To my surprise, this morning turned into a decent day with few obligations so I got a chance to tidy a space in the unheated wood/storage/workshop shed and fire up my smelter for the first time this year.
Now, I don't really NEED another red coated infantry unit right now but......a second emigre unit or some marines would be better for the Frogs and Lobsters scenario than the Hessians I used in the test game. They would also be better for any future West Indies games while still being good for Flanders.
I was planning to do the Loyal Emigrant regiment in bicornes and long tails as my next allied unit but I'm starting to lean towards another unit in coatees and round hats which would fit into all of the potential theatres. I've also been thinking about doing a unit of marines. Now in 1795, the Marine's (not yet Royal) official uniform was long tails and bicornes but there is some reason to suspect that a more practical unit of coatee and round hat, like worn in the West Indies and by some emigre and volunteer units, might have been worn on board ship before it was authorized when they became the Royal Marines. Since I'm leaning towards some West Indies games and some raids down the road, it seems to sort of make sense, so I cast enough bits for either.....or both.
If I do the round hats now, the bicornes and tails guys could eventual be painted as a British unit for Flanders or as another unit of Republicans.
He has been busy and what splendid recruits he has found!
ReplyDeleteHopefully they'll train up well.
DeleteOnce needs are satisfied, what is left to live for but wants?
ReplyDeleteMega casting session there !
ReplyDeleteThe moulds were behaving themselves today.
DeleteYES! It always feels good to look at your production after a solid day at the casting bench.
ReplyDeleteOr an hour.... good weather and air pressure, big pot, a couple of moulds rotating through... when it works they just roll off the production line.
ReplyDeleteYou are braver than me when it comes to spending time with Meisterzinn molds. Nowadays, they are used to provide heads for my PA bodies. It does look like you got a lot of good casts from the metal molds though.
ReplyDeleteAppearances can be deceptive. I struggle with the metal moulds. So, after doing a rather tedious if simple modification of one casting, and making half a dozen new revolutionary heads from epoxy putty, mostly British, I made an rtv mould of the conversion and the new heads.
DeleteRoss, if I may, I actually have a blog devoted to wargaming the French Revolutionary Wars 1792-1802. I had to cast most of my own Emigre regiments in 28mm, and it has plenty of photographs of the results. My Loyal Emigrants is now two battalions with their own flank companies, and artillery company. But I do like the Damas Fusiliers in light blue coats.
ReplyDeleteMichael
I had had a quick look at it a while back and then forgot about it! Just had another peek and there are some very nice figures and material. I'll spend some more time later.
DeleteOur small Fr Rev project started out with Rob Dean building a Meisterzinn homecast Scarlet Pimpernal based skirmish game for which I sculpted some extra heads and some civilian peasant types and made a mould and helped cohost the games at some HMGS cons.. early this century anyway. The rules were based on the Medieval Mayhem rules we wrote as published in Battle games issue...6?
Anyway, a year or so ago we decided to revive the Scarlet Pimpernal thing and I decided to add some troops and we were almost set when Covid hit. Left to my own devices I sort of drifted off into the Toy Soldier small wargame direction until times were better. So its sort of in limbo not sure if the units are companies or battalions or just vague detachments and not really caring. Eventually the character driven plots and mild touch of role playing will return.