92nd (Gordon) Highlanders

 Eventually, every Napoleonic Wargamer must confront the specter of painting... Highlanders! 
Now, I actually had painted a unit of Highlanders some 45 years ago - the famous Airfix set. That experience didn't make me any more eager to do another unit, LOL!

 Although I had finished most of my substantial British army a couple of years ago, I didn't even order any Highlanders as part of that project.

In the waning days of my Old Glory Army Card membership this winter, I finally placed the order for my Highland contingent. I had debated using Perry figures, because then I would only have enough for a single unit, whereas I could make up to 4 units from the Old Glory packs I needed. In the end, thrift and megalomania won out, and I went with Old Glory...

They are actually quite nice figures, but *80* is so darned many to paint!  :-) I decided to do the Gordons for my Talavera campaign and games, and do any other regiment(s) after Historicon. 

As usual, the over-sized but beautiful GMB flag is a bit large for the Old Glory standard bearer.

I used a red ink pen to do the dicing on the socks and the band at the base of the bonnets. Fortunately, these figures are sculpted wearing marching gaiters over most of the stockings. I use d a green ink pen for the squares at the intersections of the dicing on the bonnets. 

I have exchanged the ranks to better show the tartan patterns on the kilts. I used ta truncated version of the method outlined here by John O'Brien. I used a black ink pen to outline the green stripes. I was going to do the yellow over-stripe that differentiated the Gordon's kilts, but decided that I wouldn't be able to paint fine enough lines, and that it would thus likely spoil the reasonably satisfactory look of the kilts as seen here.  

 The second unit, the 42nd (Black Watch) is about half done now; they will wait until after Historicon for completion. (anyone want to pick up about 40 unpainted  Old Glory Highland figures cheap?!)

Scotland forever!
(Of course you do!)

Spanish Light Infantry battalion 1st Cataluña, 1805 uniform

As I was finalizing my orders of battle for the Talavera Campaign and battle, I found that I needed a third unit of Spanish Light Infantry. 

I decided to do this unit, the 1st Cataluña battalion, wearing the later 1805 uniforms, when all battalions of Light Infantry had dark blue coats. 

Light Infantry facings, 1805  (per Osprey by Rene Chartrand)

Battalion	Cuffs and Tunbacks	Lapels	Collar	Piping	Buttons
1st Aragon	Scarlet	Scarlet	Scarlet	White	Pewter
2nd Aragon	Scarlet	Scarlet	Blue	White	Pewter
1st Cataluna	Yellow	Yellow	Yellow	Yellow	Brass
2nd Cataluna	Yellow	Yellow	Blue	Yellow	Brass
Taragona	Yellow	Blue	Yellow	Yellow	Brass
Gerona	Yellow	Yellow	Yellow	Yellow	Pewter
1st Barcelona	Yellow	Blue	Yellow	Yellow	Pewter
2nd Barcelona	Yellow	Yellow	Blue	Yellow	Pewter
Barbastro	Scarlet	Blue	Scarlet	White	Pewter
Vol. de Valencia	Crimson	Crimson	Crimson	White	Pewter
Vol. de Navarra	Crimson	Blue	Crimson	White	Pewter
Campo Mayor	Crimson	Crimson	Blue	White	Pewter

Funken gives a similar table, but has blue piping for the following regiments:  2nd Aragon, Barbastro,
Navarra, and Campo Mayor.

And for yet another, slightly different scheme see the diagrams on the Little Warts site.

I have, in fact, followed his scheme for this unit (white piping, brass buttons), although it is hard to see in the pictures.

 I wanted the unit in a "firing" pose for Light infantry, and figures that had plumes on their bicornes (these light infantry units had green plumes instead of the red plumes common to almost every other Spanish uniform). 

Thus, when I was ordering my Hussars, Generals, and Militia from Eagle Figures this spring, I threw in a unit of these guys. The figures, and especially plumes, are slender, and at least 1/3 of the plumes had broken off in shipping (although there were 2 extra figures in the order as partial compensation). Choosing durability over appearance, I epoxied the broken plumes on in a "swept back" fashion. I think they look tolerable. 

The flag is from an old Orv Banisek  (? spelling) flag sheet, and is that of the Macarquibir Regiment.

Officers: Spanish Cavalry and French Intelligence

A trio of Cavalry leaders, painted from the left over figures from the expansion of the Garrochistas and Cavaleria de Linea. 

I used a left over Old Glory Sword arm to harvest a sword for señor Garrochita.

The Dragoon leader has the green facings of the Villaviciosa regiment.

The remaining figure is in a fairly generic Spanish general officer uniform; dark blue coat with red facings piped gold, red breeches. 

