Life Goes On

My mother-in-law, Rosemary, died suddenly a week and a half ago due to complications with the surgery she decided in the end to have. Either way, she was faced with a terrible choice; a slow deterioration which could rob her of a meaningful life, or a risky operation which offered her a chance of total recovery or catastrophic failure. After a week in which her symptoms only got worse, she opted to take the surgery with the proviso that if anything went wrong, she would be allowed to die without intervention. The surgeries themselves went without a hitch; it was just her body's reaction to them that was the risk factor, and unfortunately the worst happened. She died after a very rapid deterioration in her condition a week and a half ago. 

We said goodbye to her yesterday in a moving ceremony where my stepfather-in-law read out not only his own eulogy, but a letter Rosemary had written to her grandchildren. Each of the four grandkids was presented with a little enamel box and instructed to fill it with things that bring them happiness and that they'll only find these things if they go out and live their lives to the fullest.. If they aren't filled it's a sign that they are not trying hard enough. There was not a dry eye in the house. I'm typing through a mist of tears just thinking about it now!

We were expecting around forty people to turn up on the day, but were staggered to find nearly double turned up to farewell Rosemary. A true indication of a life well lived, even if it was cut short. She was only 69.

On to more happy things, as life does go on; my latest units off the workbench; An Italian Light Infantry battalion (the 1° Reggimento Fanteria Leggera) using HaT's light infantry figures and a couple head swaps on the officer and kneeling voltiggiatore. The link takes you to the Napitalia site for the regiment, but the details on that site don't mention plumes, so I used a little artistic license. My Italians have lacked a light infantry arm for a while now, so that hole has finally been filled!

The other finished unit is a white faced British infantry unit, either the 32nd or 59th Foot. They are not from the order of battle the rest of my British infantry are from, just an addition using the available flags I still have knocking around!

I decided on this colour scheme before I started research on what I needed to recreate the Albuera order of battle (a long-standing goal for my allied forces). I found out, too late, that there were no regiments with white facings present at Albuera! Oh, well....

I used a mix of figures, but gave them a touch of uniformity by giving them all heads from the HaT Peninsular War British Infantry set. I think it worked out well seeing there a figures from 3 different manufacturers; Strelets, HaT and Waterloo 1815. The command figures (except for one of the colour bearers) and grenadiers are all Strelets, the advancing figure in the forage cap and the figure ramming a cartridge down the barrel are Waterloo 1815, while the rest are HaT figures with their own heads! Apart from the chunky Strelets muskets, I think they match up quite well with the same heads. I'm pleased with the results anyway!

There's nothing wrong with my eyes; my arms are just too short!

I've been short sighted since the age of 12 but with my glasses I've had 20/20 vision, close or at distance. Until recently, that is! After an unproductive (figure painting-wise) year, I've noticed that after a fairly long break where I didn't put brush to figure, I find it difficult to focus on the details. Hence, after a recent visit to the optometrist at work, I now have not one, but two pairs of glasses! One for everyday distance and computer screen use and the other pair for close in work, like painting figues and reading. The improvement is astounding! I hope this translates to a marked increase in productivity, not only in figure painting, but blogging as well.

Below is the latest output from my workbench (which due to said age-induced eye failure has taken months) namely a continuation of my Neapolitan project. In this instance it's more Guard infantry and the Swinging Dick himself, King Joachim Murat. The command figures and the 1st Regiment of Velite Grenadiers are by the ever brilliant Franznap, although the messenger's horse is a ring in from Zvezda, as the original horse's delicate legs snapped off at the ankles after a mishap.

1st Velite Grenadiers of the Guard 

Command figures

"Andiamo, ragazzi!!"

NCO telling it like it is.

The other ranks aren't that impressed, though.

Hurry up and wait!

"Message for you, Your Majesty!"

Joachim on his Tiger-skin saddle

ADCs from the rear.

The Voltiguers of the Guard are a mishmash of various elite figures from HaT sets like 8095, 8166 and 8167 with head replacements using Italeri heads with the shako plate and cockade shaved off. The unique look of the shakos was achieved by painting alone. Only the officer hasn't had any modifications, besides having his shako details trimmed. He's the only Italeri interloper amongst all the HaT figures.

My version of amaranth is a little too red-brown, when it should really be a pinky-purple as per the images below. I can't work out from the images and what little description I've found if the stripes on the shako were hussar-style flammes / bands or just painted decoration, but as my conversion is just a paint-job, that's the view I'm taking. Also, the images don't make it easy to decide whether the colours should be buff or yellow, so I've made an executive decision for buff shako and collar and yellow lace.

Voltiguers of the Guard

Firing line

Command and infantry 

NCO and marching infantry.

Portuguese Artillery and Spanish Command

"Pronto!... Fogo!"

I am terrible at resisting the "ooh, shiny!" impulse, especially when it's for a unique set in my chosen scale and can add to my already existing collection. With that declaration made, let me introduce you to my new Portuguese artillery battery!

These are from the expanding range of metal Napoleonic figures offered by Hagen Miniatures. The figures are great, the gun very detailed, and there's quite a range of paraphernalia that comes with the set. In fact, I found that I could only use 4 of the 6 figures provided, otherwise the base would have been very crowded!

I've added my patent tuft of cotton wool to the portfire and blackened the muzzle to show that it's been in heavy use.

┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉

"Yo espio con mi ojo pequeño...."

This is the second of my recent Spanish command figures. He'll act as an infantry brigadier or cavalry divisional general. Again, he's from the Italeri French command set with a head modification using a Lancier Bleu head. He's had his epaulets removed and his collar built up with Milliput after decapitation of his original head took off more than I intended!

Vistula Lancers

"Za Polskę!"

After recently reading the last instalment in the Goldsworthy series of novels which our hero is involved in the Battle of Albuera, I decided it was time to finally get my Vistula Lancers painted using the lovely, if intimidatingly detailed, Zvezda Polish Guard Lancers.

The fact that all the horses are sporting swallow tailed shabraques, rather than the sheepskin ones my sources commonly showed, means that I was painting a little blind. I found one which showed the officer's shabraque trimmed in silver, so extrapolating from that, I painted the other ranks' shabraque trimming white. I'm worried that it should actually be yellow, but it's too late now!

These have taken a long time to finish what with life being very busy at the moment, but I wanted them to be ready for tomorrow. They'll be part of my French division which will be gracing the Austerlitz table at Tim's all-in bash. It's not actually the Austerlitz battle (which will take place on the first weekend of 2017), just a chance to use our favourite 1500 point force on a wide, expansive table. I'm hoping for some Albuera-style glory from these boys!