AWI: The Last Commands and Collection Done

 

Its finally completed. After 16 years, the last command units, for this Black Powder American War of Independence collection, have been completed and the collection (as I'd planned) is finished.

In the end there are: 14 command units, 47 standard infantry units, 24 small light infantry and infantry units, 14 small light horse units, 19 artillery and 47 artillery crew, split over both sides.

The last lot to come off the painting table were the final brigade commands for both sides.

Final British and German Commands

(Left) I made up a drum major with a head swap and used the final drummers to create a foot command from the IMEX British Redcoats set. Then used a couple of left over Italeri 17th Light Dragoons and a commander from the Italeri French Infantry set for a mounted command (Centre). Finally, I needed another German command so used the command figures from a leftover sprew of the HaT 7YW Prussian Infantry Command set.

I'd bought two lots of command packs from B and B Minatures, for both sides. So as to avoid painting the same figures up on each side twice, I swapped the packs around and used the Americans for Brits and V. V. - can't tell the difference at this scale. (Edit: Looks like B and B don't exist any more as their site has been down for over 6 months now.)

And I found these already prepped and undercoated in a box when sorting out commands, so painted another small infantry unit up just for shits and giggles.

Final American and French Commands

Some more B and B miniatures from the command set and extra standard bearers from other foot sets (Left), for another American command, flags fluttering towards their freedom. Then a whole raft of figures from the IMEX George Washington's Army set, plus another Brit painted as American command holding the '76 flag (Centre). Finally for the rebels, I needed another French brigade command so used the B and B Miniatures command leftovers (Right).

Also, having increased the Brits by an additional small infantry, it wouldn't to have been right to leave the Americans wanting. I used some remaining figures from Hat's new AWI American Infantry set for another small infantry. Returning to where I started, I finished these off as Rhode Island State infantry, after the first American unit I painted  - and the circle of life was complete.

Feels a bit strange to have actually climbed the mountain of shame and conquered an entire peak. In the end I've got a massive AWI collection which I'm grateful for. Admittedly its at a scale and quality of manufacture which often don't stand up to close scrutiny, but which are good for an 'arms length' finish on the wargames table.

I think I achieved my goal of getting colour on the table after painting the endless sandy khaki/grey of the Sudan uniforms. Having moved on to 28mm painting, I'm glad this is finished - no more tiny white straps!!!!! 😆

Thanks to Paul for taking the leftovers from all the years of collecting.

2nd Punic War: Romans and Carthaginian Spear

This was my historical tally over the new year's break, more conversions and unit completions for Hail Caesar.

Feels good to make some progress against the total rebasing started a few years ago.

Romans

Having finished the Hastati, I thought I'd get some Princeps going while starting on rebasing some cavalry and command.

The Princeps are from HaT Set 8017, Republican Romans Princeps & Triari and Set 8051, Roman Command. The shield decals are from Little big Men Studios and a private commission.

The cavlary are from HaT Set 8021, Roman Cavalry with a commander from Set 8051, Roman Command.

The commanders are a mix of the HaT Roman Command set and Newline Designs command packs (Roman and Etruscan) - both companies' figures mixing seamlessly. To go with the Hastati commander done previously, I've made up a cavalry division command (far left), Princeps commander (left) and two consuls for generals (right).

I figure for large, "Oh the gods! The Carthaginians are going to whip our asses again", kind of battles, while one consul is overall commander for the day, it's not out of the question to have both of them in the field.

I also continued on with the theme of having the Latin divisions made up of two legions (10th and 13th), hence why there's two eagles for the main consul (right). Also love the Etruscan foot command as it comes with trumpeters and Lictors (administrators/servile aides), which probably originated with Etruscans but were adopted by Rome.

Carts

Also got a couple of Lybian spear units done from the HaT Set 8020, Hannibal's Carthaginians - African Infantry

The LBM shield decals really make these units come alive. Would share a link to them but I see they're no longer listed on their website 😞

Got some more Princeps on the go, two units of Triarii to finish off, and some cavalry to rebase and that will be the Latin Romans completed.

AWI: Lauzun's Legion

 

I still have a thing for the legions of this period, producing a brigade of horse, foot, and gun that's complete in itself. More so when it's Lauzun's Legion with their sky blue coats and yellow facings (and grey turnbacks). So I've gone for it and produced several units for Black Powder... which might be a disproportionate amount for the rest of the American allied army...

For the uniforms there were several searches on Google and a huge call out to Baccus 6mm Miniatures, Scenery, & Rules for producing their uniform guides - much used for this and many other units in this collection.

Fusiliers

There's two standard BP units of fusiliers, Volontaires-étrangers de Lauzun and Volontaires étrangers de la Marine. Its pretty hard to tell the difference at this scale as only the collar colours differ so most have either white or yellow collars per unit.

