Progress report - 13.

I got to work on the horses for the Bishop's troopers this evening. First I applied the black undercoat then a good coat of sandy ochre. This was followed by a light wash of red and a sloppy wash of chestnut. Whilst each wash was wet I wiped the flanks of the figures with a rag to remove most of the paint so the lighter colors beneath showed through. Each was allowed to dry before the next was applied. A final thin-ish wash of black overall and the main coloring was finished. The various layers give a life-like depth to the figures. The next stage will be the picking-out of tack and a few white markings on the animals.

Progress report - 12.

My day job has been busy again but I've made a bit more progress on the wargames figures, with the sturdy mounts of the Bishop of Guggenheim's Regiment of Horse now under way. The body of the regiment will be mounted on chestnut horses and the command element on grays. I'm waiting for the officer, guidon and trumpeter Holge Eriksson figures to arrive from Spencer Smith, along with the first regiment of Dunkeldorf-Pfühl line infantry.

* * * *

With the first figures now complete I began to think of the setting they'll fight in. I remembered that years ago I began to construct a square tower based on one which featured in the 1813 Battle of Leipzig. Like many a wargames project, I never got to complete it but I came across it the other day, lurking in a corner of my workshed. I've now dusted it off and given it a critical assesment. I'm no Ian Weekly but I think I can finish it so it looks suitably mitteleuropen and of the period. With a few more buildings of the kind it'll make a good centerpiece for an urban area just right for fighting over.

The Leibgarde Grenadiers and IR 2 von Wöhl.

Infantry Regiment 2 - von Wöhl.

Leibgarde Grenadiers - first company viewed from rear to front.

By the way, that's not some strange Romanesque temple in the background - just the lower part of my painting block.

* * * *

With my girlfriend's absense at work and my own day job unexpectedly less busy I needed a way of distracting myself - and this is the result. After a productive couple of days I have completed the first part of the Leibgarde Grenadiers, and the rest are on the painting block with their black undercoat drying. IR 2 von Wöhl is entirely based now, and awaiting the arrival of their standard bearers - the delayed appearance caused, no doubt, due to more chicanery on the part of the devious Count Sleibnitz...

* * * *

As is only befitting their status I've painted the Leibgarde to a higher standard than the line. I decided to give them black gaiters as the effect makes them seem taller and more menacing when viewed from the front. French naval architects of the late 19th Century termed the philosophy "fierce face" - if it looks mean, it is mean. The Leibgarde wear white gaiters when on duty in the Ducal palace. Grand Duchess Irma thinks they look more splendid that way.

* * * *

Once the Leibgarde is completed I'll turn my attention to the famous Bishop of Guggenheim's Regiment of Horse. These stalwart chaps and their sturdy mounts are even now soaking in hot soapy water, ready for their turn on the painting block. I think I'll have to come up with a modification to the dowel rod design to allow it to take cavalry. Do I mount the figures and paint them as a whole, or do I paint them seperately? Hmm...

Progress report - 11.

Due to an unexpected light workload in the day job, I found myself at leisure this afternoon. Taking advantage of the time, I finished the main paintwork on IR 2 von Wöhl and made a fair start on the Leibgarde Grenadiers. All I need do now is apply the black wash to IR 2. Once the order arrives from Spencer Smith, I'll have the flag bearers and the regiment will be complete and ready for the basing materials to be applied.

A work in progress...

The last half of IR 2 von Wöhl on the painting block, with the first half in front of the stand, all based up ready for flocking. My painting block is a fairly recent innovation for me. The design owes much to a laboratory test-tube rack. Each figurine is mounted on a 4-inch length of 1/2-inch dowel by means of a blob of re-usable putty. I embedded short lengths of thick plastic-coated wire in each dowel which hook over the figure bases as added security. The rods enable me to hold the figurines firm while I paint every angle. The rack can take up to 16 figurines, and the dowels sit in the holes so figures can dry as the next is painted. I've found it speeds-up the painting process quite markedly.

Progress report - 10.

The painting of IR 2 von Wöhl is almost finished, and should be complete by this weekend. I'm going to place an order with Spencer Smith for some Holge Eriksson standard bearers to complete the command element for this and the Liebgarde Grenadier regiment. The Eriksson range also has a rather fine cavalry officer with sword upraised on a galloping horse, and an infantry officer with a cane. He has such a brooding air about him I can readily picture him as a brigade commander, standing on a rise as he watches his regiments deploy for battle.

No further progress to report on the maps just now. I searched around the net and found some old maps of Germany which might be useful, but I lack time this week to experiment with them.

Progress report - 9.

The first half of IR 2 von Wöhl is complete and stuck to their bases. The second half is now on the painting block and undercoated. I'm lacking the two standard bearers I need for the regiment but I'll remedy that in the fullness of time. After some thought I decided not to add red piping to the facings as I think they look fine in the original pattern. Meanwhile, I decided the Liebgarde Grenadiers will be the next unit to step up to the plate, and they're now in the degreasing soak.

My thoughts have turned once again to the matter of the campaign map. I'm toying with the idea of using the Google map finder to lift an image of a suitable area from modern Germany and using my paint program to impose a hexagon pattern on it for movement, resources, etc. Has anyone else tried this method? If so, how did it go?