Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A project gains traction

Belated Happy New Year!

By a quick look at my blog roll on the side bar, it is apparent I am the last one coming back to blogging after the holidays break. As now usual, a variety of circumstances have delayed my updates, but that doesn't mean that no wargaming activity took place chez DestoFante. Under my Christmas tree I found a new ruleset, "Cartouche 2" - the Piquet module for WSS, WAS, SYW and AWI. It is an excellent addition to an already excellent line of products, and I will come back soon with more thoughts about it.

I also persisted in my slow, but steady progress on the WSS project, and I am now glad to share some previews of the finally mounted miniatures that you have already seen at different stages of preparation in the past. We are getting very close to the final christening! At the present time, I have completed four 12-figure units, two French and two for Electoral Palatine. And, more importantly, I can show you the pictures!




The clever and knowledgeable reader will recognize, top to bottom, a Palatine unit from Edition Brokaw, a first French unit from Minifigs - the Regiment de Perche - and a second French unit from Minifigs, the Regiment d'Enghien. Flags are from Warflag and Palatine and Perche, and from this site for the Enghien.

A few words for commentary. These are my first XVIII century units officially completed. (Almost completed, to be precise: I still need to do some green painting on the bases, although I do not plan any flocking.) There was a lot of learning involved in the process; as in the case for new figures and new periods, at first things look more complex than they really are. I experimented a bit with colors, learning a lesson or two. I wish the French "grey" could be more greyish: it almost look light-blueish in the pics, under less than ideal light. The choice of the two specific regiments, Perche and Enghien, was more driven by the experimenting with the colors than by gaming purposes or historical interest. In the case of the Palatine units, I learned that it makes a huge difference to apply Vallejo dark blue over a black or white primer. Discerning eyes will recognize, in the back of the Palatine unit, the attached grenadiers with brighter coats - these were the figures primed in white, while the main body of the unit went through a black priming in an early batch.

But now some good news. WSS uniforms seem to be remarkably similar across armies: it is not uncommon for some miniature manufacturers (Dixon, Essex, Irregular) to actually offer generic types to cover all nationalities. In terms of painting, it means that once I went through the learning curve once, I now feel confident to be able to quickly add additional units at a relative fast pace. In the making, I already have another 24-figure (or two 12-figure, depending...) Palatine unit, plus the Palatine Leibregiment, plus a converted French battalion (Anjou or Luxemburg), plus a Palatine cavalry unit... and a long queue of French (including Suisse & Irish) and Spanish (including Savoy) figures heading for priming soon, plus some Brandenburg-Ansbach Austrian grenadiers already on the bench... stay tuned!

6 comments:

Bluebear Jeff said...

The WSS (along with the ECW) is one of those periods for which I've been collecting books.

One of my big problems is trying to decide just what to do. I'd really like to look at the Southern Theatres . . . but then it seems that there's a lot more information available (in English at least) for the Norther Theatre . . . and there are some great-looking uniforms in the north.


-- Jeff

DestoFante said...

Jeff,

I am sure you have the excellent volume "Armies and Uniforms of the Marlburian Wars" by C.S. Grant. The second volume includes a lot of interesting information about the Southern Theatre, and believe me, some uniforms are great-looking indeed! Also my campaigns will take place along the Rhine, I am already planning on paiting a unit of Spanish "Amarillos Viejo." I figured out that some gun-for-hire will come handy anywhere in Europe, sooner or later!

There are a few interesting wargaming site dedicated to the siege of Turin. I had a great time reading this:

http://www.amemieidragoni.com/Torino2006/ProgettoTorino2006_English.htm

Another wonderful battle report, written in Italian but with an order of battle that should be easily understood in English (and some great pictures!) is here:

http://www.milesgloriosus.it/Scenari/Torino_1706/Assedio_Torino_1706.pdf

Lots of food for thought!

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

..those Minifgs look fine! I detect an army painter finish as well as normal painting??

DestoFante said...

Steve,

correct! If you look through some my old posts in the "Painting" category, you will probably find more examples about my dipping technique. I use MinWax Polyshade, a product to treat wood easily available in American hardware stores. Depending by the effect I want to create, I use either the "Tudor satin" finish, which is basically black, or the "Royal Walnut", which is more browinish-reddish (it works very well for natives in the colonial period.) In this case, it was "Tudor Satin."
Strictly speaking, I actually do not "dip", but I apply the finish with a brush, as I like to control the final effect. In particular, as a matter of personal taste, I like white to remain white, rather then turning "dirty grey" as it may happen in case of too heavy dipping.

CWT said...

Glad to hear you're back posting! Keep up the good work

(plus, a belated happy new year, etc...)

CWT

littlejohn said...

Minwax Polyshades "dipping" is a great technique and it looks nice on your figures...I've not done it in a while but have had good success a few years ago with 25mm ECW.

--dave