Looking at what I need for my Syrian/Egyptian games, I decided that the French need some more cavalry. My Black Hussars are wrong in detail but by laying down my "Toy Soldier License", my Black Hussars will be allowed to serve anywhere they are needed. Eventually I'll add some regular Hussars and/or Chasseurs.
Now, the majority of the French cavalry in Egypt were Dragoons so Dragoons are a 'must have'. I don't have a mould but by mixing and matching I can get close enough for my purposes.
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| The body of the unpainted Dragoon is the same Prince August SYW Dragoon body as I used for my 1793 Scots Greys by using one of my Bicorne heads instead on any of the PA heads. The French Dragoon head has been removed from a Meisterin Waterloo British Dragoon body and used as "close enough for a shiny Toy Soldier". |
Having decided to switch the focus of my French Revolution games away from Flanders, I've started seeing which, if any, of my existing 1st Coalition and Republican forces can serve elsewhere without looking too far out of place for me, or needing a lot of work. There are some like my Hesse-Darmstadt Erbprinz regiment that just have no place elsewhere, so they'll stay as they are for when I do want to play a 1st Coalition game. Others I am going to tweak to fit in better in a wider range of settings.
For example, when starting out, I hemmed and hawed about doing Friekorps Riflemen in round hats but ended up doing Hessian Jaegers in bicornes to increase the German contingent. Well, they are no use elsewhere but if I went with my alternate plan and did a head swap and paint touch up, they could serve almost anywhere from Flanders to the West Indies. It took a few hems and haws and a pause for caution then sat down and did it.
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| New hats, minor changes to the uniforms and they're ready to serve anywhere the King commands. (The bases still need painting once I settle on a colour.) |
Next up will be 5 more Dragoon head swaps, (and some casting of sword arms) and I'll be ready to paint my 1st Squadron of French Dragoons.
The dragoon is a splendid conversion. I don’t know why, but kneeling troops are my least favourite thing to paint. I know some don’t like horses … but for me it is kneelers!
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's the influence of my childhood plastic toy soldiers, most sets had at least one kneeler.
DeleteI'm one of the ones that likes that horse. My current view is that if a figure looks reasonably close to it's intended original and looks good - that's enough! These work. End of story.
ReplyDeleteI love my galloping Zinnbrigade horses with mix and match fore and hind quarters but they look a little odd in reserve and these have a closer uniform and will look disciplined on table.
DeleteI find the mixing and matching parts one of the real joys of home casting.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteI recently just did a rebasing of my WWII figures - thankfully my basing is plain and figures held down by white glue. I cannot fathom swapping heads on already painted figures! I doff my hat to you, sir!
ReplyDeleteYou need to enjoy the process to make it fun.
DeleteGood enough I think for a game of toy soldiers Ross. Fine work, sir.
ReplyDeleteThanks, rather rushed and a bit....untidy.... when seen up close, but they'll do fine on the tabletop.
DeleteKeep up the good fight!
ReplyDeleteLovely conversions Ross…
ReplyDeleteAnd if your happy with… what else matters.
Are you going to build the pyramids to go with them ?😁
All the best. Aly