Not Glossing Over

I’m getting rather fed up with the whole varnishing process because it never seems to go quite right. At the start of this project I was using Humbrol Satin-cote and it always dried to a satisfying semi-gloss finish, which was just what I wanted. Then I noticed that the satin was turning more and more glossy as I used it until in the end, it was pretty much drying as full gloss.

This was not what I wanted so I eventually tracked down an artist’s acrylic satin varnish, which was too thin to use on its own, but was perfect as a topcoat to the glossy stuff, restoring the semi-gloss effect. Sorted I thought.

Then over a couple of nights this week, having finished all the Jagers, I ran through the two-coat process but - Doh!!! Suddenly even this varnish decided to dry all glossy. As a last resort I have now introduced a third coat of Testors Dullcote over the whole lot which has taken the edge off the gloss but it’s still not exactly what I wanted.

Any ideas?

By the way, the figure is PN.24 Jager Officer, quick marching

Jager Update

As you can see, I’ve made some progress with the Prussian Jagers and another couple of painting sessions should see them finished. These are quite easy figures to paint so time permitting the full unit of 18 will be paraded here soon.

The bulk of the unit is made up of a mixture of three figures types:

PN.26 Jager, quick marching
PN.28 Jager, firing
PN.29 Jager, kneeling firing

I also have two officers and a bugler to make up the numbers. Once this unit is finished I will finally have two equal sized armies to square up to each other on the wargame table and hopefully there will be another battle or two in the offing.

French Line Artillery

Some of you may have noticed a distinct lack of posts over here recently. This is chiefly because what hobby time I have is being taken up with the ACW campaigning season over at Brother Against Brother.

However, for those who are missing their Hinton Hunt fix I did just snap this picture of the finished French Line Artillery gun and crew I completed earlier this year but forgot to post. The figures are (from left to right):

FN/33 Gunner (ramming home)
FN/32 Gunner (holding cannonball)
A/3 French Field Gun
FN/31 Gunner (firing the gun)
FN/34 Gunner (positioned for manning gun)

I promise to get back to painting Hinton Hunts just as soon as I have thrashed Johnny Reb.

Vive l’empereur!

I have nothing new to post this week as my hobby time is being taken up with “The Battle of Crane’s Station” still raging over on my other blog (click here).

However, I did come across this picture taken back in October during my last Hinton Hunt game with Roy. The picture is a close-up of the French battle-line as it advances towards the Duke of Wellington’s position on the ridge. Marshal Lannes (the one out of focus on the horse) is leading the 4th Swiss Infantry forward. The Grenadiers are actually FN/23 Old Guard Grenadier (firing), superbly painted for me by Matt.

For the full story of “The Battle of the Ridge” click here.

Nansouty

This is the result of my latest painting efforts - FN/361 GENERAL NANSOUTY in Cuirassier General’s uniform with cocked hat (on horse FNH/10). Not one of the best of the Hinton Hunt personality figures in my opinion as the position of the right arm looks a bit odd but at least this is a genuine vintage figure.

I’ve mentioned before that Marcus Hinton chose his personality figure models in order to show as much variety in uniforms as possible. This is why quite a few of the Marshals are missing from the Hinton Hunt line-up in favour of the more obscure Generals like Nansouty (no offence to the Nansouty family). This does give me the impetus I need however to perhaps get on and paint up some Cuirassiers for him to command.

On that subject, painting has taken a back seat this week while the campaigning season gets underway in the garage. Sadly the current game doesn’t involve the Hinton Hunts so I can’t really post it on this blog but if you’re interested in the American Civil War click here to see what’s been going on.

Skill Level 1 (Off Topic #22)

I first made one of these Airfix 25pdr kits when I was twelve and I remember that it was a right old fiddle. That one was painted green and saw service with some first-issue Airfix British Infantry (the tiny rubbishy ones). This one is joining the Desert Rats and despite being labelled as “Skill Level 2” I found it just as fiddly as before with several vital bits disappearing forever in the pile of the carpet. I have concluded that my own skill level is definitely “1”.

I am however very pleased with my conversion of an Airfix machine-gun loader to a gunner holding a shell. I cut away the ammo box attached to his leg and fashioned a shell out of green-stuff. I had to do this because the gunners that come with the kit are huge and blobby and slightly sinister looking. The figure with the binoculars is from the newer 8^th Army set.

Anyway, now this little diversion is out of the way I'm going to knuckle down and paint more Hinton Hunt Prussian Jagers.

Blucher & Chums

Some time ago Rafa asked to see a picture of the complete Prussian High Command group. It’s taken me a while, due in part to my decision to repaint Gneisenau, but here they are.

From left to right we have PN/61 General Gneisenau, PN/60 Marshal Blucher and PN/64 General (mounted) looking through spy-glass (painted to represent General Bulow). Gneisenau and Blucher are mounted on Prussian horse PNH/1, Bulow is a one-piece casting.

So that’s the commanders done, now for some troops!