These are the Perry Miniatures "Young Guard resting on their packs" figures. They are wonderful little sculpts, full of character, and I just couldn't resist painting a few up; it's packs like these that make it difficult for me to escape the lure of the Perry 1815 range. These figures are very much for decoration. I can't imagine anyone would use them in a tabletop "combat" situation, and I certainly don't intend to: I think you can just about get away with using "at ease" standing figures, but not ones that are sitting down. With hindsight, I wouldn't have placed the muskets on the ground, as you see here. Since painting these figures I've seen other units where the muskets are tied together in front of the seated troops - that's more realistic and I would have done the same if I'd given this more thought!
So the idea is that these figures will represent where Barrois' Voltigeur brigade is on the table whilst they are waiting in reserve. Once the regiments move into action, I would replace this unit with full regiments in a different pose. As these figures are largely decorative, I couldn't see the point of painting a full 1:20 regiment (the "General de Brigade" Waterloo orbat gives a total of 112 figures for the 1st and 3rd Voltigeurs!). I thought about painting 24 figures, but then settled on 16 on the basis that I just couldn't see the point of painting any more. After all, few Napoleonic tables are ever large enough to accommodate troops held in reserve anyway, as there is often barely enough space for those in combat. I have one figure left over, so may well at some stage paint up a similar 16-figure unit to represent the Tirailleurs.
When I originally wrote this post the was missing its flag because I bought flags for the Tirailleurs instead of the Voltigeurs. I've now added a newer photo with the correct flag. The figures are based on the larger plastic bases that come with the Perry plastic French infantry set. I had these left over as I'd based the 72eme Ligne in fours rather than sixes. You need the larger bases for these figures as the muskets take up extra space. I am not a huge fan of green coloured bases, so I painted the edges of these ones with GW "Bestial Brown".
16 figures. Painted January 2009.
7 comments:
Very nice indeed. Its little bits like this that delay me painting "proper" units!
First class stuff. I feel your pain about the 1815 range, there are a lot of must-haves, especially those nice things without an obvious value.
I think you could use them on command stands, as well as markers for a unit's state or current orders, i.e. wait/hold or recovered. I would also place them on the tabletop even if they are not actually involved; just for the fun of it.
Cheers
...love the drummer sitting on his drum but the guy with his head reasting on his arms is so evocative - lovely stuff... & very tempting!
I agree with Sire Godefroy. Just the thought of these figures on the tabletop for the fun of it is true. They would make excellent objective or status markers
If you painted a unit at rest you could sprinkle one of two of these in it.
You've done a wonderful job with these.
Now get back to work on your AWI stuff mate!
Very nicely done figures. I especially like the muddy boots and pants cuffs.
Jim
Some of these would make very good captives in a POW vignette. Fatigue or dejection?
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