28mm - Napoleonic French 2nd Hussar Regiment - Perry Miniatures

 

It's been a while! My hopes of getting a new painting project posted at the rate of about once a month has been scuppered for various reasons - but I'm back and hopefully this particular project will demonstrate one reason for the production slowdown. 

These are the Perry Miniatures Napoleonic French Hussars.  They are constructed from the plastic boxed set, and I have to say they are wonderful figures.  The Perry's have packed so many options in the box, so many head choices and legs/boots options.  My spares boxes were well stocked with a good selection of left overs once I had chosen the parts I wanted.

Everything fitted together really well and assembly was a delight.  I love the painting guide leaflet and box art too, so many illustrations to assist in uniform choices for all of the very colourful Hussar Regiments.  The Perry's really do a fine job all round.

So with with such a vast array of brightly coloured uniforms to choose from, why did I select a regiment clothed in brown?

Well it goes back to my battlefields trip to Spain and Portugal last year and walking the Napoleonic battlefields.

All of the battlefields visited left a huge impression on me, but there was something about Albuera which was just fascinating. I think it was largely because the battlefield is (so far) unspoilt, and the narrative accounts can be followed.  Standing on the field at the centre of the Allied line looking down the shallow slopes where the French columns advanced to bayonet distance and it all becomes very easy to visualise.  You just know where you are standing was in the midst of a storm of lead and iron.

 

Prior to my visit, I wasn't as interested in Albuera as the other battles in the Peninsular.  This might have been because Wellington was not present and some historians have just noted it as Beresford mismanaging a victory.  Whether the latter is true or not, standing on the battlefield and tying it to the accounts makes one shiver.   Since that visit, I cannot shake those images from my mind and so I have been reading all I can find about those events.

The 2nd French Hussars were heavily involved in the attacks on the right of the British line, along with the Vistula Legion Lancers.   As they were a key unit, I decided to represent them...despite the brown uniforms, though I have to say that they grew on me as the facing colours and other detail went on.

I originally built the figures without the pelisse jackets, to give them a campaign look, however, I had misgivings about this and decided to issue them out after all.  I could well imagine Hussars, (being the showy, flamboyant and very hardy kind of men they were), being very attached to their pelisses, and they would have been very handy to have for late night picket duty even if the day was warm.  Also... Hussars just look so much better with their pelisses over their shoulders!

I divided the unit into 4 Squadrons as per usual organisation.  This does leave a basing dilemma. I much prefer to base 28mm cavalry in pairs.  This allows flexibility on the battlefield when there are obstacles and also to form march columns.  When I used to base cavalry in threes, once upon a time, I found the stand to be just awkward.  

This means that one stand is mixed where the 3rd man from each Squadron is based with another.  This work out ok when the Regiment is all together (as can be seen from the group photos at the beginning).  It's only when the bases are shown individually like below that it looks odd.   As my battles tend to involve the Regiment acting together rather than being deployed by Squadron, it again causes no problems.

I hadn't planned to paint the French Hussars yet. I had ordered a box of British Hussars, which I was very keen to start work on, but I was still researching uniforms and units in the Peninsular.  While I was doing that I decided to paint just one stand of French Hussars while I had a keenness for lace and braid.

I was so pleased with that one stand that I decided to paint three more stands.  Again, I was really pleased with the way they looked so I painted the last remaining 3 stands.  By the end of it I was happy to have finished!  I cannot deny that Hussars do need some considerable work, but my goodness, they really do reward you for the effort put in.

When I had finished the painting I was then left with a feeling of regret that I hadn't painted the regimental numbers onto the saddle roll or the designs onto the sabretaches.  As I steeled myself to attempt to paint these on, I decided to check online first of all to see if anyone produced decal sheets.  I had low expectations as I could not even find a company who still produced British Infantry backpack and waterbottle decals (one company used to but not any more).

I was amazed to find that a UK company called Battle Flag (https://www.wargametransfers.com/) produced the numbers and sabretache designs for Hussars! I immediately placed an order.  The results are very nice indeed and they went on with no trouble at all.  Just a bit of careful cutting with a sharp scalpel for size and they went on really well with no wastage.  I certainly could not have painted them to the standard of the decals.  I very much recommend these.

Paints used on the figures and horses were almost exclusively Vallejo and Wargames Foundry.

Basing was fine builders sand mixed with house 'tester pots' acrylic paint and water to make the soil texture.  When dry, other house paint was used dry brushed on. A light brown and then a dull yellow, finished with Foundry Austrian White C drybrushed to pick out rock and stones.

The base was enhanced further with cat litter rocks (unused) with Army Painter soft tone, heavily thinned and applied over the rocks.

The final stage was the application of tufts. These were mostly from Gamers Grass. Some static grass was PVA glued in patches too, just to add variety between the tufts.

As always, magnetic sheet was applied under the MDF base. A label from a template that I have saved on my pc was then PVA glued on, with a light coat of glue over the label to protect it.

I'm really glad to have finished these figures.  I won't be starting the British Hussars yet(!)  I have quite a few projects that are near to being playable and some effort put into those will get armies onto the field.  I really could do with a change too!

Napoleonic Perry Miniatures - British Infantry - 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot

 

Here we have a Battalion of the 29th Regiment of Foot who famously fought at the Battle of Albuera. This Battalion fought in Hoghton's Brigade, along with the 48th Foot who were featured in my last post.

This battalion took me 9 days of intense painting with the whole unit out on my painting desk and being painted in a production line.  I mentioned in my last post that traditionally I broke down units into several parts but this time I just went for it and did the whole lot in one go!

In many ways this was probably more economical in time, compared with my usual method, however I finished these over a week ago and I have not felt like painting since!   So, the risk of burn out for me is clearly high and probably doesn't work so well for me.  I just felt a real enthusiasm to get the troops done at the time and I am pleased that they now complete.

There is not too much that I can add from my last post.  Paints used were very similar if not the same, as both the 48th and 29th were buff faced regiments so had buff straps instead of the white used on non-buff faced troops.

The flags are from GMB.  One thing I did like is that the flag is a slightly different shade of buff compared to the 48th Foot.  This little difference does make them stand apart more on the battlefield.

I have no more commentary to add on these so I'll let you enjoy the last pics of the troops.

After painting such detailed figures, I have felt like a change and have dived back into the Wars of the Roses.  I'm currently replacing the 25 year old Freezywater Flags on my command stands (where I can) with ones made by the Perry's and included on their instruction sheets.   These are being supplemented by Pete's Flags and any other detailed flags that I can find to improve the appearance of the command stands.

I'm expecting a book in the post in the morning, one I have long desired. This is the book of the Wars of the Roses Medieval Art by Graham Turner, showcasing his wonderful artwork that have adorned many an Osprey Book.  I have admired Graham Turner's artwork for many years and have ordered the book from him so I can obtain a signed copy.

This book should provide plenty of inspiration for more painting and I have no doubt that there will be posts coming with medieval figures shortly!