My new favourite unit

I finally got around to basing them so I can justifiably claim that the Prussian Guard Grenadiers have been 'finished by the end of the month' as promised. Last year my favourite new unit were the Young Guard however, just one month into this year, they have been usurped by these smart fellows.

Perhaps it’s the ridiculous plumes or maybe their fine moustaches but they look every bit a Guard unit and deserving of ‘A’ grade status under my rules. I really have enjoyed painting them and will be sad to see them march off the painting desk and into the display cabinet.

Just for the record they are:

1 x PN.5 Private (converted to standard bearer)
1 x PN.10 Officer (charging)
1 x PN.13 Guardsman (charging - converted to drummer)
1 x PN.15 Officer (marching)
20 x PN.16 Guardsman (marching)

The figures are a mixture of vintage, Clayton and reproduction Hinton Hunt castings. Next, I will be moving on to the first of the Line Musketeer units, time to redress the balance of forces having completed the Guard and Landwehr.

SuperSlow Elizabethan Cottages

Some of you may remember that a few years back I attempted to make a SuperQuick church model (click here). The reason for this was that I had several of these cardboard models as a kid for use with my wargame armies and it seemed like a good idea to recreate one.

Having got over that attempt and prompted in part by this old photo (click here), I decided to have another go. This time I’ve gone for No 28 Elizabethan Cottages which was probably the first of the models I made as a young teenager. During this process I realised once again that at 12 years old I must have been a much better modeller than I thought because this was devilishly hard to put together and has taken me the best part of a week.

I’ve made quite a few mistakes and the resulting building is rather crooked (perfect for a crooked man, cat and mouse to reside in). I decided to leave off the chimney assembly because it looked rather tricky and anyway would undoubtedly come tumbling down the first time I reached across the table to move some troops.

I’m not planning on making another one for a while.

Prussian Grenadiers update (2)

Well, I’ve finished them and we’re only half way through the month so yay me! Even the flag is in place, the figures just need one more coat of varnish and then basing. I’m very pleased with the result and think they are a suitable tribute to my original 1970s unit.

I’m particularly pleased with the way the standard bearer came out and think it was worth the head-swop and reconstructive hand surgery. The flag is an old Revo one for added retro authenticity.

I took a trip to Goya’s house earlier this week to take part in a re-fight of the Battle of Aspern (Aspern-Essling Day 1). Goya had been beavering away creating his own hex table top and scenery and wanted to give them a try out. Goya provided his S-Range Austrians (he’d also painted some plastic Austrian Lanwehr but we won’t mention that) and Tony supplied the French.

We used Tony’s Ramekin Rules that he had refined since our last game. I’m really impressed with the work he has done to produce a game that plays somewhere between Commands & Colors and a traditional wargame. These rules have potential to be used in much larger battles should we ever be able to play one.

For a full battle report see Tony’s blog here.

Prussian Grenadiers update

Just to prove that I haven’t been slacking since the start of the year here is a photo of my progress so far on the Prussian Garde Grenadiers. Eighteen figures completed and the final six are about halfway there.

The drummer is another fine conversion by Wellington Man (from a charging figure) whilst the standard bearer next to him is the result of a head-swap I carried out on a casting of PN.5 Private (the figure with separate musket).

With a fair wind I should have the whole unit finished by the end of the month although I think I may have run out of plasticard to base them so better get that ordered.

Painting review

I don’t normally do a New Year review of my painting output as it is usually depressingly small, however this time I seem to have ended up with a half decent total of 111 foot and 15 mounted figures so blowing my own trumpet seems in order.

The Young Guard, perhaps my favourite unit of 2018?

The combined Marines of the Guard and Guard Engineers (just
look at the anchor on that flag!).

Another 'daughter' for the Emperor.

Not forgetting the line artillery.

It was a good year for the Traffic Warden Corps.

And for this star of Coronation Street.

Some heavy metal for the Guard

British RFA - at last!

These lads broke the bank but they are pretty.

The Black Duke.

Some fancy troopers

Technically I didn't paint this one but I'm including him in the
line-up anyway - marshal Davout.

The Brunswick Owls.

I began last year with the idea of completing the Imperial Guard infantry but eventually became distracted into Prussian Landwehr and then Brunswickers but all in all it was a fairly focussed year. The aim for 2019 is that it will be the year of the Prussians, at least until I become distracted again.