Back in March of this year, a project was started whereby several of us in the Wagaming Bloggers community conspired to paint a unit of French Line each to add to Tony's collection. We all know how tedious it can get to be to paint French line, right? The uniform is quite complicated (although IMHO very attractive), and you just need *so* many of them! I think I have painted 58 such units over the past 40 years - 30 in my original; 25 mm army, composed of of Jack Scruby figures, and 28 in my "new" French Napoleonic army, started back in the mid 1990's (and I have another 4 units at least already primed).
In any event, Jon and Lee have already contributed their painted battalions, and this morning I sent off my contribution to Tony. They should soon be united with their friends, albeit evidently sadly destined to see service in some God forsaken corner of (tabletop) Spain.
Anyway, here they are still on their painting sticks (tongue depressor), just before being removed and repacked for shipping.
These are 20 mm Les Higgins figures, an old manufacturer I can't honestly recall having heard of aside from Tony's blog.
They remind me a bit of those Scruby figures I painted decades ago, although a bit smaller and with considerably better detail.
Of course, now that I have shipped them out, I see that I forgot the green crescents on the Voltigeur epaulets, and the green tips to their plumes as well. I shall have to rely on tony to do a bit of brief brushwork to correct the oversight!
Tony will add the flag to the standard bearer back in the U.K.
The pictures are taken in 4 groups, reflecting the way that Tony bases his units.
I have to say that In rather enjoyed painting these figures, even if it took place over almost 2 months, as they were sandwiched in amongst other projects.
A couple of final shots of the entire group of 23 figures... may they further the "special relationship" between the US and the UK.
I gave the drummer Royal blue lapels as a minor variation on the regulations. Tony will be painting the bases to match his basing style. Vive l' Empereur!
They look really good - many thanks for this - I'll get the band practised up to welcome them!
ReplyDeleteA round of "Salute des Aigles" would be fitting... :-)
DeleteGreat job, Peter! This was a fun exercise. It provides me some comfort knowing that are troop will be sharing a gaming table even if we cannot.
ReplyDeleteIndeed as to the shared lead. Never say never for the table, though! :-)
DeleteWell done sir! That's the sort of spirit that makes the miniature wargaming 'blogosphere' such a great community.
ReplyDeleteps I remember see Les Higgins mentioned occasionally in British wargaming books but sort of assumed they were some of arcane vestige of an earlier time (who knew that they were still available across the water?)
Thanks, Ross.
DeleteAs far as I know, these figures are long out of production. I think Tony is buying up old stocks of these figures, and in some cases, stripping them down and then repainting them.
Yes, I meantI didn't realize they were still available in the early 1970's :) Not that I would have picked them then.
DeleteFor figures from the early 1970's, they are quite good, actually.
DeleteVery nicely done, and I'm sure Tony will be thrilled with them. Was it really only March when you started this project - for some reason it feels longer than that, but then you have been quite busy since then.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lawrence. In ideal circumstances, I might have been able to finish these in 2 weeks, but they were sandwiched in between a bunch of other projects.
DeleteLovely finish on these troops and a lovely gesture too! I have to confess to having five such units primed for a number of years!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks, Iain. And about my primed Macedonian Phalangites...
DeleteI haven't had to paint French line in several years, but I still prefer them to the endless hordes of Prussian landwehr I worked on. The figures look great and anything that can be done to improve relations between UK and US is to be applauded.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is currently in Scotland for some college courses and her and a group of friends (16 of them from the university) were asked to leave a pub because they are Americans and "Americans are racists." They were just having a drink sitting at a table. They were stunned (as none of them would ever endorse the current leadership), but quietly left. A sad testament to how some now view us.
On the one hand, given the current occupant of the White House, they can be forgiven for having that view point. On the other, Racism is hardly absent from the UK, and of course an "All Americans are Racists" sentiment is pretty close to analgous to Racism itself, isn't it.
DeleteIn truth, most people of every nation, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation and what have you want the same things - reasonable financial and personal security, decent health care, opportunity, freedom of speech and religion, and to be left alone as much as possible by their Government otherwise. We make far too much of our differences, and not enough of our common humanity!
Excellent work and a beautiful sentiment Peter!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jake. I enjoyed doing them for Tony.
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