28mmSYW French: Caraman Dragoons, last cavalry regiment

 

The last cavalry unit for my French army which now has 26 squadrons of cavalry. There are also 18 battalions of infantry but I think I will increase this to 24.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 13 and 14

 

That's the last of the infantry regiments for both sides done.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 11 and 12

 

The penultimate pair of Parliament Foot regiments.

28mm SYW Hessians: IR7 Leibregiment 2nd BTN 1763

 

This is the last of the Hessian battalions for my army. The figures are from a Ukrainian designer/manufacturer Vladimir Zhiko which I bought quite a while ago. The flags are from Frederick Aubert.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 10

 

Another extra large regiment, the last actually.

28mm SYW Hessians: IR7 Leibregiment 1763

 Here is the first battalion of that regiment (the second will follow soon) and these two units will finish off the infantry in my large Hessian army of 22 battalions. It's worth noting that this regiment went through a bewildering number of uniform changes,not just facings, during the SYW.

Beautiful flags are by Frederic Aubert.

15/18mm WSS Khurasan: British Ross' Dragoons

 

In 1704, the regiment was renamed "The Royal Dragoons of Ireland". It's two squadrons served at Blenheim and Ramillies. I have now painted this unit in 28mm, 10mm and 18mm and the latter is my favourite scale for this period.

15/18mm WSS Khurasan: French Regiment Touraine, 2 BTN

 I'm am enjoying painting these 'big battalions' and here is the two battalions of French regiment Touraine. It's a regiment with a long and distinguished record and for much of the war it was commanded by Jean-Baptiste-François Desmarets, Comte de Maillebois who was promoted to brigadier on 19 September 1708, then maréchal de camp on 8 March 1718, lieutenant-general on 22 December 1731 and maréchal de France on 11 February 1741.

The lovely flags are, of course, by Dave Morfitt of Not by Appoinment.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 9

 

Another extra large regiment.

28mm SYW Hessians: KR1 and KR2

 

Back in December 2020 I painted the first Hessian cavalry regiment - KR2 Gens d'Armes (red facings). I have just finished KR1 Prinz Wilhem (blue facings). It's worth saying again that I have given them cuirasses although they were not issued until after the war. The lovely figures are from Black Hussar. The plan is to do two brigades totalling 16 squadrons.

Flags are by Frederic Aubert.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 8

 

Charles Fairfax's Foot, another extra large regiment.

15/18mm WSS: Khurasan – British Queen Dowager's Foot (Tangiers battalion)

 

Another 'big battalion' in 18mm. Each battalion of both sides is 36 figures strong. The British and Dutch foot will be based like this and everyone else will be based like the Bavarian battalion I posted recently. I also show a picture of them both together to show the depth difference.

In 1703 this regiment was renamed the "Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot, in honour of Queen Anne.

The only problem with these Khurasan figures is the fragility of the bayonets.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 7

 

Earl of Essex's Foot, an extra large regiment with double strength musketeers.

15/18mm WSS: Khurasan - Bavarian Regiment Harthausen/Mercy

 

I've long wanted to have WSS armies and I have tried a few scales – 28mm plastics from Warlord Games and 10mm from Van Dyck and Pendraken. They are both nice but as I get older I'm finding the smallest sizes more difficult to paint. So I think 15/18mm Khurasan are the best compromise plus they were sculpted by the late, and great, Mike Broadbent.

Here is the first battalion, a Bavarian one because I like the colour scheme. Thirty six figures total representing about 500 men in 4 ranks.

https://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/marlburian.html

28mm FPW: General de division Jean Pellé

 

My French army will be one division with an attached cavalry brigade. Here is the commander, Jean Pellé, who historically commanded the second division of Ducrot's first corps. He proudly wears his sash as a grand officier of the Légion d'honneur. It's interesting to note that most of his military career was spent in Algeria and he rose through the ranks from corporal to brigade general. During his distinguished career he had 47 years of service, 28 campaigns, 6 wounds and 9 citations.

As you probably know the Perrys only make one French general officer figure so I had to think outside of the box. I've converted figures from the Carlist Wars range namely CAT2.

