Egyptian Spearmen: Black Tree Designs

As noted previously, I took advantage of one of the periodic but spectacular sales by Black Tree Designs to add some more figures to my Egyptian army, which is greatly outnumbered by my other Chariot era army, the Assyrians. 

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The first half of the order came right away, but the back ordered troops took over 2 months. As I expected this and don't need the figures on the table until July, it was a non issue to me, but it might be to some if they needed a unit right away. 

As you can see, the figures are quite nice. They come with the flattened wire spears. Those buggers are SHARP, so you don't want to mess with them!

This first unit are Spearmen of Division Ptah (= Green) in my scheme. 

The second of two units. The yellow color marks them as belonging to Division Re in my scheme. 

The pose of this unit reminds me of ones seen on reliefs and wall paintings!

I have used a dark olive-green shade ("Timberline Green") for the Crocodile skin armor. OK, I know it would really be dark brown, but allow me a little Hollywood here!

These BTD figures had the stripes seen here modeled on their linen "kilts"... so I painted them in the "Divisional Color", like the linen headdresses. 

    Now I just have the 4 BTD Chariots left to paint, except... a few weeks ago a friend sent me a pretty good size force of (largely) painted "old school" Canaanite types gratis, including at least 10 chariots!  They will need some repairs and touch up, and a small portion are unpainted lead that will need to be done. However, when that is complete, the Egyptians with their new allies will be far better equipped to resist the might of Assyria! I will be running an Egypt vs Assyria game at Historicon with "To the Strongest" in July. If I  have the bulk of the Canaanite troops ready, it could be a pretty impressive pair of forces on the table!

Polish Uhlan Facing tables, the 16th Uhlan regiment, and a very short but sweet Murawski sale!

First off, the sale notice as it runs out in a few days, From their FB page:

I'd just like to thank everyone for supporting us at Salute. We've never been before but we had a great show.

There were some great deals on our figures there and as a thank-you for all your support I am going to offer all my regular customers the same deals we had on offer for one week only!

The following deals are available until the 22nd April 2016. (Extended to April 24th)

20% off all Baden unit and battalion packs
10% off all Polish infantry and artillery unit packs
10% off all Polish infantry and artillery battalion deals
10% off all Polish cavalry and mounted command packs.
5% off all Polish cavalry unit deals

Free shipping on all orders anywhere in the world over £100 ( after discount ).

Again, thanks for all your support.

So, if you were thinking about ordering some of their excellent figures, especially those Badeners (and especially from outside the UK due the free shipping), do it TODAY!  :-)

I mean, I need them to make the Baden Light Dragoons and Artillery, right? So *I* need you guys to buy lots of Badeners to convince them to do the whole army!  The Baden Jagers are already in the planning stages, and they have a glorious and distinctive uniform. I already have that unit from the defunct Pontoonier figures myself, though (see the Baden label on the side bar).  

This is the 16th Uhlan regiment of the Duchy of Warsaw.

"Pretty in Pink", or rather Polish Crimson. This color is depicted anywhere from a dark, purplish red to the lighter shade I have chosen here. I used Delta CC Dusty Mauve darkened with a bit of Americana Deep Burgundy (which would itself work well for the darker interpretation of "Crimson". 

This unit had dark blue lapels piped white, collar, cuffs, and turnbacks crimson piped white, and crimson piping on the seams of the jacket and the trousers. Crimson piping on the sheepskins, and crimson over white lance pennons. The sheepskins should perhaps be the other way around, though - back for troopers, white for the trumpeters. I changed my mind on this unit half way through, changing from the 12th to the 16th. Regardless, I think their uniform is quite spectacular!

According to Rawkin's excellent "Uniforms of the Duchy of Warsaw", this regiment had white epaulets for the elite company instead f the usual red, and crimson plume an epauletes for the trumpeter as regimental idiosyncrasies. 

A (? white Polish) eagle's eye view of the 12th Uhlans from above!

