1870 - What to do next?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Right guys, here's a challenge!
My quest to paint the armies involved at Mars-La-Tours is nearly finished, I want to be able to refight the battle by my 40th in October. I can do the entire Eastern End of the battlefield (as far as Tromville Copses) 
I can field ALL of Prussian III, X Corps, 5th & 6th Cavalry Divisions, plus Hessian Division, and 16th Division VIII Corps and 4th Cavalry Division(to be finished soon).
For the French I can field all of the Guard, and all of II and VI Corps (that were actually there), plus all the cavalry including the forces that fought at Vron.

What do I do next? 
Do I need a break from Mars-La-Tours? Should I finish the battle troops or do some of the Gravelotte/Saint Privat forces or have a break and do something else? There's an awful lot of French still to do! 

[Matt J]

I like o see a man suffer 

more french please sir

[Steve J]

I'd go for something a bit different so voted for Saxons. I find it's always good to have a complete break on something and then come back to it when the muse is upon you.

As an example I have two Dux Bellorum warbands in their early stages of basing plus some WWII Italian units, with the odd plane thrown into the mix. So depending upon the time I have free I will focus upon one of the above.

[mollinary]

Given that you want a bit of a break, I voted for French 1st Corps, because it involves all of the Zoauve and Turco regiments, so a bit of variety!

Bon chance,

Mollinary

[Shecky]

I voted Bavarians. I always find them to be a good break from painting Prussian Blue.

[petercooman]

I voted something else. Whenever i am sick of painting the same uniform, i paint some scenery. I know it's not a formation, but you have to admit that scenery plays as big a part as any formation that is on the table!

Building and painting it also gives you more room for improvisation and 'freestyling', wich takes the pressure of painting the same colours over and over again.

Feel free to ignore if you really only wanted to paint formations

[Sean Clark]

Ive voted Bavarians just because I love their uniform.

What size units are you doing and what rules?

Sean

[petercooman]

Ive voted Bavarians just because I love their uniform.

What size units are you doing and what rules?

Sean

Maybe this answers some of your questions, excellent armies!!
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,6703.0.html

[Hertsblue]

Doesn't it depend on what the balance of forces is? If you've got a truckload of French and only a corporal's guard of Prussians then it's got to be something Germanic. If the Germans are light then I'd go for the Bavarians - they're like nothing else on the battlefield. If it's the French then, like Mollinary, I'd go for all those colourful Zouaves and Turcos in 1st Corps.

Or you could stick a pin in the list.... 

[cameronian]

Go for MacMahon's 1st Corps.
1) Lovely Turcos and Zouaves
2) You get to fight Froeschwiller, good battle to game
3) You get an elite French Corps to fight with
4) Bavarians look pretty (though if you have an 1866 army you can, at a pinch and with a change of flags, substitute Saxons) but they're rubbish and will lie down, run away or malinger at the drop of a hat.

Gotta be the North African Corps IMHO (and remember to paint your Zouaves with bare, blackened feet as they sold their boots for drink on the night before the battle!)

[mollinary]

Remember that 1870 Saxons are just Prussians with spiffy flags!

Mollinary

[Hertsblue]

Yes, I thought the Saxons had been coerced into pickelhaubes and dark blue by 1870?

[cameronian]

Indeed, however the Bavarians seemed to wear the forage cap as well as the wool crested helmet, so if you can avert your gaze from the white, black, yellow, red cap bands and cuffs (in my case easily achieved through the expedient of not wearing specs), slip the spiffy Saxon flags off the poles (mine are removable) and substitute with Bavarian, hey presto, four brigades of completely crap troops.

Andrew, just seen the 1866 book, looks lovely, will order my copy ASAP (is it true or just a cruel rumour that the unsigned copies are more valuable?).

Picked up a copy of Heidrich in Vienna last week, intact with all maps and charts, E36 !

[cameronian]

... or, what if you bought command stands with crested helmets, then your substitution would have a bit more cred, just a thought ... I appear to be talking to myself here  

Just ordered sample packs of ACW Zouaves for 1870, can't stand my 'old' Pendraken ones, too flimsy, anyone else tried the ACW ones?

[mollinary]

Hi Cam,

What a find!   Where did you get it, I keep looking but have never seen it on the Internet? Thanks for the book comment.  I am not sure (only a co-author after all) but I don't think it will actually be available until SALUTE on 20th April, so any adverts at present are likely to be pre-orders only.  Hard work to go from first rule mods and first games in August to sending it off to the publisher by end of February, but it was a very enjoyable experience - hope you like it when you get a copy. I am sure unsigned copies will be more valuable, therefore I can offer to unsign a copy for you at a special premium    

Mollinary