October Already!

Real life seems to have managed to get in the way of painting figures during September but at least I’ve been able to keep up with blogs and what everyone else is up to!

I have at least managed to finish another French infantry battalion for the Franco-Prussian War. Although there are ten figures, some were slightly re-painted figures, so I reckon I only really had to paint the equivalent of about seven figures, so it’s not a huge amount of progress! The unit is shown above on its movement base and below in a rough skirmish line.

Six of the figures were painted from scratch while the other four were older figures re-painted slightly to fit in. The two right-hand figures in the picture above (Irregular Miniatures 20mm early WW1 French) were originally wearing white kepi covers and trousers and formed part of my French forces fighting in Indochina in 1884 – since re-organising those troops, these two were re-painted with red kepis and trousers to allow them to be used in the Franco-Prussian War. The two centre figures (HaT 1:72 early WW1 French) were originally early WW1 figures also able to substitute as FPW figures – once again, a re-organisation of my early WW1 French meant these two could have their haversacks painted white so they could be transferred in to this FPW infantry battalion.

I should probably point out that French mobilisation and supply issues, coupled with transition from Empire to Republic, meant that there were variations in infantry uniforms. Greatcoat colours varied, the red epaulettes were frequently discarded and black gaiters could be worn instead of the more common white ones. This is handy, because it allows early WW1 French infantry to fit right in!

The two figures third and fourth from the right (B & B Miniatures 20mm FPW Garde Mobile) have not been issued with coats and are wearing the short veste with a light blue sash under their belts (not visible in this view). These two originally wore higher casquettes that have bee filed down to represent kepis.

The last four figures, on the left of the picture above, are all Emhar 1:72 plastic FPW French infantry, from the same set as the previous infantry battalion that I painted (you can see them here). I particularly like the two figures walking, one of which is shown below in detail.

This figure must be one of the best plastic figures I’ve seen (my painting excluded, of course) and seems to be advancing very purposefully! All of the Emhar figures have separate backpacks, which probably allows them more flexibility in the poses the figures can have.

Finishing this unit means I have now completed both my Prussian and French FPW forces, although I might add some extra French infantry at some point in the future. For now I need to work out what to paint (very slowly) next!