Too late! It had all seemed so simple.....
We know that in 1812/13 there wasn't enough blue cloth in stores, so a number of units were issued grey or 'drab' (undyed wool) uniforms. Likewise, white leather was in short supply so black or undyed was issued. These guys were in grey with black belts, so just paint the new heads and they're ready to go, Right? ......... Well what regimental number are they? Did any of the units that fought in the Canadas in 1812/13 wear grey with the old felt shako? Rene Chartrand's book has a list of all the uniform variations, and I have several orders of battles...........
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One. One? OK, anything else? Yeah it took part on the attack on York (aka Toronto) and 1/3 of them were armed with pikes and scatter guns, the only regiment equipped like that. Oh great...... what are my other options? Well, the 16th which fought at Chrysler's Farm wore the old shako with black jackets faced red, an attractive option, its also the one illustrated in Kannik's Uniforms of the World which I took to Military College with me in 1972 and which I still consult. But that would mean..........
New coat colour plus facings, white crossbars and lace, blue packs and canteens, some gloss varnish......at least I won't have to over paint the pants again.
Not bad for an hour's work. I tried adding the US in a circle on one pack, I painted it on my old S&S US troops, but hand and eye are no longer up to it apparently, at least not today. It was OK, but filled the whole pack, at least twice as big as it should have been. I decided that I didn't really need it.
Ok, what's next?
A very animated looking unit. I too choose to pass on some of the detailed painting now-a-days.
ReplyDeleteLess detail leaves more room for the imagination I think but really, I just like the look.
DeleteVery nicely done. But, to be fair, I stopped worrying about that with 1812 Jonathans. If I can, I try to get the correct shako, coat, and facing colours. If not, then..."today, the role of the 16th US Infantry will be played by the 23rd US Infantry..." I try to get some unique units, in their "best known" dress, like my version of Runchey's Coloured Corps. But for the most part, "they are who I say they are...today" is my motto.
ReplyDeleteEric
Given that 95% of my games are nonhistorical, it only matters when I decide to run an historical game at a convention, and even then I'm generally not too fussy. However, I prefer plausible and attractive to wrong snd ugly!
Delete"Sink me, Percy! These colour plates do try me so...." Uniform deets like this can send the OCD in me around the bend and then over the top. It's good to have someone else - like yourself - do all the heavy lifting in this dept before I begin to paint up anything, myself. heh.
ReplyDeleteIts all part of the fun for me.
DeleteWhat is next? Good looking recruits, Ross.
ReplyDeleteThanks, not sure what's next. I have to wait and see like everyone else.:)
DeleteExcellent work on the minis and the flag! I agree, it all makes for a great vignette/active unit.
ReplyDeleteThanks. The flag was downloaded from the ever useful Warflags site. Can't remember now if was actually an 1812 flag or if just used an ACW one as close enough for my purposes.
DeletePreben Kannik, Military Uniforms of The World - I still have the wellthumbed branch library copy from my childhood, bought when it was sold off - certainly one of my Desert Island Books ...
ReplyDeleteAlong with Saxtorph's companion volume on ancient & medieval armies.
DeleteBeautiful job Ross, your attention to detail is top notch! I can't wait to see them in action!
ReplyDeleteI also ignore a LOT of detail these days. The trick is to figure out what won't be missed by most viewers!
DeleteAbout 25 years ago, I brought my massive Scruby 25mm Mexican War armies to Historicon. As I was setting up, some goober walked up, carefully looked over the figures, and then asked why I put the American Voltigeurs Regt in gray uniforms. I started to tell him I was aware that they supposedly wore blue, but preferred a statement in someone's memoirs (IIRC Longstreet, but I'm not sure now) that he would never forget the wave of blue and gray-clad soldiers that poured over the wall at Chapultepec. Inasmuch as the only regiment that would have worn gray would have been the Voltigeurs, that's what I went with. Before I finished, he wandered away, satisfied that he had straightened out yet another wargaming miscreant. Gotta love the Button Brigade!
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Chris Johnson
One in every crowd!
DeleteThe extra work was worth it thought as they look great Ross. They look dead ringers for the image in Uniforms of the World!
ReplyDeleteRegards, James