These are made up from Italeri Set 6043 French Infantry and the detail is good for 20mm. They were from the Lot 4 commission that Spiro Dotgeek completed, the final figures of that commission, and another joint effort to finish - adding shading.

The flags are the official flag from the Lauzun's reenactment group in the states, not sure if they're historically accurate though - but they look cool.

Chasseurs

I added a small BP unit of chasseurs mostly because it used the advancing figures left once all the standard fusilier units had been assigned to regiments and painted. Also from the Italeri box and Lot 4 mentioned above - but I changed my mind when shading and the original white and red Viennois chasseurs became Lauzun's 😁

Grenadiers

Probably the single biggest stretch of the imagination when using figures of a different period and nationality, to form AWI regiments from 1/72 scale figures. These are from the Revell Set 02574 

Austrian Infantry. The detail was pretty grim from the 30-year-old casting and I'm pretty sure its the wrong bearskin-covered grenadier cap. But it seems the foreign volunteers weren't covered by the 1779 uniform ordonnance so got to wear their bearskins.

Hussars

Continuing on with the craziness, a couple of units of hussars and a command element for the brigade. These are from the SYW Revell Set 02575 Prussian Hussars and are a close approximation of the uniform (pretty close except for the mirliton decoration and chaps).

First there's the 2nd Volontaires etrangers de la Marine and I'm not sure I've painted figures with so many different colours before.

Next there's 1st Volontaires etrangers de la Marine which, I'm pretty sure, only served in what was the West Indies at the time, although different pictorial sources conflict here. So, good for the collection but perhaps not once setting foot on American soil 😀

Then there's a close approximation of Lauzun himself in Hussar uniform. The mirliton is definitely incorrect as he's depicted with a giant bearskin. But a clearly identifiable command unit for a clearly identifiable BP brigade.

And of course there was this guy. This poor horse is going down. There's no other movement it can complete to recover, its front legs won't be able to take the weight of the rider and equipment, given the force of movement, and its back legs won't get underneath it in time - I've been exactly here when I missed a jump coming off another jump and tried to correct - result - eating dirt for horse and rider (and the rider goes over the top of the horse and flies - I can actually remember the wind whistling past and thinking it was going to hurt when I hit the ground, which it did)... either that or its bucking, see 'rider goes flying' comment.

So, cut the thing off the base at the grassy stump and carve a hole in the base, then insert grassy stump and cover with glue 😂, now it looks like its kicking out 👍

But that's the French completely finished. A brigade of Duc de Lauzun and a brigade of units that could feasibly be found at Yorktown. Onwards!

2nd Punic War: Hastati and Velites

Finally, after almost a year of living in a tiny cottage with most of our stuff in storage, we have moved and I have access to my figure mountain of shame.

And this is one of my more crazy ideas, recycling the 20mm/1/72 figures painted around the turn of the century, for a game system I've never used; Hail Caesar.

Originally for DBA, then DBM (and DBMM), then WAB, I've taken the Carts and Romans painted up for those games and started rebasing them, sometimes adding to their numbers by a factor of two. I figured, I liked Black Powder, Warmaster, and WAB, so why not give this a go... completely basing to a new standard and building the collection to nearly 500 figures... and I was trying to move away from the scale!

Both the Hastati and Velites are from the HaT set 8018, Republican Romans Hastati & Velites. Command figures are from the HaT set 8051, Roman Command. The signifier is from the HaT set 8035, Roman Catapults (even now I wonder why the Hastati and Velites in this set are 25mm).

But have to say I like the way they are based now and of all the basing standards, Hail Caesar really gives the 'impression of a unit'.

Hastati Command

One of three commands, painted as a commander of one of the main troop types for the army (Hastati, Principes, Triarii). Although they'll probably end up being the generals for a single legion.

I bought a pack of plastic gems at the local 2-dollar shop and glued them on the Signifer's pole (ooh err... um, I think its called an aquila), then hand painted the details including the little 'H' 😆

Hastati

These guys have finally come up as I'd originally imagined. The shield designs are from Little Big Men Studios Range, specifically designed for the HaT figures. They're a little bit fiddly but are excellent and well worth it. It only took one or two figures before the 'product line' kicked in.

I've gone for the tenth and thirteenth legions, a) because the 13th was Scipio's legion and b) because there were a lot of 'pig' insignia available for the 10th - though I'm not sure they fought the Carts.

Along with the LBM transfers, I got some transfers made for the command figures.

Velites

Two of about eight small light infantry units for the Romans.

Basing all the lights individually seemed like a good idea at the time, but am questioning that choice after only two units. Luckily a mate gave me a whole lot of movement trays 👍

Next up, the Cart's elephants and a veteran spear unit, and maybe some Etruscan Hastati and Principes.

