I've just finished painting the first unit of my WSS armies. A dragoon regiment from the (completely fictitious) North Duchy. They just need basing, but I've just taken some photos and am so embarrassed that I ain't gonna publish 'em. I'm going for big units, my cavalry units are 32 figures and my infantry 72. Don't ask about rule sets, I'm still soiling my breeches at the size of each unit!
The North Duchy comprises 8 bttns, 6 regiments of horse, 3 of dragoons and 3 btty of artillery. Their sworn enemies, the Westlands have 7 bttns, 5 horse, 4 dragoons, 1 cuirassier and 4 bttys.
I promise I will publish some photos, more to establish the low standard of painting, and also because if I do, I'll probably have to try a bit harder.
I've taken delivery of an optiviser today. Just need a bionic arm and I'll be set!
Gulp! - FSN
Best of luck FSN. It is a very good looking period. I know I have a bit of a reputation (? :-\) as a flag geek, but if I could offer a small piece of advice based on my own experience, mediocre paint jobs are often lifted by that extra bit of effort on the basing and the flags. And with Imaginations, you have no excuse not to have exotic and colourful flags. Look forward to seeing the end results.
Mollinary
Looking forward to these and their pictures.
Like the unit size idea too. :D
Quote from: mollinary on 27 October 2014, 06:33:34 PM
It is a very good looking period.
It was 'till I got my hands on it!
I'm hoping the flags and bases will lift my efforts!
Thanks, chaps - FSN
Sorry about the doubles posting!
Mollinary
What double post?
What double post?
Quote from: mad lemmey on 27 October 2014, 06:55:33 PM
What double post?
What double post?
That one!
That one!
No, this one! :o ;D
Mollinary
Welcome to the wonderful world of the early eighteenth century, fsn. Where pretty well everybody in Europe got a go at somebody else. One small point, however, "horse" and "cuirassiers" are effectively the same thing. Horse could, and often did, wear the cuirass. Oh, and the French confused everybody by calling them "light horse" (chevaux légères). Good 'ere innit? :D
I think you'll find that in the Westlands the Cuirassiers were an elite unit! :P
Thank you for that.
Where's that Duffy book? - FSN
From my research (Vin Fluffywitz et al) they were officially referred to as:
'The Westlands Regiment of Light Heavy Hussar Dragoon Horse Currasiers a Cheval'. Normally shortened to 'Those overpaid lay-abouts'.
Their standard was usually carried below half mast, officially in memorial of all the lost Colonels from the regiment, but actually because they misheard the visiting Grand Duke of Gelderland describe them as a 'half masted bunch'!
nice idea FSN looking forward to the pics. Big project though by my maths that's best part of 2,000 models - I'm guessing you aren't going for much lace on the uniforms
How many! Oh for goodness sake!
What a pillock!
Must buy a calculator - FSN
2000, lightweight!
Counted my Franco Prussians recently, 25 boxes averaging 120 figures per box. Close on 3000 figures. Started in 2009. Been distracted too many times.
Oh, FSN, Von Fluffywitz states the common misconception that the Westlands Curassier's yellow jackets was a misidentification of their new Buff jackets, but the brown trousers are accurate....
You know, they now will be yellow jacketed! The Westlanders do, of course, prefer green, but I wanted something special for the elite.
Breeches are probably white. Or buff. Or green ... probably not green.
Is my table big enough? - FSN
QuoteIs my table big enough?
might not be, the 8 battalions of the North Duchy infantry alone formed in firing line 2 ranks deep will be 8 foot long
(oh forgot all your models are marching ;))
Fortunately, they will be 3 deep.
I reserve the right to chicken out and subdivide my battalions into 40 man units with the addition of some extra command figures.
Sweating like a pig at a hog roast - FSN
My LoA forces total some 3800 figures, slowly getting painted. Spanish done, Savoy nearly, half the Bavarians but only 9 units of French so far.
Don't laugh! First of the North Duchy infantry. The Dukes Regiment. Still waiting for flags and basing.
