A Flag for the Forty Fifth

DK13: French Line Infantry Standard Bearer

Like a moth to the flame, I just couldn't keep away from Chuck's wonderful DK eagles.

The lettering was hideously difficult to do, and I feel I've been only partially successful. I would  probably have done better if I hadn't tried to conform to the  rather wonky original inscription. However, I suppose it's ended up closer to Marcus Hnton's original vision this way!

I'm not totally convinced by the colour of the flag pole and may opt for a plain brown staff in the final.

In the next post I'll take a closer look at the rest of the DK French line infantry that will be forming up in the 45th.

WM

The Bad News First...

DK 13: French Line Infantry Command; Drummer

I'm very sad to report that Ian's Prussian cavalry, which was the project I should have been working on by now, have still not arrived and are beginning to look as if they've been lost in the post. This is maddening, and all the more so as there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. Needless to say, if I'm being too pessimistic and they do show up they'll go straight onto the painting table. I am very, very sorry about this.

The only thing I could think of to try to take my mind off this depressing result was to press on with another project.

As someone once said, sometimes you have to just feel the fear and then do it anyway, so one of Chuck's French line infantry drummers it had to be.

He's the first man of the 45e de ligne, which will be my DK tribute to Ian's magnificent Hinton Hunt 45e and his altogether brilliant blog. Small compensation, I know, but it's the best I could think of in the circumstances.

WM

The Eagles Have Landed

Chuck's very generous donation

My cunning plan of starting whichever project turned up first has been completely derailed by the arrival of numerous fabulous things simultaneously!

4 Eagles.

Chuck Gibke in the USA, gentleman, scholar, DK connoisseur and all-round smashing bloke, has donated a fantastic collection of DK French command figures, and much else besides.

Perhaps most treasured of all are these four French line infantry eagle-bearers. My complete lack of eagles was the main reason I haven't made a start on the small army of DK Frenchmen I've been collecting to fight my HH Prussians.

Most of the figures are from the DK 13 set: French Line Infantry Command 1812: 4 drummers, 3 eagle bearers, and 5 marching and 3 charging officers. The final eagle bearer looks like he might be from the DK 7 set: French Line Infantry Command 1809.

Chuck also very generously sent me 8 x DK 121: Prussian Guard Infantry advancing, which is what I need to complete the 2nd East Prussian Grenadiers.

Officers and Drummers

Rounding it off were 12 Jack Scruby French and British standard bearers. Although very simple sculpts they are very well proportioned and I think they'll paint up very nicely. I certainly intend to use them if I can find a way to reposition their flags. This won't be easy as they've been very solidly cast.

DK 121: Prussian Foot Guards Advancing

Needless to say, I am heavily indebted to Chuck for his fantastic generosity. I'll just have to make sure that my painting efforts do them justice..

Scruby Standard Bearers

Suspected Hinchliffes!

In an entirely separate package were what I'm almost sure are a set of 6 Hinchliffe 20mm-scale French field guns.  I bought these from my good friend Richard in New Zealand. I'm not completely certain what they are but they certainly look very Hinchliffe-y - to me. The inward-sloping camber of the wheels may be a bit of a clue. I have the feeling that only Frank Hinchliffe  would have bothered with a detail like this at 20mm scale!

French Gribeauval 6 pdr?

They look to me as if they might be French Gribeauval pattern 6 pounders, but they would do very well as Prussian 6 pounders as well, in my opinion. Whatever they are, I'm completely delighted with them.

So the big decision is: will it be Prussian artillery or French infantry on the painting table this weekend? I'll keep you posted!

WM

Landwehr Review

Attack Column

It is time for Generals Gneisenau and Bulow (for it is he) to conduct the by-now traditional review of the newly-raised 2nd Neumark Landwehr Infantry Regiment. Their drill has improved immeasurably now that they've been put onto their bases.

I've stuck to my original basing scheme on the grounds that I can't think of too many occasions, if any, that I would want to field a single row of close-order infantry figures. I've always thought that double rows of close-order infantry looked best in a Napoleonic game.

Form Line!

The battalion bases are made up of three 40mm x 30mm stands, and one each of 40mm x 15mm, 26.5mm x 15mm and 13.5mm x 15mm to allow for casualties. The generals are on 20mm x 30mm bases. As I have only two generals, adding individual names to their bases didn't seem very ugent!

About Turn!

The material used for the bases is 2mm plasticard. This is an excellent material: stiff, robust, easy to cut accurately and to shape as desired with a little light sanding. The only drawback is that the paint doesn't stick to it all that well. My solution to this problem is to lightly sand the surfaces.

The bases are painted with two coats of Humbrol 80 Grass Green. This is quite a pleasingly bright colour taken on its own, but turns much darker and muddier in appearance when a protective coat of varnish is applied, as seen here. I've yet to find the right shade of green to combat this problem. I may try some experiments with suitably coloured housepaint!

Column of Route

I'm still dithering about whether to start some cavalry, artillery, another battalion of infantry or just throw discipline out of the window and make a start on the enemy! However, as most of these projects depend on things that are currently on order or in the post, the answer may be provided by whatever turns up first!

Have a great weekend everyone.

WM

Form Square!

Landwehr Update 2

The 2nd Neumarks shuffling into view.

A mere 8 weeks delayed, but better late than never, I present the 1st Battalion, 2nd Neumark Landwehr Infantry Regiment.

All I have to do now is wait for Ian's cavalry to arrive, which ought to be any day now.

This is my fourth Prussian battalion, and something of a milestone. I have now painted 99 Prussians. I just wish I could do them a bit faster!

The Great Prussian Standard Bearer Mystery Deepens

On the subject of the origins of Prussian standard bearers, Chuck in the USA has very kindly sent me these intriguing photos of two Prussian line infantry standard bearers in his collection. He bought them already painted.

He tells me it is very unclear whether or not they are DKs, David Claytons, home conversions or something else! If anyone has any thoughts, speculations or secret intelligence on their origins then please don't hesitate to share them.....

WM

Easter Prunny

DK 125: Prussian Guard Standard Bearer

My other Easter project was this wee chappy.

Having run out of Prussian line infantry I was getting a bit worried that my army would be lacking a "proper" Prussian flag with a big black cross on it! It was then I remembered that there was nothing to prevent me from using some of the original Prussian foot guards that had got me started on this project. These would make a fine line grenadier battalion. I also happened to have just the figure for it - what I think may be part of the DK 125 set, Prussian Landwehr, Jaeger and Guard Command. However, he may equally be a David Clayton figure.

Although I should really be working on my Neumark Landwehr battalion, I just couldn't resist the challenge. So, it looks like I'm now committed to doing the 2nd East Prussian Grenadiers. More discipline needed in this army!

A toute a l'heure,

WM

Taking it Gneisan-slowly

PN 61: General Gnaisenau

With Roy's men finished and Ian's cavalry yet to arrive, the pressure is off for the next wee while. Nevertheless, I thought I ought to get a little more horse-painting practice in as I've only attempted one other mounted figure so far.

Horseman number two is one of Old John's very nicely recast Prussian personality figures,  PN 61: General Gneisenau, on a PNH 1: Prussian General Officer's Horse. I put him onto a bright dun-coloured horse to see how this would look, and I've decided that I rather like it.

Happy Easter everyone,

WM

Dun painting!