Saturday 7 January 2017

Guard Gunners

Gunmen on the grassy knoll
War is about to break out chez Wellington Man and so I have been rushing to finish my last phase-one French battery. They will be receiving a newly painted gun in due course and a gun team and limber, which are all sitting on the painting table but couldn't be completed in time. What has been achieved, on the other hand, is a basic war games table and terrain. All will be revealed in the next post.

For the record, the figures are all vintage Hinton Hunts, and are described in the Hinton Hunt catalogue as follows:

Hinton Hunt, French Foot Artillery of the Guard 1808-15:

FN 172: Gunner ramming home
FN 173: Gunner holding cannon ball
FN 175: Gunner - ammunition carrier, running
FN 170: Officer looking through telescope.

The enemy is in sight....
The last has got to qualify as one the most attractive HH figures of all time. What a magnificent and really rather sinister looking uniform!

à bientôt

WM

17 comments :

  1. Lovely figures and gun! Come on, let's see the new table too.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. I'm still adding the finishing touches, Stokes. Next post, I promise.

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    2. Have you sold the family into slavery? There seems no end to the awe inspiring turn out of late. The Empress Dragoons are superb, and my little offering so utterly transformed from their sad watch on the lead pile. Glad the gunners didn't have to wait too long. I agree. The officer is one of my favourite figures.

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    3. I was given a special dispensation by Mrs WM to crack on and get things finished, Archduke. I had to paint the picket fence too, mind. I need to get back to work for a holiday.

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  2. The battery officer is just redolent of the arrogance of an officer of an elite who knows it and owns it!
    Great news about the table I can't wait to see how your painted units sort out their own pecking order - I have a WAS dragoon unit that insists on performing beyond expectation much to the frustration of my cuirassiers.

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    1. Doesn't he just, Rob.

      I've been wondering the very same. This will be the first battle for every single one of them, so anything could happen!

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  3. It is indeed a little masterpiece! I see you have gone for a rather green green on the gun, or is that the camera/ lighting effect?

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    1. Cheers, LG.

      The lighting/auto colour balance has darkened the gun a bit, which was painted by the previous owner in standard French artillery green. I've found a reasonably close match with Humbrol 159. Both my French batteries will be getting repainted guns over the next few weeks.

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    2. I find I get a nice French artillery green by mixing black and signal yellow (H24) this was inspired by reading that French Artillery Green was 100 parts yellow ochre and 1 part lamp black...

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    3. I think I must have read the same thing somewhere, Rob, and was thinking about giving it a go. I may yet try it.

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    4. Just realised your terrain is in the background of the figure photos. What did you make your hill contour out of?

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    5. It's nothing but the finest scrap kitchen cabinet doors, Rob!

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  4. Yet more masterpieces. Said it before I got rid of the hundreds of HHs I bought off Terry Wise back in the day as I couldn't face painting them. But when I see yours I think it was a big mistake!

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