AWI: British Command and Completed British Brigade

Finally, enough troops painted up to host a game of Black Powder: Rebellion! Roughly 12 units a side - still counting small units as 'half', after almost a year since the Hesse-Cassel Brigade was finished, and just enough for two brigades and a command reserve.


So with the 17th Light Dragoons and Artillerymen completed this week, the British commands are also now done-idly-un. So lets start with no other than General Howe himself - How do you do, indeed? Aha hahahaha. (Figures look a little shiny as its been too wet to spray varnish for the last few days.)


More B and B Miniatures for this high command stand, AR21 British Staff Mounted - with heaps of character. One of the figures looked like General Howe (probably intentionally) so, I mean, you just gotta, eh? Which moves us to the first brigade command.


These are the equivalent command figures as the American command painted last week but this time from the IMEX 512 British Redcoats set. Similar reservations as the American figures painted last week - comments can be found in that post - but same good results.

Here's a few shots of the finished British Brigade ready for a game of Black Powder: Rebellion!

Nice stream of Brits rushing forwards in brigade.


Not quite a sea of red yet as the other brigade is Hessian, but definitely on its way.

Which brings me to the next thing to do.

Yes, there's still four brigades to do, for each side for the AWI, but the white smallclothes and plethora of white strapping, plumes, and buttons has done my head in after a year of painting. Time for a change and here's what's on my painting list at present:

• the mess of figures that have been in the nooks and crannys of my painting desk for over two years
• finishing a 20mm US WII American mechanised and tank platoon, started in 2007 (yes, 2007 - its not a typo), which I forgot to take to the bring and buy a couple of weeks back. Its painted but awaiting stowage conversions... and painting new infantry, since I sold my very old Matchbox mech platoon at the same bring and buy - I've got the figures, the stowage, the Vallejo paints and a copy of Bolt Action and Crossfire - so what's stopping me?
• start the recently acquired Perry's French Ordonannce army - the figures are beautiful - but they give me 'the fear'. I've never painted 28mm before, they'll need a better finish than 20mm, that's for sure.

... or maybe another British AWI brigade and some French... :)

AWI: American Commands and Completed Brigades

So with more contracts rapidly approaching, I've continued this sprint to get things finished to host a Black Powder: Rebellion! game.

With Lee's dragoons finished in the last post, its enough troops to field around 12 units for the Americans (counting small units as 'half'), so time to get some brigade commands done.

So not doing anything by halves, and introducing a new 20mm figure line for this blog, first up is B and B Miniatures American Staff Command Mounted (AR79), painted as no other than Washington himself and including a sword conversion to provide his headquarters' standard-bearer.


The figures are well detailed if a little small compared to the Italeri stuff but fill the gap in the plastics market well (with an extensive range of 20mm AWI figures BTW). When I first got them they looked bad to be fair, but this was only because none of the sprew flashing from molding had been removed. But lo and behold, after only a couple of minutes with a file, they were prepped and I realised that the were well molded and had hardly any mold lines at all, once the sprew flash had been (quickly) removed - nice.

Which brings us to the first brigade command and for this one, I've tied it to one of the completed 'territorial' brigades, New England.


The figures are from the Italeri 6060 American Infantry set and a mounted officer from HaT Set 8282 7YW, Prussian Infantry Command, posed as drummers pulled in from the regiments and pooled together to give brigade orders - so quite a 'low level' brigade command - meh, "...they sure are prudy".


The drum detail comes up well for 20mm, that pale ugly thing on the left is my thumb for scale comparison :).

To end with the final and more generic command from the IMEX Set 511 George Washington's Army, including the mounted officer and dragoon, and some distinguished looking chap/officer in all his finery, having a chat to the commander.


I was a bit worried about using these mounted troops as in the PSR review and on the sprew, they look kinda staid and overly 'posed', but no, they paint up well.

So here's a couple of shots of the finished brigades, starting with Maryland/Virginia.


L to R, F to B: 3rd Continental Dragoons (dismtd.), Maryland, Virginia State Infantry, Lee's Legion Dragoons (dismtd.) and Foot, 3rd Virginia, Lee's Dragoons, and 3rd Continental Dragoons, Virginia Artillery and command.



And the New England brigade.

L to R, F to B: Continental Dragoons (dismtd. across front), Sherburne's Additional Regiment, 2nd New Hampshire, 4th Massachusetts, Rhode Island State Infantry, 2nd Continental Dragoons, 3rd Continental Artillery and command.


Note "Mount Napping Cat' in the background, so called because of its vague resemblance to a sleeping cat, remarkable geology.

To be honest it hasn't hit me that they're finally finished, but on the final leg now. Time to finish off the Brits: command, 17th Light Dragoons, and artillery crewmen.

PS: 3rd Virginia is actually missing in photos above. 2nd New Hampshire seems to have turned up in both brigades! Here's a link to 3rd Virginia.