Friday 27 January 2017

From Ian: SYW French Infantry (74 Points)


Another SYW entry for me but swapping sides to my son's French army. These are again Lancashire Games 15mm figures and again were straightforward to paint. Prep was a little bit heavy on some of the figures and similar to their turnbacked friends have a slightly miss aligned rear of figure making the tricorne a little lopsided and the cartridge box looking a bit odd. Nothing too terrible but annoying. I also did not do the best cleanup job possible on these guys which was more annoying as I missed a mouldline on about six figures.


The Boy choose the regiments to be represented, mostly based on their flags and when he realised these had no turnbacks and the cuffs were also white he asked me if I could add extra colour. I convinced him to let me paint them up as is and if he still wished for me to make a change then I could. In the end he kept with the historical versions.


The first battalion is from regiment 2 Champagne which had a total of four battalions and on 26th July 1757 fought in it's first battle of the SYW at Hastenbeck where it assaulted a redoubt containing 8 guns and 2 howitzers losing 63 men but the battle was a French victory.


Regiment 3 Navarre was his second choice, these also fought at Hastenbeck as part of a flanking force that assaulted the Hanoverian left wing positioned in a woods. No casualties are listed so it's possible it did not actually come to grips with the enemy.

Both the above regiments were raised along with Regiment 3 Piemont and all three regiments squabbled over which should have preference in the numbering system causing Louis in 1666 to order that each would take turns being numbered 2, 3 and 4 on a yearly basis. This has to have been a real headache for army headquarters.


I was concerned about how the white would come out as I have little experience of full white uniforms and when I added a Nuln Oil wash my fears seemed justified as they went a rather dark shade of grey. Quick overpaint and seemed ok and on to the second battalion I watered down the wash which worked better then like the first I brought the white back in selected areas to give the shadow effect I was looking for. 

Very happy how they turned out and will be doing more hopefully to be ready in two weeks, before that it's back to 6mm Napoleonic's but something a little different. So two units of 18 figures makes me 72 points not too shabby.


Fine upstanding Frenchmen here Ian, your son will be delighted I've no doubt. It tickles me that he appreciates the relevance of historical accuracy over sartorial choices, too. There's something terrifically impractical about all-white uniforms for traipsing about and fighting in.  

Oh, its 74 points with the ever-popular flag bonus. 

Phil

35 comments:

  1. Fine work and your son selected some very fine French regiments.

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    1. Thanks Adam, He has already selected the next two

      Ian

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  2. Very nice work Ian :)

    For white uniforms you may want to try basecoat of Sky Grey then highlight white/off-white - avoids the perils of washes.

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    1. I will have a go at that, already past that point I think with the two I am working on but may drop back a stage

      Ian

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  3. They look spiffing. Nice uniforms and tricorns are so much better than Shako's

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    1. Hey! Careful with that anti-shako language Clint :)

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    2. Thanks Clint but I am with Greg but only as they are easier to paint

      Ian

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  4. Great stuff Ian, more SYW added to the side duel too 👍

    White is always a pain to paint, I start with Vallejo Deck Tan as a base and then build up through Silver Grey to white. Vallejo do a Black and White paint set which is well worth a look at too. Nowt wrong with yours though

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    1. Thanks Ken, will have to try your recipe, first I will have to buy the paint though, my son will love it though as it means more units painted up

      Ian

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  5. I am really loving this SYW stuff Ian - well done. I hope the boy is pleased.

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    1. He is very pleased, just needs to test them now lol

      Ian

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  6. Rotating Regiment numbers? That is very funny.

    Nicely done Ian!

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  7. I'm with Phil: Oustanding work Ian, your son must be delighted with these.

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    1. Thanks Curt, we are at York next weekend so will pick up some reinforcements for him there. Heavy Cavalry at least

      Ian

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  8. Grand job Ian... white should show the casulties nicely!

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  9. Lovely white uniforms, very dashing french chaps.
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain, should be an interesting army when all painted up

      Ian

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  10. Very nice work Ian. I think the basing especially turned out well.

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  11. Lovely work Ian! Those tinies of yours never cease to amaze me.

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  12. Oh deary me these do look brilliant! Now I have to seriously look into doing some French besides the Austrians, Prussians and Brits I already paint for the 7YW...

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    1. The French have some excellent looking flags as you will see with the next lot I paint up

      Ian

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  13. Great work Ian. Glad the lad decided to keep the uniforms historical though.

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    1. Me too, I am sure he will stay the course from here on it as he likes the look of them

      Ian

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  14. Very well done. Love to see the French SYW so well painted.

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    1. Thanks Michael will get more practice for sure

      Ian

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  15. They look really nice, Ian! I like the white yo achieved. I'm like Tamsin where I go through stages of paint( black primer, grey, light grey, very light grey, then a white- all cold blue greys)
    Too many layers for 15mm though! ;)

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    1. Thanks Dave, I will be doing more units fairly soon for The Boy so will be trying another style to see. I am happy with this result so not really worried if other styles don't work for me

      Ian

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