Heads have been removed and replaced with plastic left-overs from the sprues. The figure of Pelle (Don Sebastian) has had epaulettes added as well. Purists will forgive the sash which was awarded in 1871.

28mm FPW 1870: 3e Regiment de Tirailleurs Algerians

 

I bought a box of Perry plastic ACW Zouaves because they have not got round to doing these in metal and I hoped I could use them to field a Turcos regiment in my army. So here is the first battalion and I have the figures to do the third as well. When, and if, the Perrys get round to metals then I could do the 2nd battalion with them.

These figures work fine except for the backpack and I'm not such a purist to condemn them for light equipment – maybe they dropped their kit off at a nearby railway station.

Anyway here is my painting guide: “The three regiments of Tiraillieurs Algeriens wore a uniform of identical cut to that of the Zouaves, but differed in colour. The jacket and vest were sky blue with yellow distinctions. The waist sash was garance. The trousers were plain white linen in the summer and sky blue with yellow stripes in autumn and winter. The different regiments were identified by the colour of the false pocket or Tombo. Colours were 1st - garrance, 2nd - white, 3rd - yellow.

The officers wore the Zouave officers uniform with a sky blue coat, garance sash and trousers. The Kepi was garance with a sky blue band and gold edging. Buttons were gilt. “

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 5 and 6

 

Sir Philip Skipton's Foot (Green flags) and the Yellow London Trained Band.

28mm Perry metals FPW 1870: Chasseur battalion

 

This was not an easy unit to paint but I have finally finished them.

This is a Chasseur battalion attached to the first brigade of every division. The first thing to note about them is the heavy kit they are carrying, which seemed to be the 'French way'. The Prussians, on the contrary, appear very lightly encumbered, be they jaegers or line infantry.

There is also a uniform dichotomy relating to trouser colour. Half the on-line sources show a paler blue trouser colour (perhaps the 1868 model) while the other half show the coat and trousers to be the same (perhaps the 1860 model). I offer you two compilation plates showing these differences. I have gone for a slightly lighter trouser colour but the difference is subtle. There is also this reference:”Chasseurs à pied:coiffure et tunique bleus foncé à passepoils (coutures) jonquilles,boutons blancs, pantalon gris bleu à passepoils jonquille.” So the trousers appear to be a paler different blue while the lace is 'jonquille'. Trouser model 1868 were in dark iron grey cloth (which is this lighter blue) with jonquil piping. I have also seen a reference to the older 1860 model of trousers (the same dark blue as the coat) which may well have still been in service in 1870. So both are correct!

Lovely figures from Perry brothers but weak chassepots.

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 3 and 4

 

Lord Saye and Sale's Foot (blue flags) and Colonel Samuel Jones' Foot (white flags)

10mm WSS: van Dyck miniatures: British brigade

 

Four battalions of Van Dyck miniatures. Queen's Foot (green flags), Churchill's Foot (yellow flags),

Earl of Bath's Foot (red flags) and Ferguson's Foot (Scots flag).

12mm Epic Scale ECW: Parliamentary Foot 1 and 2

 

Here are the first two (of 14) Parliamentary Foot regiments – purple of Lord Brooke and Skipton's red.

10mm WSS: van Dyck miniatures: Zurlauben Regiment

 

This company in Belgium produces the finest and most detailed tiny metal miniatures. Their ranges are a little limited but their figures are gorgeous. In particular they have exquisite horses which, in my view, is the best way to judge the work of a mini-sculptor.

I'm showing here the French(Walloon) regiment Zurlauben, 3 battalions, whose greatest claim to fame was it's defence of the village of Blenheim. On 13 August, it took part in the disastrous Battle of Blenheim where it was virtually annihilated and its colonel mortally wounded.

I also show here my system for basing regiments formed in 4-5 ranks, which includes every nation except the British and Dutch. I snip off the supplied standard pikes and replace them with tiny steel pins because I like big flags.

Visit their website at https://vandyckmodelsandfigurines.be/WP/shop/