first batch!

I took a few hours off on sunday from a commision I am trying to finish To paint a few Frenchies.

Here is my first batch of 8. I was hoping to do a WIP post, but the first few pictures I took were blurred. When I have more time I will do a more detailed account from start to finish. As I have so many to paint and I want them to look good as a whole rather than as single figures I have taken a few shortcuts. They have only been given 2 shades instead of my usual 3-5. The only extra highlight has been on the faces. I wasnt brave enough to try the "army painter" varnish, instead to help speed things up I have used GW washes on the skintones and blue jackets.

the most time consuming parts were painting the white and detailing the lining. These probably took as much time to do as everything else put together. It is very hard to resist the temptation to go back to them and add that extra highlight which I know will make them look so much better, I need to keep my eye on the big picture. All I have left to do is dirty the trousers and lower parts of the greatcoats, for this i will use my chalk pastels when i can find them....

Perry miniatures order

I have just been putting together all the French I have ordered so far from Perry miniatures. This is the beginning of my 1815 project. I will be starting with II corp 5eme division d'infanterie, 2eme brigade. This is something I have been putting on the backburner for years now. Enthused with the recent releases form Perrys I am now finally cracking on with it (well i havnt painted anything yet but i have been doing plenty of research).....

This brigade has 5 under strength line battalions led by General de Brigade Baron de Campi. I have bought 2 boxes of plastic French line, giving me 84 figures, I also bought a pack of NCOs a regimental command pack, mounted colonels plus lots of high command and ADCs. so lots to be getting on with!!

This will be my first try at 28mm Napoleonics, I have previously had a large 1809 collection of Austrians and French in 15mm. For this I used General de Brigade rules. For my 28mm project i am as yet undecided about the rules i will use. General de brigade is a good solid set of rules but can become bogged down. What I would like is a simple set which has lots of period flavour. I am thinking of buying wargames foundries new "Napoleon" set of rules, but every forum I have read has nothing but bad things to say about it......

some of my 15mm AB figures painted a few years back

On the horizon there are two new rule books coming "Blackpowder" by Rick priestly via Warlord games and Republic to Empire by the League of Augsburg. These both look very interesting and I am eagerly waiting to get my grubby hands on them pair..