Monday 30 July 2007

Queen's Rangers (2)


Perry Miniatures released a pack of artillery for the Queen's Rangers. These figures are a delightful bonus and totally unexpected; I can't imagine anyone else releasing such things. This set comprises a 3-pounder gun and an "amusette". These pieces are referred to in the journal of Major John Simcoe, the Queen's Rangers' commanding officer. They seems to have been issued at some time after 1778. The amusette, essentially a larger calibre musket, was apparently devised by the Marechal de Saxe. A later model's bullets weighed half a pound to a pound and could carry to a distance of 2,000 paces. I have not been able to find any further information about when the 3-pounder and the amusette were used in action, but I imagine Simcoe's journal has some details. As yet, no AWI scenerio I have seen requires either of these pieces. I imagine the amusette is more geared towards skirmish actions.

These Perry figures include a Royal Artillery sergeant, which is a nice touch and I have based him seperately so I can use him with other crews. I have assumed that the rangers used a British gun and so painted it in the usual blue-grey. The amusette mantlet was painted with Games Worshop "Scorched Brown" highlighted with the first two colours from Foundry's "Spearshaft" palette. The two mantlets in front of the 3-pounder were painted with the same base of "Scorched Brown" but then highlighted with all 3 colours from Foundry's "Drab" palette. I wanted these to have a more weathered look, and thanks are due to Levied Troop of the Wargames Directory for suggesting this method of depicting "silvered" wood; I think it works quite well. In both cases the "Scorched Brown" was given a dark brown ink wash to bring out the wood grain.

Painted July 2007.

4 comments:

Post Modern Bellerophon said...

I have simcoe's journal I will see if I can find the references for the both of us. Since like you I am building the Rangers and the Legion.

Vaughan

Anonymous said...

I have never seen any record of the Amusette being used in the Revolution,and it's debatable if the mantlet/cart even came to America, however the 3 pounder was used extensively in all theaters of operation.

3 Pounders captured from Burgoyne's army at Saratoga and from Cornwallis at the Cowpens were used by the American forces against their former owners.

The 3 pounders were used as Battalion guns attached to the infantry and not part of the artillery park, but the crews rotated between the battalions, Park and Depot

Howitzers were of course used at Yorktown!

Stuart
www.1va.org/

Anonymous said...

I have never seen any record of the Amusette being used in the Revolution,and it's debatable if the mantlet/cart even came to America, however the 3 pounder was used extensively in all theaters of operation.

3 Pounders captured from Burgoyne's army at Saratoga and from Cornwallis at the Cowpens were used by the American forces against their former owners.

The 3 pounders were used as Battalion guns attached to the infantry and not part of the artillery park, but the crews rotated between the battalions, Park and Depot

Howitzers were of course used at Yorktown!

Stuart
www.1va.org/

Bob C. said...

Giles, I know you use Vallejo, so what color do you paint your gun carriages?? I can't seem to find the right shade of blue gray?
And how did you do that wood grain on the wood shield? Thats amazing!

Bob