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"Chosen men!" 95th Rifles, Peninsula War 1808-14


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I've been a big fan of Perry Miniatures and indeed sculpts done by Alan & Michael Perry for Foundry and Games Workshop previously. A few years ago they produced a line of figures in the unusual scale of 40mm (by my reckoning, and wikipedia, 1/43). I'm not sure how popular they have been but the two ranges that they made seem to exist in some sort of limbo whilst their 28mm stuff grows unabated. Anywho, those of you who may remember either the Sharpe historical novels by Bernard Cornwell or the ITV TV series starring Sean Bean will know something of the regiment. Formed as a response to lessons learned fighting the rebels in the American Revolutionary War the Rifles were equipped with the Baker Rifle and were skirmishing troops. Famously Thomas Plunkett became "the world's first sniper"

 

For a feat at the Battle of Cacabelos during Moore's retreat to Corunna in 1809. Plunket ran forward about 90 metres (100 yd) lay down in a supine position in the snow and shot the French Général de Brigade Auguste-Marie-François Colbert with his Baker rifle. Before returning to his own lines he reloaded and shot down Colbert's aide-de-camp, Latour-Maubourg, who had rushed to the aid of the fallen general, which showed that the first shot had not been a fluke.

 

Perry Miniatures have a miniature depicting Plunkett making those shots and his unusual firing position but I went for five more upright examples to form a little set piece. They will be based individually for display.

 

So this is what you get.

 

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Individually boxed and packed with some sort of  fuzzy stuff that sticks to the sharp bits on the sculpt. 

 

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Here the bugler towers above a 28mm Zulu War figure

 

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And here are all five. As you can see apart from the Bugle, the other figures demand some assembly and one figure comes with a choice of packs. If these were destined for the "hurly-burly" of the Wargames table they would be pinned and glued with two part epoxy, as they are not going to have to fight for a living I simply super-glued them.

 

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I then hot glue the figures to lengths of wooden dowel and prime them with "Artists' White Gesso" a gloopy acrylic paint that shrinks as it dries to give a lovely finish for painting onto.

 

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As you can see the Gesso has dried and all detail is again fully visible, the Gesso is not fully opaque but that doesn't matter that much. The dowel makes handling the figures so much easier whilst painting and keeps greasy fingers off the painted surface.

 

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This is my final step before applying colour. I apply a wash of a brown ink. I'm not fussy about what colour, this is Vallejo "Game Ink" Sepia, thinned about 6:1 with "Flow Enhancer" (Daler Rowney IRRC, I'm not at my bench as I type). This flows nicely into the crevices, it gives you a guide where to pick out the bits of equipment and where shadows are likely to be. The other advantage is that if a bit gets missed it will be a dark brown and unlike a simple white undercoat it won't jump out and poke you in the eye. I have tried washing with black ink and prefer the results from brown.

 

More soon (probably)

 

 

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I've often looked at these figures when ordering from Perrys but never taken the lunge and pressed the buy key. I'm watching this one and I may well order a couple as they are characterful figures. I like the idea of the gesso undercoat and the brown ink, I use black n my wargames figures but think it is too harsh on any thing bigger.

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ive never realy been into painting figures but after seeing some of them on here i might have a go.  i'll think i'll stick to styrene though.  good work so far anyway

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OK a little progress update. Sporadic work, I'm finding the intricacies of Napoleonic Era uniforms a little alien to me (which was kinda why I chose these fellows, for a little bit of a challenge)

 

Some purists will no doubt be a little horrified by my cavalier approach to uniform "colour". My argument has always been that it is impossible to "accurately" portray historical colours on a miniature and therefore I go for a more impressionistic interpretation. If it looks about it right, it's good enough for me. Anywho...

 

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First job is flesh and faces. This is a little cruel enlargement, I will correct his right eye which is too big but otherwise I'm reasonably happy with that. Eyes go in first, as a pale grey horizontal line then a dark blue/green/brown dot for the pupil. The flesh is then built up around the eyes Basis is Vallejo 845 "Sunny Skintone", darkened with the addition of 872 "Chocolate Brown" where shadows would fall and highlights with added 976 "Buff". The bulk of the uniform green was then painted up, a base of 975 "Military Green" then highlighted with 968 "Flat Green" some Buff added for extreme highlights. The eagle eyed will have noticed a mistake...

 

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Yup, I painted the Shako green it should be black. I have corrected it 862 "Black Grey" as are his boots and the plume has been picked out in green. I don't like raw black or white on a figure so rarely use it, I always lighten shades with an off-white like "Buff" rather than a pure white.

 

I'm actually a little further on "on the bench", I have started painting in the packs and webbing and the rifles have been woodgrained and the metal components painted black in preparation for gunmetal and brass details. Officer's red sash/cummerbund. More photographs to follow.

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  • 4 weeks later...

A little update. The figures are coming together nicely. I must admit the intricacies of Napoleonic uniforms was something I had never considered until these figures. Riflemen, dark green and pick out the details...

 

...not so fast Rumbly!

 

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The Sergeant figure

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The Bugler.

 

What I found was that there was considerable variation in the uniforms according to rank and function. So note the Bugler wears grey trousers compared to the green of the Sergeant. This, from my internet searching appears to be a function of on-campaign availability? Note also the red trimmings on the sash/cummerbund worn by the Sergeant and the red cuffs and epaulettes of the Bugler. These are rank designators as I understand them.

 

So complex is the word! I have the other figures at similar stages. I call this the look and check stage. It's easy to miss bits so it is important to examine the figures carefully and look for bits that aren't complete also areas like the Sergeant's stripes that need a little tidy up. Here the metallics have not been properly applied. I like to apply a matt varnish and this kills the sheen of the metallic paints, so I add these last or touch them in afterwards.

 

There is so much detail on these figures they are an interesting challenge. So hopefully some more careful checking then varnish, then metallics, and base to complete.

 

More soon...

 

...probably!

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Nearly there. Just need to base and perhaps the odd touch here and there?

 

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This guy is the company "cobbler" hence the boots and pot on his back, maybe a little fanciful for advancing into action? But fun to paint!

 

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Quite pleased, nice figures to paint, intricate uniform details were challenging. Next stop should be "Ready For Inspection"...

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Really nice figures.  Well done.

 

Quick question, were red facing worn by buglers of the 95th?  I thought (but no references with me and it's many years since I looked) red facings were 60th KGL Rifles?  It's all very hazy now though....

 

 

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9 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

Really nice figures.  Well done.

 

Quick question, were red facing worn by buglers of the 95th?  I thought (but no references with me and it's many years since I looked) red facings were 60th KGL Rifles?  It's all very hazy now though....

 

 

Oh ye gods I hope so!

 

My "research" (if I may dignify it with that name) consisted of referencing multiple photographs and images on the internet. I have to confess this is one of the complexities of Napoleonic uniforms that has me in a cold sweat! I found a French site which had helpful drawings of the uniforms and showed the bugler alone with red facings. I don't like making models of models so disregarded such sources but I confess that many models of a Bugler show the black-grey facings as worn by most other ranks. Logically it seems unlikely that a Bugler would be so adorned but as you say it did happen in other regiments!

Edited by Rumblestripe
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Smart work, I'm tempted by this scale, they do seem a nice size, enough detail to  enjoy without the cost of 54mm.

 

I'm sorry to say I think your bugler has the wrong facings, IIRC the 95th had black and the 5/60th( Royal Americans), who were the other rifle armed regiment, had red.

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Yup, I'm beginning to think you're right. Not the hardest thing to correct but I'll give it a bit more "research" because knowing my luck I'll repaint them and find that they were red after all!

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