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 ..

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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

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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 

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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.

A horseless carriage ?

The King has left the museum and met Brother James who invites him down to the workshop of  the court inventor Georg Cantor to see his latest invention ...a horseless carriage

Madame Givenchy studies the drawings on the workshop desk ...

While Cantor explains the how the carriage works to the King and Brother James - apparently an application of a perpetual motion device to power the front wheel drive.

A visit to the museum ...

The older parts of the palace have been recently refurbished. The King is checking through with the archivist some of the items brought out of storage for the palace museum.

The items include:
- a collection of partisans, halberds and billhooks
- a dummy dressed with the early 18C uniform of a guard officer
- the silver Angsi of Namur (on the table)
- St Wigbert's relics in a casket
- A cabinet of curiosities
- The banner of the Bishop of Wittenland, last carried in battle at the end of the 17C
- The mummy of the Egyptian pharoah Rubbatiti
- An old suit of armour

Some closeup views of the room ...

 (scene backdrop constructed from some spare parts from my Pegasus gothic building sets)

Zomeverre - Hohenloe open its gates ...

The Monrovian forces invading Zomeverre having secured their position in the Vergessen valley continue their ponderous advance. They have reach the old walled burgh town of Hohenloe, the garrison of the city left the day before the arrival of the Monrovians taking a all spare supplies to the ducal army mustering in the north.

General Stricknein summons the town to surrender on pain of storm

 the burgomaster agrees - not wanting to see the town ruined - the gates are opened ...

General von Messing commanding the Ducal forces is awaiting re-inforcements from the Duchy of Fenwick before he moves against the Monrovians.

40mm: Tussle at Tottendorf

40mm figs skirmish game....

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After the brigands raid on Apfelstrudel, a small force of troops was assembled to root them out - hearing that the brigands had establish a camp at the small town of Tottendorf, they set out. However their approach was reported to the brigands.

The brigands hold a short meeting to decide whether to fight or flee, they decide to fight (emboldened by their recent success at Apfelstrudel)

One group of brigands is posted at the bridge while another heads off to defend the ford over the river ..

The small Wittenberg force of some Boritzy Chasseurs and Kings Jager corps aproach the river ...

Captain Scharfe of the jagers falls wounded in the ford leading his mean across, initial brisk fire from the brigands forces the jagers back ..

Meanwhile the rest of brigands have left the town and are moving to reinforce the ford and the bridge ..

The chasseurs charge the bridge, the brigands just manage hold them ..

The chasseurs gain the upper hand at the bridge and the brigands fall back, while over at the ford the jagers have advanced and open fire ...

The chassuers are over the bridge and pursuing the brigands, at the ford the jagers are in a firefight with the brigands defending it ...

The jagers cross the ford in pursuit of the brigands who have made a run for it; the chasseurs drive home into the brigands who make a determined last stand ...

The chasseurs continue their fight, the rest of the brigands are now in full flight ....

The chasseurs reform, while their opponents have made a break for  it ...

The jagers try and pick off a few of the stragglers , while the mounted jagers chase the largest group of brigands ..

The Wittenberg forces move into the town and search all the houses, some of the brigands escape, including their leader, into the forest on the other side of the town.