33e Regiment d`infanterie

 33^e Regiment d`infanterie

I got some spare miniatures from that Warlord Games plastic box I painted and didn´t know what to do with them. I got 8 spare miniatures left from a previously painted unit. But then it hit me, I got spare officers from Victrix that maybe could be combined to a small unit. Some spare heads from Perrys plastic hussars was also put into the command stand.

I had an idea about white uniforms and when I found some picture references of 33^rd infantry regiment I know these would be it. White and purple… What’s not to like…

These are painted to try to resemble an parade unit, in shiny uniforms and with two drummers to keep them in line.

I must say this unit was a real joy to pant from the first brush of paint to the last. I cant remember ever thinking that way about a Napoleonic unit, its always bogs down somewhere in the middle and get put in the “to finish the paintjob another day” pile…
So a small lesson from this, paint unusual units and choose a nice color pallets but most important of of all, keep the unit small…

In game terms in Black Powder I think I should rate them as line infantry, maybe veterans but with some special rules for marching or movement, “drilled” for example.

This was also a perfect opportunity to try out my brand new camera (finally got an new…). I haven’t tried out all those functions yet but hopefully you will see some better pictures from now on.

Here is the picture reference I used. 

And while I took these pictures I noticed a small hand that was getting interested in what I was doing…

And zooming out here we got the little one climbing on a small box for better reach.
Hmm, I notice now that I have dressed her in white and purple for the day... Splendid.. Matching my units..

12th Hussar

Latest Napoleonic unit, French 12th Hussar.

I wanted to have a unit in red to confuse my British opponents. Suits them fine as they have blue artillery crews…

Its always nice to see a Napoleonic unit fully painted. But the road there are not always as fun as it should be. Damn those Napoleonic uniforms with all those buttons, laces and what nots.

Besides the excelent spread sheets you get in Perry Boxes, here are one of the pictures I used as reference. Hussars at its finest. 

But even thou Napoleonic units are not the must fun to paint I already got plans for more…

Napoleonic mortars

I wanted to try to kit bash together some mortars for my frenchies and this is the result. I used spare parts from Victrix plastic British artillery box with some spare Frenchmen also from Victrix.

A very simple and fun little project.

 
I don’t count on them to perform any miracles on the tabletop but still a nice little addition to my slowly growing French force.

Napoleonic Vivandiere

At the same time I painted the last unit I also painted this little piece.

Its a Vivandiere from Warlord Games.

http://www.warlordgames.com/store/black-powder/napoleonic-wars-1789-1815/napoleonic-wars-vivandiere-the-soldier-s-comfort-1789-1815.html

Exempt from the 1793 "Law to Rid the Army of Useless Women" vivandieres would follow the French army and sell the soldiers food, drink, and sundries like tobacco, wig powder, and writing paper and ink.  They were married to soldiers called "Vivandiers" who were the only soldiers granted permission to sell goods.  Too busy fighting and drilling to sell, naturally this duty fell to their wives.    
Vivandieres would be a regular sight in many armies over the years that followed.

A nice little model. Allways fun to paint those little special miniatures.

Not the best pictures but you get the point.

So whats next in my Napoleonic project ?

Maybe some of those "Useless women" mentionend in the text previusly...
I had my ideas of a new unit on Hussars or some light type of mortars or cannons with some scruffy looking crew.

Frankly I dont know. Im upp for sugestions.

French Line

I am always a bit reluctant to paint a Napoleonic unit. The gluing and the priming part is no big deal but about the time I have added the first blue color on the uniform I suddenly stop. About that time the unit gets but aside for something funnier to paint.
All those straps, linings and whatnots. The uniforms are so full of details.

All this mean that the unit usually takes long time to finish and get standing half painted for a long time, just getting a new color or new detail between other projects.

About the time when I’m almost done with the unit, its start to get really funny to paint it and I start to plan the next unit, what it should be and how I should paint it. And the next unit I’m guessing will get stranded about half painted also…

 

Enough about that. 

 
Here we have a new French Napoleonic unit.

The miniatures are from Warlord games.
I added some paint on top of the paper banner to make it more lifelike, in particular gold paint.

When I thought I was done with the unit I sprayed it with a varnish but this resulted in the wash got all smutched out and the details destroyed. I think it has something to do with the cold and the spraycan not mixed enough.

But with some new wash on the unit I think I saved it. It looked better before but its still good enough to game with.

 

With this unit painted I can start to plan the next Napoleonic unit… I’m thinking on getting some small mortar or light cannons next but nothing is decided yet.