.

Notes:

[1.]  I mount my gun crews on a large base and their guns on a separate base that can be dropped in amongst the gun crew.  This has two benefits: one the gun being on its own base is closer to the correct height compared to the gun crew; and, two I can easily swap between 6pdrs, 9pdrs and howitzers.

[2.]  Note the roof folded back, Chain of Command only lists the Daimler Scout Car as roofless but all marks after the first had a roof that could be folded back.

Modified Vintage 20mil Naps Complete

At last, my 2nd Burgos Regiment is finished, this was quite a long job given the amount of modifications made as covered in earlier posts.  That said I'm rather chuffed with how they turned out so now it's time for their curtain call:

First, the regiment in line, accompanied by a previously painted Major General.

Then some drill practise in formations less used by my Spanish troops, such as attack column[1] ...

... and square (I have a habit of relying on musketry to stop cavalry).

And, finally a close up of the command group.

Notes:

[1.]  In this photo an interloper can be seen behind the general - this was the test figure I did first just to be sure I could pull off the conversions before beheading an entire unit's worth of figures.  When I did the unit's rank and file, I did an entire unit's worth in case one of the conversions failed - they all worked so he's now a handy spare.

Figure Mods - another WiP Update

While the rank and file were held up waiting for new drill bits the trial figure was finished and the command figures painted, only their gloss varnish to do now.

First, the trial figure.

The Officer (not my favourite).

The Drummer (my favourite).

And finally, the standard bearer - you'll be able to see how 'impressionistic' (messy?) the painting is in gory detail in the close up if you click on the photo.

The rank and file have all now been re-headed and are being painted, so hopefully not too long now.

Figure Mods - Waiting for Bits

I wasn't planning on another update this soon but I broke my last decent drill bit for my Dremel rotary tool so thought I'd post some more on the command figures while waiting for some more drill bits[1] to arrive courtesy of Amazon (hopefully today).  

My last post saw the three command figures largely dismembered; the ensign needing a new head, the officer a head swap, and the drummer a head and arms swap!  So, after crafting another solder hat for the ensign, here they are put together and starting to take on their final appearance.

Since then, all I have managed is a bit more filing and some final detailing added with greenstuff as going near them with a soldering iron at this stage would undoubtedly see any solder on them revert to a shapeless blob. 

So, with still some tidying up of the greenstuff still to do, here's the officer, ...

... the ensign, ...

... and, the drummer.

I'm quite pleased with these, especially the drummer as he looks quite natural despite being a fairly extreme cut and shut job.  The officer and the ensign will both have boots, the ensign some nice tight ones that can just be done with a paint job.  I'm not sure whether the ensign would've worn a bicorn but I didn't want him in a round hat or competing with the officer's cocked hat.  Anyway, I think he's turned out okay and I like the tilt to his head that looks like he's paying attention to what he's doing with the colour.

Notes:

[1.]  Good drill bits are essential for drilling holes into the heads and torsos of figures having head-swaps to allow a steel wire to be inserted in both to provide a robust joint.  Without one I can't get on with all the rest of the planned head-swaps.

Figure Mods - a WiP Update

The last post which outlined some ambitious figure conversions to make a round-hatted unit of 20mil Napoleonic Spanish Fusiliers seemed to spark some interest.  So, while progress is slow, I thought I'd post an update, mainly to try and keep my conversion mojo ticking along.

First, the test figure, which has now been blocked in with the intended paint scheme.

Getting some paint on him has shown I need to be a little less generous with the 5SecondFix for the trousers and do a better job smoothing them off.  Also, I think a quick bit of greenstuff around the neck to make a more prominent collar will help.  That said, I'm pleased with the colours, the first blue (Humbrol 89) was too light so I gave it a wash of thinned down mid-blue (Humbrol 25) and got exactly the colour I was looking for to match based on an illustration in an Osprey[1].  I will probably highlight with the original light blue colour but I need to attend to the black lining first.

The rest of the figures, head donors and recipients, have all now been through the bleach-bath and had their paint cleaned off and the British revolutionary grenadiers (BRGs for short) have been cleaned up and had their 'wings' removed.  

Today has focussed on the command figures; officer, ensign and drummer.  These are all being worked up from HH (recasts?) BRG command figures.  

First the drummer.  I have no BRG drummer, so have used a sergeant figure and removed his head and arms, the latter in order to fit the arms and drum from a Napoleonic British fusilier drummer - see below.

You will notice his loins have been hollowed out to fit the drum which will be glued in once the greenstuff repairs to the drum and shoulder strap added to the figure (no photo) have cured.  The arms will them be soldered in place at the shoulders for a strong joint, he will also a round-hatted head like the rank and file.

The officers are BRG officer figures, one waving his sword being converted to a standard bearer and the other will be marching as is with his sword at the shoulder, as shown below.

The ensign has had a blob of solder added that will be filed down to create the 'bucket' that the flagstaff is placed in; the shoulder belt from which it is suspended will be added with greenstuff.

