Back in Black

I suppose that title was a little obvious. My apologies for picking the low hanging fruit.

I finished up 11 privates, one sergeant (private on a larger base), one trumpeter, and an officer for my Black Brunswicker light infantry. That’s more than enough for a game of Song of Drums and Shakos. On deck are a baker’s dozen of French light infantry. And a cart with a horse!

Here are a few photos of my efforts. I really need to get another direct light, or two, onto my desktop. The shadows are out of control!

These guys are painted up with a multitude of shades of black, all subtly blended and carefully highlighted.

Really! I spent a lot of time on them!! 

Only to make the discovery that a protective coat of glosscote wipes out roughly 90% of that shading. I KNEW that varnish tends to dull colors, but on higher contrast figures (even my Confederates), it’s always been a good, or at worst neutral, thing. Turns out it’s _devastating_ for black figures. Still, I bet they’ll game well enough. I may go back and add a highlight of silver on the bayonets and sword. Too dull. Also, notice how I suck at painting the hunting horns on the shakos? Yes, those amorphous blobs are supposed to be french horns.

Despite my carping above, I’m pretty happy with these guys. I’m going to knock out my voltigeurs (I’ve been reading Incomparable, so they’ll be from the 9th Legere), so I’ll have enough figures for both sides of a game of SD&S, but then I’ve got to make some decisions about which way to head for Sharp Practice, with its larger figure count.

More complaining…

 

One frustrating thing about these Perry Brunswickers, is there don’t appear to be any NCOs in the command packs, and NCOs are pretty important for SP. One can improvise, like I have with the large-based figure on the left in these photos, but I’d much rather have a figure with a different pose, or an especially manly scowl on its face. Plus NCOs have a sash in this Brunswicker battalion. The poses are somewhat limited, too. There are the firing pack, which I’ve done two of, and then there are lights marching with muskets at the trail. I may keep going with the Brunswickers, and throw some Jaegers into the mix, or maybe I’ll switch to a mixture of Brit lights (52nd, perhaps) and the ubiquitous 95th rifles.

I’m open to suggestions.