I'll maybe settle for runner up in next year's painting competition.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5604/15684307452_b3dea5e332_z.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7518/15659003406_ea8f8b7fc3_z.jpg)
I'll get better - FSN
A good start :)
Are you painting over the bare metal?
No. Primed in white then washed, but I think I was too thin with the blue and have missed bits. Some touching up required.
Great start FSN Ink washes covers a multitude of sins!
I will recommend the AP stong tone ink wash , works really well though you do have to thin it a bit
Good effort, fsn. I am not sure that white undercoat is exactly forgiving to the new painter (I would't risk it after all these years!). A black, or dark grey undercoat allow you to be a bit more impressionistic , and the black left around the blobs of colour help to give the figures definition. With so many to paint, it might be worth a small experiment and comparison? What do our competition winners think?
Mollinary
Would certainly think about a dark brown or back undercoat or grey as Molllinary suggests
A good start FSN =D>
I would certainly use either a grey (washed) or maybe a black undercoat and you will be surprised how much of a difference a final wash will make
As the others say white undercoat is unforgiving - but it can give bright colours. The hardest part is that you have to paint everything! Anything you miss glares out in brilliant white. I did a fair bit of my WSS using white undercoat - but I used very dilute paint, almost a wash for the coats - this gives some immediate shading, and runs into the hard to reach places.
Lately I have mainly gone back to black undercoat - mainly because you can get away with missing bits. You sometimes need to add a second coat to really lift the colours and ensure that the bits you want to be coloured have a good strong colour. Black undercoat can be hard to get started with as it can be hard to see the detail of the figures.
One approach is to give the figures a quick medium-weight dry-brush of a lighter colour (grey, light brown or even white) this can help reveal the raised detail, and can act as a bit of a pre-shade to the final colour.
Well done FSN, looking forward to see this army growing!
good start, I don't think there is anything wrong with your technique, if you prefer white undercoat stick with it. Maybe the faces could do with a slight wash. However I think your accuracy is a bit off, my advise would be take more time.
Oh and maybe think about your bases, bit of texture or flock wouldn't hurt.
I think I'm still experimenting with my technique with these kinds of armies. All the stuff I've done before (WWII and ACW mostly) are actually quite easy to paint compared to horse and musket. I'm not satisfied with the coverage on the Tamiya paints I'm using. The Revell ones are better, but I may have to break out the Vallejo.
Blimey! It's November - FSN
Quote from: fsn on 01 November 2014, 10:07:23 PM
I think I'm still experimenting with my technique with these kinds of armies. All the stuff I've done before (WWII and ACW mostly) are actually quite easy to paint compared to horse and musket. I'm not satisfied with the coverage on the Tamiya paints I'm using. The Revell ones are better, but I may have to break out the Vallejo.
Blimey! It's November - FSN
I would definitely go with Vallejo, much better coverage
Note Matt
Quote from: fsn on 01 November 2014, 04:54:16 PM
Still waiting for flags and basing.
QuoteNote Matt
Quote from: fsn on Yesterday at 04:54:16 PM
Still waiting for flags and basing.
:-[
Very good start Matey.......Especially if you're still experimenting 'technique wise'.
Look forward to the next pics. :)
I agree with the comments re the Vallejo v. Tamiya paints....I quite like some of the Tamiya paints, but they don't seem to give a really good coverage with just one application.
Cheers - Phil.
I'm with Techno. The Tamiya paints are designed for use with plastics (so it says on the pot) and really don't cover as well as Vallejo. Not only that, but some I've bought recently (from Hobbycraft) actually had health warning labels stuck on them. :o
I didn't expect the War of the Spanish Succession!
Nobody expects the War of the Spanish Succession!
Our main weapon....etc, etc... ;)
Cheers - Phil
Our main weapon is the musket ... and the pike* .... our TWO main weapons are muskets, pikes ... and cannon ... our THREE main weapons are ...
* or not. See the end of the pike in British army (http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,10291.0.html) for clarification ;)
The Tamiya paints are quite difficult to work with - as they are solvent based they seem to dry very quickly, making them very hard to mix shades with. They do have some nice military colours though.