Table of Uhlan regimental distinctions Per Rawkins:

Regt	Lapels	Collar	Cuffs	Turnbacks	Piping
2nd	Dark Blue piped yellow	Scarlet piped white	Scarlet piped white	Scarlet piped yellow	Yellow
3rd	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	White
6th	Crimson piped white	White piped crimson	Crimson piped white	Dark Blue piped crimson	Crimson
7th	Yellow piped scarlet	Yellow piped scarlet	Yellow piped scarlet	Yellow piped scarlet	Scarlet
8th	Dark blue piped scarlet	Scarlet	Yellow piped scarlet	Scarlet	Scarlet
9th	Dark blue piped white	Scarlet piped dark blue	Dark blue piped white	Dark blue piped white	Scarlet
11th	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Dark blue piped white	Dark Blue piped white	White
12th	Dark blue piped white	White piped dark blue	Dark blue piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson
15th	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson
16th	Dark blue piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson
17th	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson
18th	Dark blue piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson
19th	Dark blue piped lemon yellow	Lemon yellow	Lemon yellow	Lemon yellow	Lemon yellow
20th	Lemon Yellow	Lemon yellow	Lemon yellow	Lemon yellow	Lemon yellow
21st	Deep Yellow	Deep yellow	Deep yellow	Deep yellow	Deep yellow

Note that the short lived 17th - 21st regiments were raised in Lithuania in 1812, and had pretty much ceased to exist by 1813. 

In 1812  the 6th Regiment is shown with dark blue lapels piped white and all other facings and piping white.  The 7th and 9th regiments are likewise with dark blue lapels and all facings yellow and scarlet respectively.   

With regard to breeches, Rawkins says: 

"From 1808 dark blue, tight fitting, overall trousers were issued for all regiments with a wide double stripe on the outer seam of the regimental piping colour.  The exceptions to this rule were the 2nd, 3rd and 7th Regiments who had yellow stripes.  For campaign wear and fatigue duties the tight fitting overalls were replaced with heavier loose fitting trousers of dark blue with black leather inserts and cuffs and a single narrow stripe on the outer seam with a row of small brass buttons on the stripe.   By 1812 most campaign wear overall trousers were dark grey with black or brown leather inserts but no stripe or buttons."  Rawkins also has extensive details on variations in lance pennon colors, epaulets, Elite company and trumpeter dress by regiment, even sometimes by year. If you are going to paint the Poles, BUY HIS BOOK!

On the other hand, Per Nafziger's "Poles and Saxons of the Napoleonic Wars, we have:

Regt	Collar	Piping	Turnbacks	Piping	Cuffs	Piping
2nd	Red	White	Dk Blue	Yellow	Red	White
3rd	Crimson	White	Dk Blue	White	Crimson	White
6th	White	Crimson	Dk Blue	Crimson	Dk Blue	Crimson
7th	Yellow	Red	Dk Blue	Red	Yellow	Red
8th	Red	Dk Blue	Dk Blue	red	Red	Dk Blue
9th	Red	Dk Blue	Dk Blue	White	Dk Blue	Red
11th	Crimson	Dk Blue	Crimson	White	Dk Blue	Crimson
12th	Crimson	White	Dk Blue	White	Dk Blue	White
15th	Crimson	White	Crimson	White	Crimson	White
16th	Crimson	White	Dk Blue	Crimson	Crimson	White
17th	Crimson	Dk Blue	Dk Blue	Crimson	Crimson	Dk Blue
18th	Crimson	Dk Blue	Crimson	White	Crimson	Dk Blue
19th	Yellow	Dk Blue	Dk Blue	Yellow	Yellow	Dk Blue
20th	Crimson	Dk Blue	Yellow	Dk Blue	Yellow	Dk Blue
21st	Orange		Orange		Orange

Regiment	Pants - Double stripe	Piping
2nd	Yellow	White
3rd	Yellow	White
6th	Crimson	White
7th	Yellow	Red
8th	Red	Red
9th	Red	White
11th	Crimson	White
12th	Crimson	White
15th	Crimson	White
16th	Crimson	White
17th	Crimson	White
18th	Crimson	White
19th	Yellow	Whte
20th	Yellow	White
21st	Orange ?

Exceptions: 6th regt wore it’s old uniform with white facings through 1810. 11th regiment white facings piped crimson, white side stripes on pants. 4 the regiment (converted from Chasseurs May 1813) Dark blue uniform with Crimson collar, cuffs, and turnbacks, The collar at least was piped yellow, Breeches Crimson with a double dark blue stripe.  Yellow epaulets, yellow aigrette on right shoulder. Czapska top crimson piped yellow, yellow cords and lace.

Nafziger also shows some trumpeters in reverse c0lors, probably incorrect, but I went with it on my earlier Minifigs Uhlan regiments of the Duchy of Warsaw.

Phew, that was a lot of material to cover! See my earlier post on the 6th regiment for additional details of the dress of the Uhlan regiments, or better yet, buy the Rawkins ebook for abut $6!