FIW Woodland Indians II

This is the next batch of figures completed for my Musket and tomahawk games. The figures are from Old Glory, plenty of character. They are slightly smaller than some of the modern ranges that are out there but I don't mind.

Woodland Indians

Indian loading

Indian warrior

Indian Warrior

Indian Warrior

I've got another 6 old glory Indians to paint up and that will bring my total of Indians up to 33. Enough to put together a size able raiding force in M&T games.

On other projects I picked up quite a bargain from EBay. A bunch of Dixon GNW Swedes. I paid £18.00 and when I have priced up the figures to buy new, £77.00. There are enough figures to complete 6 battalions of foot including Pikes. there are enough Pike and command for a further 4 battalions. There was also a 18 figure regiments of horse and 10 dragoons. Not a bad starting force. I'll get some extra cavalry command and musketeers to round off the force and get to painting them later in the year.

On the WSS my search for a decent Marlborough figure goes on. I picked up some Generals from Irregular to try out. They are serviceable figures and seem to paint up well. So far I have done 2 versions, 1 accompanied by a drummer and the other by a cornet. I'll post pictures once they are based up. I'm not totally happy with either set, but then I don't have it clear in my own mind yet for how I want the command base to look. If anything both bases are serviceable as Divisional commanders.

I've also had an invite up to Micks in May for a Franco Prussian game, gives me a chance to get out my collection. I some how volunteered to organise the game. I need to come up with a balanced scenario. I'll also have the use of Dave's troops. This will give us 3 French Corps, about 10 divisions of infantry and 3 cavalry divisions. The Prussians have 2 Corps, 1 Bavarian Corps and a Wurtemburg divisions, sure there is some cavalry available as well

FIW Woodland Indians

In a change from painting up my 15mm WSS collection, I decided to add some paint to some Old Glory woodland Indians that I picked up a while ago. I've based them up to use in Muskets and Tomahawks, need to give the rules another run out sometime soon. I enjoyed painting these up, didn't take very long either.  Typical of Old Glory figures they always look uninspiring when still bare metal, very rough and ready I think, but paint up remarkably well I'll be using these chaps as part of my British force and use the AW Miniatures as Hurons for the French.

Indian War party

Lead tracker

Indian Warrior

Indian Warrior

Indian tracker

I'm still not that confident when doing the war paint for these guys, suppose more practise is required. I keep checking some of the other painted figures out there and some very inspiring paint jobs there are. Check out some of these on Christopher's blog Link sure you will enjoy these

WSS progress part III

Finally based up the last 2 painted battalions, namely Churchill and Webb's foot. These will be the last until I get around to ordering some more figures, probably next month. First up is Churchill's foot. These figures are all Dixons except for the standard bearer, not sure of his make. The flags and bases are from the usual suspects, Warflag and Warbases.

Next up is Webb's foot, also known as the Queens regiment. These figures are all from Warrior Miniatures, again the standard bearer is of unknown make.

That makes it now 12 battalions completed and only another 6 to go. I'm very pleased with the progress I have made on this project. Always find that I paint more when I have a goal set, such as in this case with a re fight of the battle of Ramilles. Compare that with the progress on the Friedlingen troops, a much slower work in progress. Next up a couple of photos of all the completed infantry so far.

WSS Lumley's Horse

Finally got this unit based up. Until I receive the extra command pack from Old Glory this will be the last horse regiment I will be painting for a while. Lumley's horse is the largest of the English horse units at Ramilles, numbering 3 squadrons. The figures are all from Blue Moon. The flag and bases from the usual suspects, Warflag and Warbases.

I have also just finished painting up the last of my available infantry figures. These 2 battalions are Webb's and Churchill's foot. Both units are currently being based up and I'll post pictures when they are completed.  Next month I will be putting in an order to get the remaining infantry I need as well as some artillery and brigadiers. Will also spend some time searching the web for some suitable figures to use as Marlborough and his Aide-De-camp.

On a related topic but different war, namely the Great Northern War, I've bought some figures of EBay described as Swedes. Looking at the pictures they appear to be Dixon figures. There are approximately 130 infantry and 30 horse. I am looking forward to receiving them as I can then put together a historical opponent for my Saxon force.

