Thinking of what's next.

[Graham]

After completing the CGS 1/9th Napoleon bust, although there is much room for improvement, it has been a real pleasure to do. The other two, Blucher and Wellington, have now been ordered as have some base plinths from Martyn at MDP to ensure they are displayed well.

Napoleonic has never been my idea of fun maybe because years ago, I used to get roped in to painting 6mm French armies for war gaming..... I had eyesight back then. However, having tried many scales, periods, fantasy and historical I have never enjoyed painting as much as I have with this one. Just hope the next two come out as well.

I am coming to the conclusion that I need to give up on the smaller scales as I really struggle with the fine detail so my days of little fantasy and historical are over to the point that I am looking at 100mm plus for figures, preferably quite a bit plus lol.

As for period, modern and WWI and WWII don't have the pull they used to when I built armour but I have taken a bit of a shine to what I call 'Redcoats' which I suppose is Penisular Wars? through to, well... What?

My knowledge of military history of the period I am trying to envisage is not sketchy, it's none existent!

I have been looking for books etc on Amazon that will give me a general idea of uniforms etc but they are silly money to say the least. The affordable ones tend to be quite specific but without knowing the background I have no idea if they would be of use.

Same looking through some of the figures/busts available. Some retailers put a date or conflict in with the figure information but many assume that the buyer would know what period the figure is.... well, sadly I don't.

Does anyone know of some sort of primer or resource that would give me a fighting chance of working out what periods or conflicts (a timeline would be a start I suppose) that I should study? To be honest, I can't tell the difference between a Napoleonic and a Crimean...... after all, they seem to both wear red coats

 

[DaddyO]

Hi Graham - Redcoats eh? Well that pretty much covers the British army from Marlborough to the Boer War. Good primer is 'Thin Red Line' by Brian (I think), Fosten which is beautifully illustrated and detailed and should give you everything you need. Out of print now, but turns up regularly - in fact there are currently two copies at a local second-hand bookshop for @ £20 . . .
Anyway a quick Google will give you plenty of examples of the sort of thing it contains.

Cheers
Paul
ps - I know what you mean about the eyes . . .

 

[Colin_Fraser]

A few links that might help

http://www.napoleonguide.com/campind.htm

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/c_battles.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Napoleonic_era

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Wars

 

[Graham]

Cheers Paul, just ordered one online for £11 I have a feeling that I will be scouring the net for quite a few books. Some are selling the same book at just under £70! You certainly have to shop around.

Those links are now stored on my iPad for reference, thanks a lot guys, very helpful as ever

 

[ChaosCossack]

Paul had it dead on... Marlborough through Boer war. What really makes it interesting is in that span of nearly 200 years of the British army, there is such a range as to keep it fresh. The coat may have been red but the cut, style, details of that coat was constantly changing not to mention the rest of the uniform from the headgear down to the boots.
On top of it all, these Redcoats were deployed on every continent on the planet at one time or another.

Dig in and enjoy!!!!

Colin

 

[Graham]

Cheers Colin, lots to learn and enjoy. Of course, there has to be room for the opposite side too so loads of scope. It's not just the figures, it's the history as well

 

[MCPWilk]

I am looking at 100mm plus for figures, preferably quite a bit plus lol.

Join the club of the >90mm scale figure modellers due to eyesight not being what it was!

Mike

 

[Graham]

Tell me about it Mike . Something I need to do, preferably at Figure World, is to get a feel for just how big figures are. I appreciate that one manufacturers 90mm may not be the same as others. I have two old 54mm fantasy figures somewhere and one towers over the other. Best way is to have a good look at a range of figures and set a minimum I think. Any excuse to look at figures lol.

Cannot totally write 54mm off especially if it is a set of figures and a bit of artillery or a horse......... but it would have to be special.

 

[peedee]

Graham for an easy way to get inspired whilst not getting bogges down by ALL the history of a whole campaign try the blandford series.
The books will fit in you side blazer pocket and can't be spotted by your teacher, they have a history, the loads of plates and then great descriptions.
You can get AWI, Waterloo, peninsular war, retreat from moscow, WW1 and 2, American civil war, medieval all kinds.
This link is to my fave
7 years war
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Uniforms-Seven-Years-War-1756/dp/0713708220

You'll have to google blandford uniform series amazon and choose wisely there's some silly prices. Last one I bought was a fiver.
Paul

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Tell me about it Mike . Something I need to do, preferably at Figure World, is to get a feel for just how big figures are. I appreciate that one manufacturers 90mm may not be the same as others. I have two old 54mm fantasy figures somewhere and one towers over the other. Best way is to have a good look at a range of figures and set a minimum I think. Any excuse to look at figures lol.

Cannot totally write 54mm off especially if it is a set of figures and a bit of artillery or a horse......... but it would have to be special.

Graham, then look to 120mm (1/16th)+. There is a great amount of choice out there from AWI, to the Crimea. A lot of references can be found on-line, if not on here.


Pick a subject and research it. See what comes up.

Mark.

 

[Graham]

Thanks Peedee, I will look into those books

Mark, I think 120mm is a good size and, yes, there is lots about to keep me going, a voyage of adventure is before me

 

[peedee]

The quality of the illustrations in those I mentioned are terrific Graham, you will find something
Have fun.
Paul

 

[Graham]

Just ordered Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars, 1796 - 1814 Hardcover for a tenner and for an overview,
Military Uniforms of the World in Colour (Blandford Colour Series) Hardcover for £3.

Life is replicating Waterloo, if Blucher (bust) doesn't arrive soon, this will get very costly

 

[Alex]

Hi Graham,

Since it is my 'regular' job, I would like to ask you why is your eyesight preventing you from doing small scale figures ?
Unless you have some eye disease or you do not have the right prescription for you, you should have no problem painting 54mm figures with the proper eyeglasses, contacts, magnification lenses, etc.
cheers
alex

 

[Graham]

Alex, I do use a headband type magnifier but even after short usage, I get strain and 'tired eyes' if ther really is such a thing. This combined with the small detail I just am not accurate enough with the brush.

I suppose it is using my ageing eyes as an excuse for my poor technique

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Hi Graham,

Since it is my 'regular' job, I would like to ask you why is your eyesight preventing you from doing small scale figures ?
Unless you have some eye disease or you do not have the right prescription for you, you should have no problem painting 54mm figures with the proper eyeglasses, contacts, magnification lenses, etc.
cheers
alex

I have often thought that 54mm is a harder scale to contend with. Even for those with 20/20 vision. As Graham says if it strains the eyes is it worth pursuing?

I have nothing but admiration for those that can pull-off an eye catching 54mm!

However, we all tinker around and eventually decide which is the most preferable scale for us as individuals. I personally have never attempted anything under 90mm, because I know I would struggle and eventually drop it.

I have a feeling that this is what Graham is finding out for himself! Once confident with that chosen scale then one can look to go higher or lower.

Mark

 

[Graham]

I think it also has something to do with the casting. The larger the figure, the better the detail should be. A very sharply cast 54mm is probably easier to paint well than a soft 90mm. I have done some 54mm in a he past where, for example, a belt didn't go all around the figure. I would find it hard to convincingly paint detail that fades away like that


However, never say never eh

 

[mick3272]

Hi Graham.

You cant beat Queen Victoria's Army, You have a wide choice of uniforms both British, (uk) along with Indian Army and a large number of Colonial troops.
120mm is a great scale for us visually challenged old sods. You have a good wide range of figures from Stormtrooper, CGS, Mitches military modeling and Victory miniature's, along with a few others, They also do a few larger scales from time to time.
mick