Another unit of 20mm French infantry ready for duty. This time very nicely (and generously) painted by Count Goya - thank you, sir - the army salutes you!
As usual, figures are Les Higgins/PMD apart from the mounted officers, who are by Irregular on Higgins horses. The laser-printed flags are used by permission of David at Not by Appointment, for which thanks. I'm still working on a successful way of colouring the paper edges - my traditional use of felt-tips and whiteboard markers has been abandoned, because with modern pens and laser-print paper the ink will wick from the cut edges into the images and mess them up (as I have learned). The labs are on it as I write.
Next up for my WSS project is another refurb job - probably the Régiment du Dauphin; however, I think I'll put the painting desk to rights for a week or two and catch up on that Real Life stuff, though at present it doesn't look too attractive.
Lovely Les Higgins figures again. I would avoid the real world for a bit, the wars out there are not as much fun as our hobby ones......
ReplyDeleteThank you sir - I'm pleased with them. I've returned to my previous routine of waking to classical music - the news is guaranteed to have me hiding under the pillows. My little metal friends are a great comfort.
DeleteA fine job there by Goya, this French army is certainly coming on at pace now.
ReplyDeleteHi Lee - hope things are improving with you. Yes, it's taken a while to get started (since the Brits jumped the queue!), but the French are forging ahead now.
DeleteEn avance!
More fantastic Higgins goodies, you are tempting me to start a Higgins 20mm army, I use David's flag all the time they are excellent.
ReplyDeleteI use acrylic paint to paint the edges of my flags, trying not to make it too runny. Mixing the colour to as close match of the printed flag, I found it works best a lighter shade.
Willz.
Hi Willz - I shall have a serious attempt to get the edge painting organised, using proper acrylic paint. I have some spoiled flags I can run trials on - nothing goes to waste here!
DeleteAnother fine-looking French regiment, Tony! David's flags are terrific accents to your figures.
ReplyDeleteHi Jon - thanks for appreciation. Lucky break for me is that there is very little change between 1700 and the SYW for the French infantry, so David's flags are perfect for Blenheim period.
DeleteI paint the edges of my paper, printed, flags and don't seem to suffer from wicking.
ReplyDeleteThe figures are gorgeous those poses are so drill manual / old-school.
I will get organised with acrylic edge-painting - I'll try a few test shots at the weekend. I came to Higgins's Malburian figures fairly late, although I have been devoted to his 25mm Napoleonics since the 1970s. I like them - correctly proportioned, and the poses are elegant. Downsides, of course, are that the figures are for the most part generic, so one set of poses fits all nations, and the 1/76 scale means they are a poor size match for Strelets and Minairons, so Irregular and conversions are all I can fill the gaps with! My approach is that they are, primarily, toy soldiers, though I do not wish them to be outrageously incorrect, so anyone checking for correct button and pocket arrangements on my French is in for a frustrating day, though no more so (arguably) than they would experience with the more detailed ranges!
DeleteThe toy soldier vibe is one I like and apply to my SSMs, Hinchliffe ECW and 20mil Naps (I'd like to say HH Naps but very few are actually HH).
ReplyDeleteBTW I paint with enamels so ignore my comment as not relevant to acrylic wicking with paper.
Another lovely unit Tony…
ReplyDeleteI’ve always sealed my flags with spray matt varnish and then painted the edges with acrylic paint…
So far so good 😁
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly - I think fairly gloopy acrylic paint should do the job - I need to practise it first - I already got pressurised into screwing up two sets of laser flags, so I'll get round to this!
DeleteCoded message: The little green man has made his solo flight to Munich, and we shall hear more from him shortly.
Well I think they look lovely, and very much in your style. Thank he officers, maybe more excited than the rank and file?
ReplyDeleteThank you Ivan. The officers were allowed to move, apparently - it's in the regulations. My Higgins units are sometimes sort of tableaux of assorted poses, semi-artistically arranged, or all the same, as in this case. I'm comfortable with either, though I have a problem with (for example) guys standing firing in the 2nd rank unless they have someone kneeling in front. These chaps are all Higgins pose MP11, one of my favourites, officially described as "march attack", though they are neither marching nor attacking, looking to me very much as though they are standing at attention with shouldered arms. This batch were all previously unpainted figures, and there is a mixture of various editions - the earliest Higgins specimens have rather dismal hair, while the final Phoenix version has nicely bobbed, Quant-period hair. I have 3 further battalions racked up for refurb now - I think 2 of these will be mixed poses, but it has to be done tastefully (or would be if I had any taste).
DeleteAh - one of my favourite French units - troops and flags look splendid. :-) They really are glorious figures, aren't they? They really do catch a feeling of the elegance and poise of the period - as we imagine it, anyway.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
David.
Hi David - yes - all is going well on the French army front here, and the flags have worked splendidly. More troops almost ready for action, so more photos will follow shortly!
DeleteExcellent! Look forward to seeing them soon. :-)
DeleteCheers,
David.