Another Book and WIP Highlanders Part 2

Hello everyone!

I've got another book to share. Not really an academic book, but The British Redcoat of the Napoleonic Wars by Martin Windrow, part of the "The Soldier through the Ages" series of children's books, is well worth a look. Richly illustrated by the venerable Angus McBride, this book, while very simplistic (though factually correct) in terms of content, is a visual masterpiece, with bright, vibrant artwork that makes great eye-candy for the wargamer. It makes a welcome addition to my Napoleonic library.

And then on to part 2 of my step-by-step walkthrough of painting my Highlanders. Check out my last post for part 1. (Remeber to click on the pictures for larger versions.)

Here I painted all of the black pieces of equipment: cartridge boxes, bayonet scabbards and Trotter packs.

Next I painted the haversacks in a beige color.

Then the canteens, in the same "True blue" color that I used as the base color for the tartan.

Here I've used a dark brown to paint the canteen strap and the buttons on the haversacks.

And here I've painted the greatcoats rolled up on top of the packs a dark gray color.

At this point I was pretty much ready to start applying the white, but first I needed to pull the Light Company figures aside and give them a coat of green for their elite company wings. I don't believe this was an actual practice from looking at all of my references, but it helps give the figures another identifying detail.

At this stage I applied the white, covering collars, cuff, turnbacks, cross-straps, backpack straps, epaulettes and elite company wings.

Next musket stocks were painted a medium brown.

Here I added gold details to the musket, cross-straps, tunic buttons and lace on the cuffs.

At this point I painted the musket locks, barrels and bayonets in metalic silver...

...before I finished the muskets by painting the slings in white.

Here each figure's hands and faces are painted in a flesh color.

The hair is added. In my British army, all soldiers have brown hair!

Here I've given the figures with queues a black bow in their hair, and some of the figures with prominent brims under their bonnets a black brim.

Here the exposed remnants of the shakoes left peeking out from under the greenstuff bonnets were painted white, acting as the bonnet's band.

The white band is diced in red.

The bonnets are then painted a dark blue, and the toories (or pom-poms) are painted according to the figure's company: line companies were given a red toorie, the grenadiers a white toorie, and the lights a green toorie. Here they all are, split into their bases and ready for basing.

Last night I cut out and labeled the bases, and began to process of getting them based. However, I hit a snag when I ran out of super glue (a rookie mistake if there ever was one!) after only sticking the Light and Grenadier company figures to their bases, so after getting a $h!t-load more super glue after work today I'm finishing them up tonight. I should have pictures tomorrow.

In other news, I would like to welcome Paul Alba to the blog. If you haven’t checked out his blog NAPOLEONICS IN MINIATURE then you are in for a treat. The work on his blog makes 15/18mm look like 28mm, and brings out the full potential of AB’s fine figures. I hope that you enjoy my own humble efforts!

Coming soon: French. I’m going to finish up the 19e so I’ll have two finished French battalions to match my two finished British battalions. Then either the British or Portuguese, and maybe a command stand thrown in there somewhere. We’ll see.

Questions, comments and criticisms are always welcomed and appreciated! Thanks for looking!

 

-Chuck