With painting all of this 15mm stuff I have had a hankering to paint up a few 28mm figures. I have had a small selection of Foundry SWAT figures from their future wars range so decided to paint up a test figure. Here he is. I am quite pleased with the results and will use the other 8 as fillers in between more 15mm units.

SWAT trooper

SWAT trooper

WSS Blue Moon figures Review

I finally got to do some work on the cavalry from Blue Moon. I bought one pack of the horse/Dragoons and and a pack of the horse/dragoon command. The horse come in a pack of 15 figures. First impression, they are nice and characterful figures. There is plenty of animation in the horses. I prefer this to the Dixon and Warrior horses which are single poses. One gripe is that the saddle cloth is attached to the rider and not the horse, making it a little fiddly to paint, but that is just a personal preference. In the pack I have, I've identified 5 different poses of horses.

The troopers come in 2 poses, sword held at different angles. This coupled with the variety of horses adds to the look of a unit. There was only minor flash to remove from the riders, particularly on the swords and scabbards. Otherwise no worse than many other figures out there.

The command pack contains 6 figures, 2 officers, 2 standard bearers and 2 musicians. I like the fact that the ensign has a standard pole attached. My one gripe would be that the musician is a drummer. A personal preference would have been 1 each of drummer and cornet.

I have compared the size of these figures against the Dixon and Warrior cavalry I already have. They are the largest of the 3, though only slightly more so than the Dixon. I definitely wouldn't mix them in the same unit as the Warrior figure. I would have no problem using these figures as part of the same army but kept to their own units. I know that the Blue Moon infantry are closer to 18mm in scale and so will stay clear of these for now.

Now for a fully painted Blue Moon unit, namely Cadogans horse, 2 squadrons strong. The flag is a generic one taken from the Warflag site. I have painted these up with buff cuffs and waistcoat prior to their change to green in 1710.

WSS Progress part II

In between hospital visits I have managed to finish off a few more units. I think progress will begin to slow as time for painting is becoming difficult. First up is as promised Wyndhams Carabiniers. The Cuffs, according to sources were meant to be sea green, now living next to the coast that can be virtually any shade. I've gone for a lighter green with this unit. The figures are all from Dixons and the flag from the Warflag site.

The next unit is some more dragoons, namely Ross's Royal Irish. For these I used the Warrior figures. That way I can easily identify at a glance between the horse and dragoons.

Next up a couple more battalions to add to the foot. The first is the North and Greys. These figures are all from Dixons except the standard bearer which is from Warrior. The flag is from Warflag again.

Lastly is the second fusilier battalion, Sabines. I've received conflicting details about the uniforms for this unit from blue coats and white facings to Red coats and blue facings. I've have gone with the latter more because I feel it looks right but stand to be corrected. Also whoever said here come the Red coats oh and that lot in blue! The figures are all from Dixon Miniatures.

Well that means I've got 50% of the infantry now done and about 40% of the horse. My order arrived from Old Glory minus one command for the remainder of the horse regiments. The command are out of stock and the remaining pack is to be sent through once stock arrives. I'll post a review of the Blue Moon figures in the next couple of days.

WSS Progress

Here is the next instalment for the Battle of Ramilles. First up is Howes infantry battalion. The figures are all from Warrior Miniatures except the drummer which I believe is from Roundway. I just used one of the generic flags from the Warflag site.

Next up is Stringers battalion of foot. So far I have only been able to establish the coat colour i.e. Red, surprise surprise. I've gone for Red cuffs and waistcoat with buff breeches and grey stockings. That way they don't stand out too much. The figures again are all from Warrior Miniatures.

I have also finished 3 brigadiers to lead my infantry. The riders are all from Black Hat. They are nice sculpts, though chunkier than Dixons and Warrior and can't be mixed. I decided to change the horses, 2 from Essex and 1 from Minifigs. The Black Hat horses are very large and do not match with the others.

I've finally made a start on some of the horse. The first completed are the Royal Scots dragoons on their grey horses. The figures are all Warrior apart from the drummer which is an old minifig sculpt, matches in okay. My experiment of trying to bend the arms failed as the metal just snapped, hence having to also include the trumpeter.

I've also painted up Wyndham's Carabiniers but these are still in the process of being based. Will try and get some pictures up at the weekend. I've also made an order to Old glory for some of the Blue Moon cavalry., these will give me enough to paint up all of the horse.