Creaking Along

I had hoped to have the entire SYW backlog finished up this weekend, but don’t. [Insert various lame excuses here.]

However, I did get the bases for all these fine fellows base-coated. My technique, shamelessly stolen from a White Dwarf article a few years ago, is:

1. Cover base in glue (white/PVA) or similar, then dunk in sand. I use Woodland Scenics fine ballast.

2. After thoroughly drying at least over night, paint with Apple Barrel “nutmeg brown” and again allow to thoroughly dry.

3. Drybrush with Apple Barrel “antique white.”

4. Stipple with white glue, then dunk in Woodland Scenics blended turf.

5. Optionally, add one or two tufts of static grass.

It ends up looking like this shot of Landgraf Bogey reviewing his troops:

What I’ve accomplished is up through step 2 for the following:

Dutch:

Musketeer Regiment Crommelin, 54 figures
Musketeer Regiment Walloon, 54 figures
Grenadier Regiment van Pallandt, 54 figures
Regiment te Paard Roncour, 24 figures
2 x 3pdr with 8 crew
5 mounted generals

Saxon:

Chevaulegers Regiment von Bruhl, 24 figures

French:

Arquebusiers de Grassin, 18 figures

Austrian:

Infantry Regiment de Ligne (IR 38, Netherlands), 66 figures
Infantry Regiment Fürstenberg (Swabian), 66 figures

Obviously, the Imperial forces are receiving a large reinforcement! So what does that work out to? About 320 foot and 53 mounted figures. So I’ve been doing something! Now I need to base my Napoleonic Portuguese brigade, too (another 120 infantry, 24 mounted, and 4 guns with 20 or so crew).

This week’s purchases were the new books by Charles Grant and company: The Annexation of Chiraz, The Wargamers Annual Volume 1, and Wargaming in History Series: Charles Grant's
The Seven Years' War Krefeld, Sandershausen and Lutterberg – 1758. My Eureka order arrived, with “Ragged Continentals” and the various new SYW vignettes—wonderful figures! I’m looking forward to the new Battlegames, which hopefully will arrive Monday.