With a fairly small Brigade Games order for just the three sets of 3 cavalry each, I threw in their newly released "French Intelligence Officer", who comes as a set - foot and mounted versions. 

The figure is clearly intended to represent Major Pierre Ducos of the Sharpe Television series... famous glasses and all

I figured he'd do nicely as a commander for the foot Gendarmes. 

A short clip from "Sharpe's Enemy, featuring Major Ducos, said to be a protege of Fouche. 

Spanish technical troops: Pontooniers, etc.

I needed some Spanish some pontooniers for my Snappy Nappy game. 

A few extra figures from Threee Armies and Brigade games were put to use. 

The stacks of boards on each base makes their game function clear.

They would serve just as well as sappers or engineers when and if needed. 

It looks like I may need six suuch stands for the revised scenario...

So here's the 5th stand

Maybe a 6th yet to come?

The uniform is the old version of the Engineer General Staff; green coats, violet facings, red turnbacks, silver buttons and lace.  

A few Spanish Leaders

The final push to complete my Spanish Napoleonic army is painting enough leader stands, and then a few odds and ends.

The mounted officer is by Eagle figures. 

The large dog is from a set of canines I purchased several years ago. 

The foot officer is a left over Thee Armies figure, wearing a green uniform faced violet, with silver buttons and red turnbacks, as worn by the Engineering general staff. 

Rear views.

Another Eagle Figures officer, with some accompanying infantry men by Eagle figures (with blanket) and Miniaturas Dose de Mayo (in the "new" uniform stovepipe shako but an old uniform white coat)

AS few tufts for variety...

and a rock!

Rear views once again. 

Some leaders on foot, shown previously but finally based - the wonderful Brigade Games portly general twirling his mustache, a Brigade Games Guerrilla Leader, and a Three Armies officer.

The Three Armies figure has the silver epaulets of a Brigadier General. 

High fives!

Hills of Iron, Silver and Gold, and Iron Mules

Back in January I backed my second Kickstarter, "Hills of Iron, Silver, and Gold".  I went for one of the biggest pledges, 3 "Hills of Iron" ("small"), and one each of Silver (medium), and Gold (Large). The arrived on my doorstep from the UK last week in a big, well padded box.

Hill of Iron #1. Is that nicely done, or what?!

Hill of Iron #2; each hill is unique. 

Hill of Iron #3; these "small" hills are roughly 15 x 24 cm. 

Hill of Silver; a "medium" hill, approximately 20 x 30 cm

Hill of Gold; a "large" hill, in this case partially with 2 levels. 

View of the escarpment end of the Hill of Gold; approximately 25 x 40 cm.



A week ago we attended the 5th annual antique tractor show at Topland Farms in Roxbury, CT, less than 5 miles from our home. The owner of the farm collects antique tractors and related farm equipment dating from 1911 to 1934. As y6ou can  see, the resmblance3 to locomotive engines can be striking in some of these old machines - at least 20 of which were powered up for the parade.

No rubber tires on these - all cast iron!

The collection includes 100's of these early machines, some weighing m ore than 10 tons!

I would imagine these must have been delivered by rail!

It is hard to see, but this model has a pipe running across the front of the tractor. It carries water from the engine, and has holes in the bottom of the pipe that lets the water cascade down  an open "radiator" of ? Canvas; the water is then piacked up from the pan at the bottom and reciculated to cool the engine!

Note the cast iron "treads"!

A much smaller, later model. 

Note the huge smokestack; this one chugged and backfired regularly, emitting lots of smoke, but drove along smoothly!

Note the enormous fly wheel; this seemed to be used in starting the engine. 

Look at the size of this one; there are far bigger ones in the 5 sheds housing other pieces of equipment. 

The resemblance to an "iron horse" is obvious here!

All of these were manufactured at various sites in the Midwest. It is likely they were only really useful there, where the ground was pretty much flat. 

A later, more compact version. 

Th tans at the back hold gasoline, kerosene, and water.

Note the huger smokestack once again.

Another, more "modern" tractor. 

 Still with the large fly wheel. Don't get your hand caught in that!

 Part of the parade from behind.

 Great for some new "Steampunk:" ideas, eh?

Note the hiuge smokestack again.

Yes, they can back up!

 Looks almost fragile compared to some of the others!

No canopy on this later model, but note the huge spikes for tread!

The Empress, Princess Kate and her husband, Greg, and grandsons Owen and Oliver. Owen (in carriage) LOVES tractors. I must have lifted him up onto the the drivers seat of at least 2 dozen!

There's actually a you-tube video of this year's show...