There were a lot more duchies in1700AD than in later wars.
Making imaginations more interesting.
Even more choices if you look at a 30 years war map.
Are you gaming with a group or solo?
Quote from: Techno on 02 November 2014, 02:15:14 PM
Our main weapon....etc, etc... ;)
Cheers - Phil
Careful - or I'll start on the parrot sketch
IanS
Quote from: ianrs54 on 11 November 2014, 12:36:17 PM
Careful - or I'll start on the parrot sketch
IanS
Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this Bavarian Army what I brought not half an hour ago to this very place, Blenheim!
Quote from: Ithoriel on 11 November 2014, 12:49:12 PM
Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this Bavarian Army what I brought not half an hour ago to this very place, Blenheim!
Ah, that one! One careful owner, very respectable gent, only ever used it for church parades on Sunday?
Mollinary
This army is no more.
It's only standing up, 'cause you nailed it's feet to the parade ground!
It's joined the choir invisibule, shuffled of this mortal coil.
IanS
Bereft of life, it rests in pieces...
It's snuffed it !
(Can we do the cheese sketch sometime ?... :))
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 12 November 2014, 10:09:27 AM
It's snuffed it !
(Can we do the cheese sketch sometime ?... :))
Cheers - Phil
Only if you promise not to play your bazouki
Yeah, those anti-tank rockets are dange..... oh, bazouki!
"5th Venezuelan Bavarian Cheesemongers?" ... "Not today sir, no."
The Conqistadores were known to shout Cheesu Maria as a rallying cry when hard beset by the Mexicans (I realise many of you have never had an opportunity to hear about these).
Quote from: Ithoriel on 12 November 2014, 10:36:12 AM
"5th Venezuelan Bavarian Cheesemongers?" ... "Not today sir, no."
they used to carry a runny cheese as rations made from the milk of the Golden minky vole didnt they?
Quote from: Fenton on 12 November 2014, 10:48:12 AM
they used to carry a runny cheese as rations made from the milk of the Golden minky vole didnt they?
Yes, but the cat ate it ;)
I think we should wait for Techno to finish his Walpoling activities before continuing this so he can join in
Ummm...No
Quote from: FierceKitty on 02 November 2014, 02:12:19 PM
I didn't expect the War of the Spanish Succession!
It is worrying , on the news tonight some woman from the snp. Says The war of the Scottish succession isn't over.
The Germans and French are worried about the war of the British Succession.
Then someone said they hadn't invaded yet. Someone else said they all voted to surrender in 1970 something
Quote from: Dragoon on 14 November 2014, 11:30:27 PM
It is worrying , on the news tonight some woman from the snp. Says The war of the Scottish succession isn't over.
That would be Nicola Sturgeon ... she's right! Though to be fair it's the War of Scottish Secession
Quote from: Ithoriel on 14 November 2014, 11:35:46 PM
That would be Nicola Sturgeon ... she's right! Though to be fair it's the War of Scottish Secession
She looks tougher than any of the others. So she won the SNP Succession. It's close to 50/50 but a lot voted to leave because they didn't like the Tories and after all the claims of what the English have done and vice versa. A lot voted out because they think it's like the Hokey Kokey or a football game, also very few if any of the voters have seen the books an look what happened to Lloyd's when they bought RBS.
Quote from: Dragoon on 15 November 2014, 12:40:32 AM
It's close to 50/50 but a lot voted to leave because they didn't like the Tories and after all the claims of what the English have done and vice versa. A lot voted out because they think it's like the Hokey Kokey or a football game, also very few if any of the voters have seen the books an look what happened to Lloyd's when they bought RBS.
A lot voted against because they were repeatedly lied to and subjected to scare stories by the media and the Westminster parties. I always reckoned that, whichever way it went, at least half of those who voted for the winning option would not get what they thought they were voting for.
So far we are involved in another Middle Eastern war, look set to be out of the EU and "the vow" looks to be less like a promise and more like an act of desperation that will be watered down to nothing. I didn't particularly want independence but I want what we seem to be heading for even less. More power to Nicola Sturgeon's elbow, I say.