Saturday, 7 March 2015

En Avant, à la Baionette!

Hinton Hunt French Young Gaurd Voltigeurs Standard Bearer
Young Guard Voltigeur Officer with battalion Fanion
The reason why my Prussians have come to such an abrupt halt is that I've taken on a commission to paint a 24-figure battalion of Young Guard Voltigeurs for Roy. This is the first figure-painting commission I've ever attempted.

The majority of the figures are FN 75: Young Guard Voltigeur, Charging, commanded by some of Roy's superb one-off conversions. Roy's splendid standard bearer conversion is on the right.

Young Guard regiments were not allowed to carry eagles and so had to make do with battalion fanions instead: red for the voltigeurs, and white for the tirailleurs. The fanions were supposed to be plain affairs, devoid of devices that would identify the battalions as guardsmen. However, it seems that the Voltiguers didn't pay very much attention to this order!

Roy's man carries my interpretation of the fanion of the 1er bataillon, 1er régiment de voltigeurs de la Garde impériale. It's somewhat larger than the real battalion fanion would have been, but at just 16mm square I'm not sure that I could actually have made it any smaller!

These Guardsmen are much more complicated than anything I've attempted so far. My Prussians were merely an apprenticeship.

 Hinton Hunt French Young Guard Voltigeurs
FN 75: Voltigeurs of the Guard. Oodles of Gallic Swagger!
They are stunningly beautiful sculpts, and have really brought it home to me why Hinton Hunts have such a loyal following. They are simply overflowing with Gallic charm and swagger, as any self-respecting Imperial Guardsmen ought to be.

It's taken me the best part of two weekends to complete just three of them. However, now that I've got a better idea about how to do them I hope the rest will follow more swiftly.

I certainly need to crack on if they are to take part in Ian and Roy's re-fight of Waterloo. For more on this project, take a look at Ian's blog here.
Hinton Hunt French Young Guard Voltigeurs
The Prussians are in big trouble!

Have a great weekend everyone.

WM
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7 comments :

  1. Stryker8 March 2015 at 00:03

    A fantastic job Matt - I look forward to seeing them for real. With luck I may even get to command them in battle!!!

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  2. 'Lee.8 March 2015 at 01:03

    Stunning paint job, and I agree the HH figures are a joy to paint once you get the feel for them.

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  3. lewisgunner8 March 2015 at 01:40

    Stunning stuff Matt. Whether Ian gets to command the guard is a moot point, though the thought of him at Plancenoit facing two Prussian corps is entrancing.

    I have only seen HH that equal these, never surpassing them. Its a figure that it is easy to paint badly because it needs quite a bit of detailing , but when painted well, as you have, really comes alive.

    Thanks
    Roy

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  4. Matt8 March 2015 at 05:24

    Excellent job...since Ian and Roy decided on the Waterloo game I too have been approached by a man disguised in a long trench coat under a railway bridge handing over a small package of unpainted toy soldiers. It all happened in black and white and we both had fake Humphrey Bogart accents. Very strange!

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    Replies
    1. Wellington Man15 March 2015 at 19:23

      My experience was a bit more like 84 Charing Cross Road. Beware of strange men bearing Hinton Hunts!

      Delete
  5. Anonymous9 March 2015 at 08:38

    Excellent job, love the fanion

    Paul

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  6. Wellington Man10 March 2015 at 18:12

    Thanks Chaps. I need as much encouragement as I can get with these lads!

    I hope they don't get too hammered at Plancenoit.

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