Painting styles

I thought it would be interesting to compare painting styles. I use the 'toy soldier' gloss painted style, but the Douglas Miniatures range look superb in the more normal wargames painting style, in matt colours, with highlighting and shading. These examples are produced here with the kind permission of John Cunningham, from his Vintage 20 Mil website:

The Russian Field Army

Not to be outdone, the Russian Field commander decides to parade his troops. Not quite as big as the British element, the Russian still look quite good en-mass. This stocktaking exercise reveals that with all the armies combined I have so far painted over 400 infantry, 130 cavalry and 5 gun teams.

The British Army takes to the field

Having almost completed the 1st Division, most of the Cavalry Division and part of the 4th Division, I thought I would deploy the whole lot, as I have not seen them all on the table together before. Here are the results:

In the foreground is the Heavy Brigade, then the artillery of the 1st and 4th Divisions. In the centre front is the 1st Division, with the Highland Brigade, and the Guards Brigade to its left. Behind is part of the 4th Division, The Rifle brigade, and the 20th and 68th Foot, making up one Brigade. In the rear is the Light Brigade with its Royal Horse Artillery support.


Closer shots of the Highland Brigade of the 1st Division, with the Division staff:

Another overview:

Scots Fusilier Guards

This is the third regiment that makes up the Guards Brigade, which forms part of the British 1st Division. The Scots Fusilier Guards deployed to the Crimea along with the Coldstream Guards and the Grenadier Guards and the Brigade saw action at the Alma and Inkerman during the early months of the war. The figures used are the Douglas Miniatures charging British Guards figure, but I bent the rear leg down to make it look as though they are advancing. The standard bearers are officer figures with the standard added. Meanwhile, the drummer was made from a running guardsman who had a broken bayonet. I cut the rifle away and added a drum from rolled up paper sealed with pva glue. The drumsticks are made from thin plastic rod - see below:

The drummer figure started as an ordinary guardsman with the rifle cut away and arms bent into  position.

 I then addedsome plastic rod drumsticks

The drum was made from a roll of paper coated in pva glue.

A bit rough and ready, but looks the part en masse!

Paint problems

In an earlier post I mentioned some problems I was having with the quality of Humbrol enamel paints, which have been my mainstay for the last 40 years. Some helpful comments suggested that this was due to changes in the manufacturing arrangements, and that Humbrol had taken action to rectify this and, if purchased direct from Hornby, the latest batches would be obtainable. I did this and replaced almost all of my basic paint set. I can report that some of the paints are indeed better than the earlier tins that I bought, but others are still causing difficulties. For example Humbrol 54 (brass), which even after endless mixing came out as an oily wash, which was completely useless for painting details such as buttons etc. I found that Humbrol 19 (red) was fine, but took around four days to dry properly. The other paints in the enamel range appear a bit thinner than I am used to. So I have looked at other ranges. I found Testor's paints to be very good and quick drying and a few Revell paints that I bought work well too. I hope Humbrol (now Hornby?) sort this issue out as I have always been a great fan of these paints.

Ottoman Turk Cavalry

These cavalry figures are conversions, which are available from Old John, and are mounted on Douglas Miniatures horses. This was an unfinished project that I managed to complete over the weekend. Slowly but surely my French and Turkish forces are coming together:

I also painted this Minifigs S Range (again from John Cunningham), which is from the French Egyptian campaign and was originally an Egyptian regular. I think he makes a great Turkish infantryman:

 

42nd Highland Regiment - The Black Watch

Today I finished my second Douglas Miniatures Highland unit, The Black Watch. Easily distinguished by their blue facings and famous red hackles, the regiment formed part of the Highland Brigade, within the 1st British Division. My other Battalion is the 93rd Highlanders, of thin red line fame. The officer, standard bearers and piper are Minifigs S Range figures (available from John Cunningham)

Here are the two Highland Regiments deployed together:

Fortunately Roger Fenton was there with his camera to capture the scene!

The next unit will be the Scots Fusilier Guards, again by Douglas Miniatures, plus some Turkish cavalry.

Scruby Russian Dragoons

These figures took a while to paint as each one required holes to be drilled into both sides of the nose, in order to fit the wire reins. I think the effort was worth it. These are lovely figures to paint, cleanly cast with good definition. The standard bearer is a conversion and the officer is the original Scruby pose. The other figures have their sword arm bent forward:

 

My next project will see me going back to Douglas Miniatures figures as over Easter a new box of metal arrived from Old John, which includes the Black Watch.