Last of the Russians
Finally, with less than two weeks to go before Sheffield Triples, the last of the Russians for Zorndorf are painted. Four units of cavalry.
The 1st Novoserbskiy or 'Horvat' Hussars. This was a termed a 'settled' regiment and it fielded ten squadrons rather than five. Its one and only battle honour was Zorndorf where it charged and overran a Prussian gun battery and a battalion of IR40.
I feel as though I've painted loads of hussars for this game - it must be the lace - but it's actually less than 70 -.
It is quite a pretty unit. Red, blue and yellow always looks good. Again I made the mistake of buying command packs and had to discard the standard bearers so the units are 7 strong (they should be 8). Figures are Foundry.
Here we have the Tobolskiy Dragoons. Yes, funny looking Russian Dragoons are they not? Excuse me a moment whilst, having bent over for Foundry yet again (see Prussian dragoon drummers), I straighten up.
I bought these direct using the Foundry on line catalogue. I bought them in good faith using the picture in the catalogue as a guide to uniform. This shows this pack in blue winter coats. I am a gullible fool and I believe what I'm shown. Only when I sat to paint them, and the figure didn't make sense, did I realise that Foundry doesn't have a clue what its products are. They are not in blue coats with buttons, red cuffs, collars and turn backs. They are in short beige summer coats without buttons and turn backs and blue cuffs and collars. So now I have command figures in winter uniform and troopers in summer uniform. Thank you Wargames Foundry.
The Tobolskiy do have a nice flag though (I mean it's simple to do!).
And last, Russian Cuirassier by Foundry. Nice figures.
In this case the Novotroitskiy Regiment.
With another dark green flag.
So, that's it. The game is ready.
All 1558 men are painted - I'll base the two cavalry units tonight.
It's been a slog and had I thought about the monthly painting schedule (700+ figures in six months) I might have chosen to do something else. But now I have two spanking Seven Years War armies and I'm a very happy camper.
15 comments:
They look wonderful, sir. I think that you will be very proud to see them on the table top . . . as well you should be.
-- Jeff
Absolutely outstanding work! The flags are marvellous.
they look excellent. well worth the effort
I do love those Russian dragoons. I think the mix works - officers in their coats, and the men in the more comfortable waistcoat only. They look quite nice!
What colors did you use for the Russian uniforms? I'm at the start of reworking my Russian cavalry (in 15mm) and am not satisfied with the "straw" combinations I have tried.
Gorgeous, as usual, James!
I used Humbrol enamels. They are not used by many these days, but if you want the numbers post again for which uniform you are interested in.
That is a splendid effort and two fine looking armies have resulted, well done! I've enjoyed following this.
James, I would appreciate those numbers. While I don't use enamels much any more, it would give me an idea on what acrylic shades correspond.
Thanks!
OK, it's complicated. I mix a lot to vary shade but example:
Red: M60 + M33 for base colour. Highlight in M60. M60 + M154 highlight.
Blue: M24 + M33 for base. Then M24 (+ M109 for lighter) then M24 + M109 (M109 + M34 for lighter).
I could go on, but If you are using acrylic you will not get the same colours because of paint / pigment density. It's why I use enamels - they are VERY pigment dense. There are no washes.
What were the Humbro codes for the cuirassier jackets and dragoon waistcoats and breeches. That straw color is the color I lack a good one for. It may be worth the hassle of enamels if the color is right.
Thanks,
Rob
Base is 62 plus a little 33. First highlight is 62. Top highlight is 63. Dragoons coats and cuirassier belts are slightly lighter with 63 + 34 as further highlight. Just the four pots.
Thanks! That helps a LOT - I have never been satisfied with my choice for the Russians.
I assume these are the old Humbro standards, with the lids you hammer down like a commercial paint can?
Any tips on how to blend? Eyedropper onto a palatte?
I get my cleaner to sit on mine....
I just scoop out the neat pigment onto a glass palette or tile. I never shake the tin. Funnily enough, it balances paint to thinner very well, though these days it seems to come 'ready mixed' - a change of manufacturing process possibly?
When Foundry has sent me the wrong figures in the past, I have found that they send me the correct figures without quibble. Try talking to them....
Hi Fred,
they didn't send me the wrong figures, they sent me what I had ordered.
What was wrong was the painting of the WF pack in the catalogue picture - these are painted wearing a blue coat that the figure isn't actually wearing, presumably because the painter wasn't properly informed / given the correct painting guide. I painted the figure as it was sculpted and should be painted, wearing buff coloured small clothes (summer dress), not in the more ready identifiable long blue coat (not sculpted).
There is nothing wrong with the figure from a sculpting point of view, it is accurate. The problem with the figure is that they look very much like cuirassier from the back; and the fact that when you see a figure in the catalogue wearing a long blue coat you rather expect it is sculpted wearing one.
http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/files/cache/a35f643480dd2b0feb73cb103ee5165d_f6254.png
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