Zomverre V Monrovia: Battle of Pomeroy (part the first - opening moves)

The Monrovian army commanded by Field Marshall von Stricknein, having secured the burgh town of Hohenloe moved uncharacteristically quickly northwards taking the Ducal forces off guard. General von Messing commanding the Ducal forces, recently re-inforced by more troops from the Duchy of Fenwick, decided to make a stand at Pomeroy.

---oXo---

The Monrovian infantry battle line has deployed. General von Messing commanding the Ducal forces prepares to issue orders.

The Monrovian cavalry starts to deploy ....

The Monrovian battle line ...

Ducal forces start their deployment ...

The Ducal heavy artillery batteries deploy on the hill top and start to fire on the Monrovian centre, Monrovian artillery return fire ..

Field Marshal von Stricknein watches the Ducal forces deployment and issues further orders ...

Ducal mounted jagers skirmish with the Monrovian cavalry disrupting their deployment ...

The Ducal cavalry deploy ...

General von Messing issues the order to attack ....

---oXo---

to be continued....

40mm:Boritzy Freikorps Grenadiers march past ...

Down in the south outside Vanderhof the Boritzy Freikorps grenadiers are on parade, watched by Count Boritzy and General Waldebeck and the locals. The battalion marches past to music played by the newly raised Freikorps band.

A closeup of the Freikorps band ...

[All figs 40mm from various manufactures and home casts from commercial moulds. The band is by Peip Miniaturen - these figs are actually more 45mm in height, and I must admit to performing some leg surgery to reduce the height - not a problem as the long coats and musical instruments take the eye of the possible anatomical inconsistency]

Painting Figs - the splodge process

...or perfection by degrees, whereby Prinz Albrecht of Wittenberg describes how he goes about painting his toy soldiers ...illustrated with watercolours showing some points in the painting process ..

---oXo---

Stuff what I use:

Undercoat: Acrylic Black Gesso
Paints: - Acrylics, mostly Games Workshop, Crafters Arcylics and some Vallejo (occasionally some Humbrol enamel)
Brushes - a real mix, of manufacturers; I tend to stick to Humbrol ones with a few cheapies for undercoating. May occasioanlly buy some expensive brushes if they are on special offer. To get the brush head side I want for fine work I trim down the brush removeing the bristles with a small pair of nail scissors.
Bases: 1.5mm Daler mounting board for 25/28mm and the 'penny piece' round size for singles; for my 40mm figures I use 2mm thick cardboad usually from damaged or retired A4 box folder lids and the 'two penny piece' round size for singles.
Varnish: Humbrol satin spray varnish

---oXo---

Usual order of activity (for infantry)....20 steps to delight ...

step 1 - tidy up figs (remove flash etc) and stick to painting 'blanks' - I generally use offcuts of foamboard, sometimes cardboard or plastic bottle tops for single figures.
step 2 - undercoat - slop on the gesso

step 3 - brown splodge - paint hair, muskets etc. If uniform is red or white (or light shade) the whole figure receives a brown undercoat.

step 4 - If main colour of figure is white or light colours, then I apply a first coat.
step 5 - paint over the flesh areas - hands, face etc

step 6 - trousers/waistcoats
step 7 - coats
step 8 - hats, boots and gaiters

step 9 - brown, touch over the brown areas if needed (usually as I splodge).
step 10 - facings
step 11 - paint bases of figures (snot green)

step 12 - hat trim/grenadier mitres
step 13 - buttons
step 14 - metal - swords, bayonets and gun barrels
step 15 - belts
step 16 - touch in: I work through starting with flesh, then dark to light sequence - amending any fluff-ups during painting
step 17 - Faces plus black line detail. Faces- I add dots for eyes, (sometimes eyebrows) plus moustache. Sashes etcs show some idea of the folds. For this I use a fine permanent marker.
step 18 - remove from painting blanks and fix to gaming bases
step 19 - paint gaming bases
step 20 - spray with satin varnish 

---oXo---

For cavalry, similar scheme as above for the riders, horses done separately in approx sequence

h1 - brown overall splodge
h2 - tails, manes & hoofs
h3 - harness and straps (black)
h4 - gold - for brass bits on harness
h5 - white 'socks' etc
h6 - figure bases
h7 - touch-in
h8 - fix to gaming bases

Some Jager Conversions

While sorting out the final figures for a jager battalion, I decided to add some variety to the unit by converting a few Foundry prussian jagers. I used some spare arms sets from plastic WSS figs, they seem to go well together.  Piccy below,  original unmodified figure in the middle...

Fenwick: Grenadiers on Parade

Offciers review the status of the newly kitted out converged grenadier battalion (to be part of the Wittenberg Legion).  They watch them drilling ...

and how well they form up into line ...

1. New Grenadier battalion from Jacdaw 30mm range; two companies match my existing two RSM battalions facings (blue and black), figures for the battalions for the other two companies to be bought and painted yet - will be from Jacdaw as well.
2 Watching officers Front Fank/Irregular,
3. House and barn Hornby Skaledale range.