ECW Painting Progress

While "real life" has been slowing me down, I have still made it to the painting table more than a few times.  Pictured below is the current state of a dozen Pike & Shot units:

All figures were placed on painting sticks and black primed, then "damp brushed" with white and coloured "identifiers" painted on the sticks.

Since then all figures have had at least 5 colours applied (many have more) -- at a minimum every figure has flesh, hair, headgear, coat and breeches painted.

Since I wanted an "irregular Regular" appearance, I have used three somewhat similar coat colours in each unit (painting one stick each of pike & shot with each colour).  I then used four varied colours for breeches (painting one figure on each stick with each colour).  Also I've varied the hat colours as well.

The result is that no two figures are painted the same way . . . but that each unit will look like a unit (albeit perhaps a bit ragged or with differently aged uniforms).

So, what is left to do?  Most of the leatherwork (belts, boots and pouches), most muskets and most metal bits plus a few odds and ends.

Oh yes, I also have four units of Commanded Shot at about the same point in the painting process . . . but all of the mounted still await my brush . . . *sigh*.

-- Jeff

Slow Painting Progress

Yes, I HAVE been working at getting my ECW army painted . . . however due to my wife and my health issues I've not had as much time as I'd like to paint.

In this photo you can see some of the pike & shot units that I've been working on.

(The photo was taken from my main opponent, Murdock, and has been "stolen" from his blog.)

These troops just have flesh, pants and coats painted at this point . . . but it certainly makes them seem close to being finished for me.

-- Jeff

Composition of Royalist Army

I thought that I'd share with you the intended composition of my ECW Royalist army . . . at least as intended at this point (the figures have been purchase but are not yet painted).

Photo of Murdock's Parliamentary Troops -- not mine

First my Foote:

• Pike & Shot -- 12 units (5 Green, 4 Veteran, 3 Elite)
• Commanded Shot -- 4 units (1 Green, 2 Veteran, 1 Elite)
• Dismounted Dragoons -- 2 units (1 Green, 1 Veteran)

Then my Mounted -- 12 total units -- 10 Horse, 2 Dragoons:

• 7 units of Gallopers -- ( 2 Green, 3 Veteran, 2 Elite)
• 3 units of Trotters -- (1 Green, 1 Veteran, 1 Elite)
• 2 units of mounted Dragoons -- (1 Green, 1 Veteran)

Finally the Artillery -- a variety of different sized guns with enough artillerymen to man as many as we are likely to field.

I should note that the above lists are substantially the same as Murdock's Parliamentary Army except that he will have the exact reverse number of Trotters and Gallopers.

-- Jeff

Royalist Commander Selected

In the rules that I'm writing for my in-house ECW battles, all Generals and Brigadiers have a "personality" (Aggressive, Steady, Careful and Political).  Each personality has differing advantages/disadvantages which will affect the Brigadiers under him as well.

Before each battle we will roll to see which personality our General and Brigadiers will have.  There are thus four possible Generals (one of each personality) and eight different Brigadiers (two of each personality).

Originally my thought was to fit various historical figures to each of the C-in-C's personalities (as I expect my Roundhead opponent to do).  But in researching various commanders, one leaped out at me.

The Earl of Forth (Patrick Ruthven) had battle results all over the map (some great, some terrible, some where he wasn't there, etc.); and he had a very strong reputation as a "hard drinking man" . . . viola!

He will be perfect for me.  He will always be in command (unless killed, in which case I will revert to the "traditional" four general solution).  I will simply roll to see which of his inebriated states will come to the fore on the day of battle . . . Aggressive, Steady, Careful or Political.

Fun, eh?

Now to pick the eight Brigadiers (who will also be rolled for on the day of battle to see who is there).

-- Jeff

Some Decisions to be Made

Beside my Warlord plastics and Perry lead for my English Civil War project, I acquired a fairly substantial number of lead figures from a fellow down island.  The price was great, however the figures had not been treated kindly.

One specific problem was with the cavalry.  There were lots of sword-waving troopers most of whom had broken off swords.  Now Murdock has kindly offered to come down with his dremel tool and help me replace them with pins . . . (this is something I've never done although I've read of folks who have done so).

Now one of my problems is how well this will look with the unbroken swords of my Warlord and Perry troops.  Will I have to replace them as well?  I will have to wait and see.

Another issue has to do with the muskets of the Warlord plastics and the Perry lead.  I had planned on mixing them up within each unit . . . but while the sculpting of the two lines matches very well, the musket lengths are noticeably different (with the plastic being much longer).  Now I have to decide whether to simply use them in separate units or to snip the ends of the barrels off from the plastics.  I'm currently leaning toward the former but might well change my mind.

On a positive note, I did manage to make a hundred 80mm pikes from the mild steel welding rod I picked up last week . . . and I have finally assembled the arms and hats for way too many plastic foot and glued all of my plastic horses together.  However I still have swords to glue on the foot and pistol holsters on the horses.

I am getting very tired of all of the fiddly little bitwork needed to assemble all of the Warlord plastics.  They look good and the price is great but I have to pay for it in time in putting them together.

Nothing is painted yet (nor will it be soon) but I do continue to get things prepped.

-- Jeff

Mounted Units Selected

I have made another slight change in my prospective foot units . . . but that will be the subject of another post.

Today I will focus on the mounted units that I hope eventually to field.

At left you can see the ten "Horse" units and two "Dragoon" units that I've selected.

The horse units are mostly historically correct although two or three are either conjectural or were "unknown" and assigned to existing commanders.

As with my foot units it will take a long time before all are painted and ready for the table top . . . but one does need a plan, doesn't one?

-- Jeff

Updating Planned Foote Units

Well after some further research I have once again (and probably not for the last time) changed my mind as to which pike and shot units I hope to eventually build.

The units to the left are my current choices.  All of these flags (as well as a listing of their coat colors) are from the Wargames Designs website.

This current mix will have four red-coated units, three blue-coats and one each with green, yellow, white, grey and black coats.

It should be very colorful indeed.

-- Jeff