Sunday 22 July 2018

Bay Watch

The first squadron of Chasseurs à Cheval de la Garde Impériale is ready for its photo shoot. 

No prizes for guessing which one is Pamela Anderson.
They were devilishly difficult to paint. This had more do with the impossibly high expectations I'd set for myself rather than anything intrinsically difficult about them. This wasn't helped by them being the sort of regiment which looks terrible while it is being painted until more or less the last moment.





The figures are:

Hinton Hunt FN 48: French Chasseur a Cheval of the Guard, in busby and Hussar style uniform (mounted) charging x 3;
Der Kriegspielers Napoleoniques # 47: Guard Chasseurs-a-Cheval x 1;
Der Kriegspielers Napoleoniques # 47: Guard Chasseurs-a-Cheval, converted to a trumpeter; and
The Essex Hussar.

There will probably be another flag and a few more conversions in the next post, all being done as commissions.

Toodle pip,

WM

20 comments :

  1. There are rather photogenic.

    You have done a great job on these figures and the detailing is wonderful.

    Do you find that you have to paint figures in smaller batches, rather than whole units, to get the quality of finish?

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    Replies
    1. It's a mental health thing more than anything else, Mark. I'd drive myself truly insane if I had to slog through a whole unit at a time. Doing them in small batches is a much calmer way of going about things - and yes, it allows me to lavish attention on them that might otherwise get skipped.

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    2. Do the same Thing myself..small Batches instead of a whole unit at a time. Tried the "Conveyer belt " System with a load of Austrian curassiers. Saved on having to mix the austrian Grey for each Batch of 10 but I ended up a Dribbling wreck and went back to a Maximum of 5 a Batch.

      Excellent paint Job. I expanded the photos (to get a better look at Pamela) and I saw the neat painting of Detail..the eagles on the shabraques for example.

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    3. For cavalry, the most I can manage is six at a time, Paul. For infantry I try to do twelve per batch, but it's hard going at times.

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  2. The 'Ogre' will feel much safer now he has such an ostentatious duty squadron to stand between him and those who would banish him to the South Atlantic, or worse. They are all very nice; the trumpeter conversion somehow appears smaller than the others to me but his pink pelisse is perfect - in particular the shading that I think brings it to life. I find pink a hard colour get looking natural, but all this will hopefully inspire to to do a few more sessions on my Junot, luckily he has no pink just lots of gold lace... :o(
    Clearly I'm out of touch with popular culture references as I have no idea what a "Pamela Anderson" is?

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    1. He is a bit smaller, Rob, on account of being a DK and having his head tilted slighty forward to reach his trumpet. The second squadron will be exclusively DKs - but they're very nice ones which blend in with the HHs really well, I hope.

      Wellington Woman reads this blog sometimes, so I've no idea who Pamela Anderson is either.

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    2. I know who PA is - I just don't get the connection with figures - was there a photo-shoot in 'hussar uniform'?
      More importantly I've been comparing Junot's horse to these and I'm not happy with mine. Is there any chance you could post an addition to your painting guide when you paint the next batch, especially how you get such glowing horse colours.

      e CaC dlG

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    3. There is now, Rob!
      My apologies for the very weak pun. The CaC rode into battle on bays, hence "The Bay Watch". The Essex Hussar may have to renamed as "The Hoff", however.

      I'm planning a special horse-painting page. This lot were painted a very bright Humbrol orange and then given a wash of brown ink. After that it was just a bit of Humbrol black on the lower legs and hairy bits. It produced a rather startling effect.

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  3. They look very sharp! Tackling Napoleonic hussars, or French chasseurs in full dress for that matter, is not for the faint of heart. But you have done them proud.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. These are to be the last of the hussary types for a very long time, Stokes! I've promised myself something a lot simpler after the second squadron is completed.

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  4. Pamela who? Superb job as always Matt. I remember painting a box of Airfix British Hussars as Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde 46 years ago, they sort of worked, was particularly proud of the kettle drummer figure.

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    1. The Kettle drummer! I knew I was missing something!

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  5. Replies
    1. They're much rarer than that, LG. I had to resort to smuggling to get them.

      Don, if you're reading this, I can't thank you enough.

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  6. Replies
    1. Cheers Matt. They have one purpose, which is to beat up the Leib Hussars

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  7. Those are wonderful and well done for managing to get enough figures for a whole unit!

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    1. One of the laws of Hintonian Mechanics is that you'll get it in the end if you wish hard enough for it.

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  8. Beautifully painted as always... the full unit should be very eye catching.
    Though there is a chance that they will become the biggest bullet magnet on the table...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. *Laughter*. You have divined my secret plan, Aly. While the bullets are all flying at the Chasseurs, the rest of the French army can creep forward unscathed.

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