Saturday, September 27, 2014

Belgian Line Infantry

As part of my 1/72nd scale Waterloo project (one that I classify under "plastic nostalgia") I needed a 24 figure unit for my Napoleon's Battles OoB.  To give it the correct classification, a 24DBLN brigade.  I had already done the Dutch part and today finished the Belgian Line Infantry. Trying to maximise my options I created an 18 figure unit that can fill in as a battalion for Shako as well as being single figures I can use for Napoleonic skirmish or perhaps other rule systems.

The 18 figure unit lead by the grenadiers.  I like the pose of these HAT figures.

But they are not all HAT, spot the six Airfix figures if you can (well six figures, but just three poses, one of which is a conversion).

The mixed Dutch/Belgian Brigade for Napoleon's Battles.

I still have the artillery to finish and then I will do some of the light cavalry before tackling the militia.

In posting these photos I realize I am yet to finish the flag staffs which are still in their bare metal glory.  I used the same matt varnish that is anything but matt, something I might remedy in the future with a matt spray, but they can be glossy for now.

6 comments:

  1. Excellent job - glossy is good, they look great!

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  2. These are great but I think even better in Matt LOL

    Ian

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  3. I usually use satin varnish. I recently switched to matt and now it has gone gloss. LOL such is life.

    My photos have a problem with gloss, but to the naked eye they look okay.

    Of course in the old days I didn't use any varnish at all ("that's for girls" would have been the comment back then). The figures weren't based and got a lot of use and lost a lot of paint.

    I recall being told to varnish my figures to protect them from dust (this was when figures were kept on shelves in your bedroom). Again it had to be matt varnish as gloss was for girls.

    Matt varnish is evil as it will occasionally go gloss on you. Around then I also recall realising various bits should be glossy and spot painting gloss on to leather hats etc.

    It then all became too hard and I just used to spray satin varnish and hope for the best of all worlds.

    Of late I've started experiment and the latest batch of 1/72nds have seen me paint on the varnish rather than spray. The varnish is on top of a PVA coat on the bayonets, swords and plumes. I am no longer concerned about varnish covering detail - that has not been an issue (although I do have to be careful of the weather when I spray varnish as I've had a disaster when it was too hot and the varnish mostly dried before getting to the figures and becoming more of a dust).

    I would prefer that the matt varnish was matt and not gloss as that was my intent, but I am really not bothered by it. Gloss has an attraction on 1/72nd scale figures like these. I would be horrified if it had been my metal WW2 figures and models. They are a different challenge. I also have a belief that the glossiness will fade with time. Looking at the figures today with the naked eye and natural light, they don't look so glossy, but do have a sheen.

    The big test is when I show them to my partner and daughter - if the girls like them I'm on to a winner! LOL

    (And I better clarify - if they like the figures they are more likely to look out for their well being if I leave them around the house as I am want to do).

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  4. Lovely looking unit Mark. Those Airfix marching figures and drummer fit in perfectly and, "for mine", once again show the quality of those figures and how well they have 'aged', fitting together with modern castings quite happily.

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  5. Excellent. Can you tell me where you got 20mm Dutch/Belgian flags?

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    1. The web, probably Warflags. https://www.warflag.com/napflags/index.htm

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