Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Zvezda French Voltigeurs


Oops! Okay, before you all start commenting, I noticed after I posted these that I got a smidge of red on the flugelhorn (or loop-de-loop horn or whatever its called) while repainting the plume from green to red. Yeah, that's on oops on top of an oops.


The red's bugging you now, isn't it?




Not sure if I'm a fan of the macro lens. It shows that my painting can be pretty slap-dash at times.


So this is what my 'kleine Prussische soldaten' see coming out of the woods on their right flank!
Hey, where's the Lithuanian Dragoons I painted a while back! 


Painted the first figure about a year ago, finished up the rest just a up couple days ago. These are painted as Light Voltigeurs (Vaulters, heard they were intended to be ridden into battle in wagons alongside the cavalry, leaping over the sides like the famous photos of Germans hopping out of Hanomags. Napoleon was quite the visionary! 

If I get around to it, I'll do up a set as Line Voltigeurs (white pants.) I think these same figures can be painted as grenadiers—white pants, red plumes and epaulets. Considering Zvezda's scale-creep, they may be better served as the taller grenadiers.

These are basically painted to the box art. A whole box of them painted up would be a stunning display. Unfortunately, the average life span isn't long to accommodate painting a box of Voltigeurs. Or at least, not at the pace I plod through them. Not only that, but it looks like I have Bavarians to get started on.

Enjoy.

6 comments:

peter said...

Hello Shad. Nice blog you have :-D
And very nice painted figures. In my opinion you don't have to be afraid of taking close ups from them. They look good, nice painting style!
Greetings
Peter

Unknown said...

Thanks Peter for the kind words and encouragement!
I notice minor flaws, etc. on the photos I don't see while painting. Age? Dim lighting? Perfectionist? Megalomaniac?

Ben Gilmour said...

Love these figures, and your painting does them justice! I can't wait for Zvezda's line infantry (not that I need any more). I've just painted up Zvezda's grenadiers and they're comparable in terms of detail and dynamic poses too.

Sander said...

Very nice paintjob! I like the Zvezda troops, but I like the HäT ones better, as you know :-P and so am curious how you'd paint those up...

Cheers Sander

bkbreakerbk said...

Hello Shad, Very nice! I have thoroughly enjoyed looking at these photos. I have a question. You may regard it as an annoying question because it might be one of those things that everybody else---except me---knows. But I still consider myself a newbie in terms of how much research time I've put in. Are there other nationalities these could be painted as? For instance, would it be correct to paint them as Swiss, or Italians, or Westphalians, or something besides French? For that matter, what else can be "done" with the French fusilier figures---if anything? Thanks, and best regards.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the comment and glad you enjoy the photos.

To you're question (which isn't annoying, it's a common question I still ask) they can be used for Swiss and Westphalian Voltiguers, below are some links

http://toysoldiersanddiningroombattles.blogspot.com/2011/11/4th-swiss-regiment.html

http://zedsnappies.blogspot.com/

The French Line infantry (Italeri 6066 and HaT French Line Fusiliers 8041) can be used for most German states i.e. Saxony, Westphalia (Wurttemburg had a different cut coat.) These figures have the post 1812 Bardin uniform similar to those the German States wore throughout most of the wars.

Not so sure about Italy. I believe so. I'm a Napoleonic newbie (a couple years into it) and I'm still not 100% sure about the color scheme some of the French Allies when it comes to the pre-Bardin design.

Bennosfigures.com has a good forum with lots of knowledgeable folks. Sometimes you get either too much or conflicting information.

Hope this helps. It was a year and a half into Naps before I knew of the whole Bardin thing. Though subtle, it's as drastic as in WW1, 1916—when the Germans switched from the spiked helmet to the coal scuttle.

Hope this helps. And other visitor's please—chime in with additional info to help our friend out!

thanks