En Avant!

Not my best painting ever, but these days, its often as good as I can manage. (I know 70 isn't really old but there are days when it feels like it.) 

 Anyway, these are Compagnies Franches de la Marine from Canada, dispatched to Acadia to help drive out the English. The full uniform is left behind in the heat of a muggy summer day, especially when moving quickly through the forests. (In winter a warm woolen, hooded, coat would replace the uniform coat.)

The figures are a mix, mostly formed from various Prince August moulds but with a few modified Irregulars and one 3d printed sample from Day of Battle.

The rest of the Highlanders are finally cast and next on the painting list!

Thogail nam bo!

Not my best work ever but about as good as it gets these days of shaky hands, blurry eyes etc. 

The 16thC is too soon for clan tartans (a largely Victorian 'thing' according to some scholars)  or belted  plaids/kilts, a 17thC  new fashion, and the figures reflect this. Its a pity they have the anatomy and stoutness of fantasy Dwarves but they look just fine for the tabletop once painted.

Hmm, the guy with the receding hairline has a distinct family resemblance. Coincidence?

So, that's 3 down, and about a dozen to go.

(The blog post title translates roughly into 'Let's go 'lift' some cows', an unofficial cry of a certain clan whose name I happen to bear, though I have never rustled any cattle, not even my neighbours Highland cows. Yet)    

On My Desk

Since the 3d figures from  Day of Battles don't come with bases,  I decided to mount them on their wargame base before painting. Luckily, my highlanders are all 3 to a base as a reminder that they are in a looser formation than the pikemen and billmen.

Not trusting a straight glue bond with such a small contact area, I drilled holes in the soles of their feet and the base and inserted wire pegs to reinforce the glue. Should make them a bit more awkward to paint but not too much so. Anyway, one stand at a time these days, just don't have the patience or the back stamina for large batches anymore.

Thankfully, being early to mid 16thC, tartan belted plaids are not yet a "thing" so it'll be linen or wool tunics and woolen cloaks, which might have an early tartan pattern.

Pass In Review: #4 Day of Battle 3d Prlnted 40mm "Wild Men".

This one is an interesting figure. I can't help but think he started life as a fantasy figure but he is listed in the Medieval Scottish list and I could certainly see him coming out to fight for Wallace. 

 MEDIEVAL – Woodsmen 28/40mm
Day of Battle Medieval Scottish Range On Line Catalogue (click)
(This is the 40mm version.)

Uhhh, he's comin' this way, I think I'll be going now....

Overall, I like this figure, he has lots of energy and the movement looks real to me, like he was about to really lay one on. I'm not sure about the details of clothing but they'll pass in my polyglot collection. The sculpting was largely just right for my tastes and made the figure very easy to paint quickly.  

He looks a bit blurry going past, must be moving fast.....

Sizewise, he is a little on the tall, hefty, size. The active pose makes it hard to judge his height but similar to other Day of BAttle 3d figures and Sash & Sabre but with the bulk of Trigard with a head size like some Meisterzinn homecast figures. That leads to my only criticism, if you look at the next picture, his bare head is noticeably larger that the spearman's helmeted head. Now I've met people who have towered a foot above me and people whose hats would slide right over my eyes but I've never seen one whose head is anywhere near that big! Still, once painted up and on the table, I suspect it wouldn't be noticed once the game begins.

A Wildman behind a Scots spearman. Compare the size of the wildman's
 head to the spearman's helmet.  

As it happens, his clothing is not going to fit well with my 16thC Scots anyway, so I have earmarked hin as a special character for my Prince Valiant Elastolin collection. There, the figures are so much smaller and thinner that he will look like a near giant, a Hagrad sort of character if you like.  Just the sort of character to add something new to next Prince Micheal story/game. 

One last look.

****+1/2* (4.5) is my rating due to the exessively large head. 

There are supposed to be a few welcome rainy days coming, so there may well be a battle to report on before the next sample figure gets painted.

Pjila'si

It was mid September when Helgin set foot in the new land that they had reached while trying to escape from Prince Micheal. He led a handful of hs most trusted followers to explore the land, seek fresh water and look for game.  As they landed,  they were surprised by a welcoming committee.

But that committee did not seem overly friendly!
(Prince August homecast skraelings, Elastolin vikings with Day of Battle hornblower, toy ship)
(and yes, its floating in the little stream that runs through our property)

Coming soon to a blog near you!

(Pjila'si means "Welcome" in mi'kmaq, the original owners of the land I live on.)