Campaign vs Parade look

[Aksu]

Hullo,
I like to build and paint my armies using a ragged campaign look - I mix figure poses on stands and generally paint the uniforms with various levels of muck, wear and tear. This seems to be fairly appropriate (in my mind) to most armies after they have been campaigning for a while.
However, now that I'm about to start embarking on some lace wars painting, I was wondering which armies and wars would actually warrant a fresh and parade-like look for the figures, based on actual practice and history?
And by the way, this is in no way a slight on the people who prefer the clean and regimented look in their armies, whatever the period.
Cheers,
Aksu

[FierceKitty]

18th century commanders of the better armies paid some attention to new uniforms etc. when they could. A lot would depend on whether it was Prussians in 1756 or Prussians in 1762.

[fsn]

Aksu, I feel your pain, brother.

My modern stuff tends to be a bit scruffy, like they've been in the field for a few weeks, but it's summer, so things aren't too bad.

Anything prior to 1900 has just marched out of barracks for the new campaign season. The are freshly and crisply turned out, and enjoying the spring air.

[Womble67]

Without doubt campaign look

Take care

Andy

[Glorfindel]

This could be one of those discussions that people have quite
firm ideas about...and if this was TMP, I wouldn't want to take
part.

But its not so I am...
   
Anyway, if I'm playing Seven Years War / Napoleonics / League
of Augsburg etc, I want the colour and style not the harsh reality.

If I'm going to spend a lot of money and time on one of these
projects, I want to research the uniforms and try to get my
small soldiers to match a deliberately unreal vision.

Give me smart soldiers with ridiculous hats and hairdos, proud
moustaches and colours flying.   In 10mm, I need the colour to
be vivid.

I know it wasn't like that for the guys on the ground.


Phil

[Steve J]

A mix of both for me in the sense that I don't worry too much about the lower legs and shoes, but the upper body tends to be brighter, just so that I can tell the unit on the table.

[paulr]

Well said Glorfindel/Phil

I tend to go for a slightly scruffy look. They have been on campaign for a while but have been in camp for a few days and had a chance to smarten up a bit. I recall reading about a French unit, before Borodino I think, putting on their best clothes in preparation for battle.

Also different units have different levels of dress. For example my AWI British Guards all have the same colour trousers while line regiments wear a variety of colours. The Continentals have a mix of old and new uniforms and various trousers and bags, the level of variation depends on recent events for those units.

Before 1900 the colours definitely need to be bright, it adds to the spectacle

[FierceKitty]

I tend to stress the duller, more weathered look for reluctant conscripts and impoverished peasantry.

[Leon026]

Hmm. Interesting question this.

I tend to prefer a campaign look, but it also depends on the idea you have for them.

In the case for my napoleonics, for example,

"veteran" units will have have a campaign look
"veteran light infantry" will have the campaign look and may also be based as a firing line or in open order
"conscript" units will probably be dressed in great coats, or be in totally mismatched ragged clothing
"guard grenadiers" will have the pristine parade look.

Of course, this doesnt mean that my initial batch of painted figures will be all campaign style, as I tend to start with the fresh uniform colors, and over time look for ways to make the painting less monotonous by mixing in figures with greatcoats and mismatched leggings.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

The convention is that 'orse and musket stuff is done immaculate, whilst ancients and medieval it depends.

IanS

[SV52]

These days mine just turn out as they turn out, aiming for neither one thing nor the other. Had a go at the 'campaign look' but they turned out like a battalion of mud wrestlers!

[bigjackmac]

Parade for Horse and Musket, campaign for later.

Though I'm thinking of doing some 1920s stuff that will be parade as well.

V/R,
Jack

[FierceKitty]

Parade for Horse and Musket, campaign for later.

Though I'm thinking of doing some 1920s stuff that will be parade as well.

V/R,
Jack

The overwhelming mass of history is pre-Horse and Musket.

[Ithoriel]

The overwhelming mass of history is pre-Horse and Musket.

The first 30% or so of military history is pre-horse!!

[FierceKitty]

The first 30% or so of military history is pre-horse!!

And there's a lot of human combat before history even begins.