The Fifty Seconds

As promised, I present the 52nd, led here by Sir John Colborne, later to become the 1st Baron Seaton. He's Seaton on his horse now.

A couple of vintage Hinton Hunts, I'm pained to admit, were harmed in the making of this regiment. One of these was a BN 20: British Rifles Bugler, to whom I added some shoulder wings to turn him into a light infantryman

The second was Sir John Colborne's horse, which started out as an FNH 10: French General's horse, converted into a British Infantry Officer's horse.

And to finish up, here's what they look like with my other two Anglo-Hanoverian regiments. Some British artillery to go with them is looking a bit overdue.

The figures used for the 52nd were:

Hinton Hunt:

BN 93: British Light Infantry charging x 20

BN 90: British Light Infantry Officer charging x 1

BN 20: British Rifles Bugler, converted into a British Light Infantry Bugler, x1

FNH 10: French general officer's horse, converted into a British infantry officer's horse

Der Kriegspielers Napoleonique:

#154: British Light Infantry Command Group regimental colour bearers x 2, with a few modifications

Alberken:

BN 35: British light infantry officer, converted into a British Light Infantry colonel x 1

For those who haven't spotted it yet, Colborne is my new avatar. He was a Wellington Man, after all.

Happy New Year everyone!

WM

Regimental Sir John

It's Christmas Eve and I've been hard at it for the last few days working on the 52nd (Christmas chores allowing, that is).

Progress on the 52nd has been a rather glacial business, I'm sorry to say, but at long last they're finally coming together.  I've even managed to finish painting a commander for them. He is none other than Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Colborne, who commanded the 52nd at Waterloo.

The figure chosen for this gig was an Alberken BN 35: British light infantry officer, pictured here next to a Hinton Hunt FNH 10: French general officer's horse.

Cutting him off his base, fixing his sword and bending his legs, etc., so that he could sit on the horse were all quite easy. Less simple, however, was the major leg surgery he needed to shorten his unreasonably lengthy calves. Other changes were a new left arm, courtesy of a Lamming Scots Gray trooper, and some epaulettes suitable for a field officer.

The horse still needs a bit of work, but there's a fair prospect of getting Colborne and the rest of the 52nd finished this week.

In other news, I was very chuffed to see that my flag design for the Russo-German Legion has caught on a bit. You can see it here: The Hinton Spieler.: Green Jarmins

Pictured below is the absolutely exquisite version painted by Aly Morrison:

And not be outdone is the very pretty version made by the mysterious Count Goya, which he somehow managed to create directly from one of my photographs:

Seeing these flying above such beautifully painted regiments has been a really lovely way to round off the year.

Merry Christmas everyone!
WM

And behold, a pale horse....

....and he who sat on it had the name...Napoleon.

Well I couldn't fight my first battle without him. The battle was fought last Sunday, but before setting it all up I had just enough time to photograph him.

The Emperor surveyed the stricken field...

....mounted on his famous steed, Marengo.

"How different history would have been", he thought,

"if only I had been allowed....

...to run away....

....and join the circus".

The figure, of course, is Hinton Hunt FN 350: Napoleon, in hat and riding coat, on horse FNH 10. He was that rare and special thing - a vintage Hinton Hunt casting which had never been painted before.  He is now firmly glued to his horse!

He is dedicated to Wellington Girl, who showed me how to make him perform circus tricks.

WM

The battlefield awaits!

A Pinch of Soult

Marshal Soult, after Marcus Hinton

I've calculated that I need to paint a general with every unit left to do in my phase-one French army if I'm to match the Prussians. The plan is to start them at the half-way point of each unit. This acts as a very effective incentive to get things done!

This would have been a little hard to do a few months ago, but is achievable now because I've recently acquired a beautiful set of almost all the French general staff figures. I think they're probably mainly David Clayton castings.

The figure I've chosen to do first is Hinton Hunt FN 357: Marshal Soult, on horse FNH 10: French general officer's horse.

Marshal Soult, after Jean Broc

I chose him for two reasons. Firstly, which will come as no surprise to anyone, is his magnificent uniform! It's a beautiful representation, complete with marshal's baton, of the portrait of Soult dressed as a Colonel-General of Chasseurs which was commissioned by Napoleon to hang in the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

The second reason is that he'll remind me that I really need to get some French Guard infantry completed before too long!

However, there's that combined voltiguers battalion to do first, which should follow soon.

WM