"Artillery Wheel Rims" Topic

The following post came as a result of a conversation with a fellow gamer. He visited me whilst I was just finishing up my latest battery of French artillery. He was, to say the least, horrified with the way I had painted the wheel rims. He acknowledged that I had painted the carriages olive green and the metal work black, but could not get over the fact that I had painted the rims of said wheels khaki. Neither could he accept that the wheel on the caissons where painted in a rust color. He pointed out that since metal work was black these features should also be painted black.

Now besides pushing lead I'm also a reenactor with, amongst other things, an Civil War artillery unit. I can tell you that moving guns off road, particularly if the ground has been muddy you rims end up khaki. Similarly, the rim of the wheel on a caisson is left unpainted and gets a rusty patina. There is, after all, no point in painting the metal tyre, since the paint will be worn off in short order.

I would, however, like to see what your thoughts on this matter, although I am very unlikely to go back and repaint the six batteries I've just finished varnishing ;-)

Sounds good to me. I guess it depends if you want them campaign style or parade ground. I like the campaign style myself but seem to be in a minority.

Your friend is looking to see the "Napoleonic Artillery Park Museum" paint job on your pieces. Because when they are on display – the metal IS painted black and it isn't khaki or rusted, or any metal showing because it is out for display. I think it sounds just fine. If you have a chance try putting the khaki back on the rims and then dusting them with some real fine dirt or dust from your yard to make them look more used, or an ink wash to mottle the surface area a bit more.

I think you did just fine by painting them the "campaign dress" colors! LOL

Campaign look is fine for me.

There is, after all, no point in painting the metal tyre, since the paint will be worn off in short order.

Same point as painting all rocks on post white. You do it so that the sergeant doesn't whack you with the flat of his sabre,

Hey 138SquadronRAF…
It's your miniatures so leave them looking real. I painted my Gladiators so that they were dirty and blood stained and someone flipped out on me as well and refused to play with them pulling out his own figures. I didn't let it bother me a bit, and he looked really foolish at the end of the game when his gladiators were all laying on their sides dead and mine stood bloodied and triumphant over all of his dead but meticulously painted ones.

Also, when I paint my Napoleonics, I try to add a dusty hue to their boots and lower trousers for a more realistic look as well. I even put a bit of dirt and grass stain on one knee for some of the figures…it looks great!!

So let your friend carry on all he wants…remember you have the knowledge and they are your figures…paint them up however you wish and enjoy the time and care that you spent on doing them to YOUR satisfaction.

I paint ACW figures in campaign dress. I paint *most* of the Napoleonics I do in full dress colors (though not necessarily full dress uniformed figures). I take hock for mixing the two styles even a little in Napoleonics. It seems that many are obsessed with the theory rather than the reality. That is likely because many were drawn to this period by the uniformity of the combatants and the formalism of the period. That was certainly my draw, I paint ACW troops in ad-hoc arrangement for years and then say, man, straight precise lines … The Napoleonic Wars, of course! Sounds like a nice change!
Those I've played with give me heck over random details that are good on paper but not necessarily any more realistic than some other arbitrary change. Consider the thread here a while back debating clothing dyes and the impact on the color and shade of French blue coats.

In reality the best looking jobs I have seen are 15mm and 28mm figures painted for campaign with ad-hoc uniform changes, mixes of greatcoats and full dress uniforms all in the same battalion. That is real(er). I paint 15mm in 3-man strips for 1:60 games, so frankly I am not making miniature dioramas for every unit, but certainly the higher level of work does include this realism.

In short: no worries, nice job.

Cheers,

The Bandit

I agree with the campaign realist look. The old artillery piece we had on our Iron Frigate had well worn wheels. They were painted and within a few weeks the paint had worn off, just by moving it around a parade square.

Tell the arse-clown that you'd be glad to have HIM buy and paint the figures anytime if he didn't like them. You then tell him thanks and you've got more artillery for your collection! :)