As officers I don't want these figures in round hats, so I took one of the spare BRG heads and cut the bearskin down before adding a cocked hat from solder - shown between the two figures in the photo above.  This took several attempts before I could get the solder blob to vaguely resemble the over-sized cocked hats favoured by the Spanish.  This was then followed by lots, and lots, of careful filing, a real chore but the end result is worth it (IMO).  I intend using this head for the commanding officer but haven't yet decided what to do for the ensign ...

... watch this space.

Notes:

[1.]  Man at Arms 332, Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars Part 2 1808-1812, Plate G1.  I would put in a picture but again I'm not about the copyright position for doing this. 

Figure Mods - Work in Progress

Having got seduced into the niche that is vintage 20mil Napoleonic's, I compounded my foolishness by opting to focus on the Peninsular War and in particular the Spanish Army.  The Spanish were never a popular choice so few come up on eBay and the choice is limited as back then figure companies didn't make many as the demand wasn't there.  

So, typically I have to modify figures, especially for some of the mid-period new, and volunteer, units in their round hats like that in the photo below - an Austrian fusilier in shako filed to look like a round hat.

Wanting another unit in round hat I started on some more Austrians, but having cherry-picked the best for the above unit the remaining figures were in very poor order and kept breaking.  After drilling into my thumb while trying to mend the latest breakage, I decided I needed to try something else.

Rummaging through my lead pile I decided it was time to make use of some figures actually wearing round hats; an eBay purchase of thirty figures, three of which are shown below.

These figures are almost certainly the same castings as those featured on the 'Hinton Hunter' blog site, which includes a suggestion about their about their origin - see composite screen-shot from the, now defunct, blog below.  Whatever these figures are, if anyone out there has more they are willing to part with do please get in touch.

As I didn't want the unit to be at the attack march, I decided I would swap the heads from these onto some DK(?) British Grenadiers in bearskin from the French Revolutionary period.  These figures are also a good choice for Spanish as they have a simple blanket roll and no back-pack; Spanish troops are rarely shown with back-packs as worn by most other armies.  Anyway, they were consigned to the bleach-bath to remove their paint-jobs and came out after just one night looking pretty clean after a quick scrub with an old toothbrush.

Not wanting to overcommit, I put just one of the round-hatted figures through the bleach-bath.  While he emerged from his bath with his paint job looking untouched, it peeled off with little effort and the stripped figure can be seen below posed next to the grenadier selected for a trial head-swap.

The next photo shows the grenadier after the head-swap and with his 'wings' filed off his shoulders and some 5secondFIX on his legs to make them resemble trousers rather than breeches and gaiters.  The head is secured by a length of steel rod inserted into holes drilled into the head and torso.  BTW don't feel sorry for the headless figure as he is being kept for another unit I have planned.

And, with a quick white undercoat to give a better idea of what I have to work with when it comes to the paint job.

Next time I should have the sample figure painted and progressed on modifying the rest of the figures for the unit.  Not sure if this is too much detail or whether more like this is of interest - if you have a preference do let me know in the comments.

Fusilier Chasseurs of the Guard

These are the latest to emerge from my glacial painting process for a quick photo shoot.  Firstly some 'studio shots'.

The command strip, as Hinton Hunt (HH) never did standard bearers or drummers in greatcoats these two had them added with solder, followed by much filing.

Then the men.  These are a mix of original HH "FN/6 Voltigeur 1807/12 in plumed shakos (marching)" and recasts.  The large plumes, and the opportunity to paint the greatcoats blue, inspired me to paint them as Fusilier Chasseurs of the Imperial (Middle) Guard.  In this photo I meant one of the 4-figure bases to show the rear view but didn't notice their reluctance to show their backs.

The only changes to the rank and file were to repair about half of the bayonets, beef up the plumes a bit, and paint eagles instead of lozenge shaped cap badges and eagles as opposed to bugles on the cartridge boxes.  The latter required the badges to be filed down a bit so the bugle device was not proud.

And then all together...

...all twenty eight of them!

My foot units are all usually 24-strong but these are 28-strong, using every figure I had.  I did this because wielding a soldering iron entails some risk, so I was expecting some losses, but all went well so I thought I'd paint them all up.

And so, into the field: in line...

...in square...

...under Cambronne's command...

...and finally.

=============ADDENDUM=============

Spotted I had left something unpainted!  No prizes for spotting it - here's the finished article.

"Merde!" It's Cambronne AGAIN!

After my last post, a friend told me I had opted for the wrong colours on Cambronne's sash as, being a maréchal de camp, he should have a gold and blue sash not gold and red.  So, as my incipient OCD would not let that go, I have repainted his sash, and this time I think I've made a better job of it.  Yay!

At the same time a slight error was pointed out in the accompanying Young Guard Voltigeurs so they were also corrected.  The change is rather small and I'll leave it to the viewer to see if they can spot it.