Austria WAS/SYW: IR 18 Marshall

Two battalions of one of my favourite Austrian regiments. The figures are a mix between Crusader and Front Rank to give variety. (Please note the numbering system was introduced only in 1769 but for convenience I am using it here.)

I have given them red turn backs as was likely in the earlier period. Red and white is the classic look to Austrian infantry, don't you think? In fact this regiment is so popular (with me, anyway) that I have it in 40mm too. They proudly carry the M1745 flags.

One strange thing is that Kronoskaf mentions white/green cockades for Officers. This is very odd as they certainly used the more common black cockades in the SYW, or so I thought. I can only imagine that the white/green ones were possibly used in that tiny non-Imperial phase between 1743 and the summer of 1745 when the Wittelsbachs grabbed the Imperial dignity. This use of green would coincide with the introduction (if ever so briefly) of the new Green flags issued in small numbers to replace the old Imperial ones (see post to follow shortly on IR 27).

The regimental inhaber was Ernst Dietrich Reichsgraf Marshall von Biberstein. This regiment looks right from about 1755 to the beginning of the SYW, although the coloured cockade might mean an earlier start date if my speculation on the cockade colour holds true.
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How I paint spiral flag staffs:

1) Paint two thirds in the lightest colour (in this case yellow) starting at the bottom. The flag itself will cover the top third so don't bother to paint this at all.

2) Once dry, I work on the black starting from the bottom and turning the staff. I'm right handed, so the pole is in the left hand and I'm continually turning it while the right hand, with the brush is giving small brush strokes. If, as in this case, there will be a third colour, make sure the gap between one black line and the next black line is double thickness. The angle of the spiral you will get with practice - if this task has not driven you potty first.

3) Once dry, insert the third colour. In this instance I have put it immediately below the black.
Normally I will now only need to touch up the base colour (yellow in this case) as there is always the odd mistake.

4) Rest! Don't stress about the result – lets face it you have had a good stab (hopefully) at one of the most difficult things to paint!

NB: I assume you have a separate metal rod for this because if the flag pole is attached to the figure I would not even try this. That way lies lunacy.