Monday 30 September 2024

American staff (3)

This is my rendition of the Old Glory Miniatures pack "Dismounted Continental High Command".  I've used a few of these figures before, in a command stand for British artillery.  However, this is the first time I've collected a large number of the figures together for the purpose for which they are advertised.  This base isn't supposed to represent any particular commander.  I just wanted to use the figures to create a vignette that could be used in a Continental camp.  Perry Miniatures have a "camp vignette" scene, which I painted for the British/loyalist side (see here).   

So I looked trough the Caliver/"British Grenadier!" scenario books to see where a base like this might be useful.  Camps appear on the table in the following scenarios:  

·     Long Island - American

·   Germantown – British/Hessian

·   Whitemarsh – American

·   Stono Ferry – British (71st Foot)/Loyalists

·   Brier Creek – American (militia)

·   Savannah – American

·   Eutaw Springs – British/Loyalist

·   Yorktown/Gloucester Point - American

I decided to create a vignette for later(ish) war scenarios, basically Savannah and Yorktown.  The Old Glory set is supposed to give you 2 of each type of sculpt.  My pack had 3 of some figures and only 1 of others. Also, there's only one table; despite there being at least two tables-worth of figures - that's a bit mean.  Anyway, here are a good number of the figures in the pack, a mix of senior officers, ADCs and others. Further figures will appear in another command stand I've been working on.  I'm intending on turning the remainder into Loyalists.  Old Glory figures can be a bit hit and miss.  I find they can be tricky to paint, not least because it can be difficult to work out what they are actually doing and the uniforms sometimes lack precise definition - and sometimes you realise that a lump of extra metal which doesn't seem to have a purpose is simply a lump of extra metal.        

I painted these figures as best as I could.  There's no particular rhyme or reason to the uniforms.  I guess that the senior guy in the sash pointing is probably meant to be Washington; but I gave the figure a major-general's sash to anonymise him.  The officer delivering the despatch is painted in the brown faced yellow coat of Sherborne's Additional Regiment simply because I wanted some colour to break up the dark blue and buff.  The most difficult figure to paint was the chap who (I think) is taking snuff - his head was simply a blob, with no discernable features; so I did my best to paint those in.  I based the large map on this map of the fortifications of Yorktown.  With 9 figures, it's quite a busy stand, but I think it does the job ok.

9 figures and 1 table.  Painted August-September 2024.








5 comments:

Lawrence H said...

Beautiful work Giles. You really have done the best possible job on these Old Glory figures and made them look like little masterpieces.

Christopher(aka Axebreaker) said...

Old Glory is indeed hit and miss, but do have a lot of character and this you did a fine job in bringing out in this little scene you created! Lovely!

Christopher

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

A highly attractive vignette! Staff groups are a fascinating sub-category of the hobby. Fife & Drum provide some nice staff figures for the era, and there are many Minden (same company) SYW figures that can be pressed easily into AWI service. Crann Tara too, which might be easier on the wallet since it is still based in the UK,

Kind Regards,

Stokes

Donnie McGibbon said...

Great little vignette, they really look in the throes of discussion/argument. I know what you mean about OG figures but they are always so animated and full of movement that they can turn out really well as you have shown.

David said...

You have made a marvelous job of those Old Glory figures Giles! I have never mastered how to adapt my preferred approach to their rather odd style. Many packs remind me of folk in the grips of St Virus' Dance. But, they sell shed loads, so what do I know?