"Return of the what's really easy to paint thread-Napoleonic " Topic

So, earlier in the year I started a thread, which of course I can't find now, on figures that are really easy to paint – couple or three colours tops.

This was to try and help me get out of a non-painting patch.

So, I did some of my Dr Who figures (cybermen, angels), and expanded my ACW fleets.

Now I'm looking to paint figures for Songs of Drums and Shakos. I reckon that the easiest allied figures will be the British 95th Rifles. Flesh and green and almost done.

What about the French (or allies) ? Is there anything duller and quicker to paint than line infantry – black hat, flesh, blue jacket, white trousers, yer done !

Not looking to produce works of art (you may have guessed that already), just want colourful 3D playing pieces that look ok when I'm not wearing my glasses.

Any ideas ?

Is there anything duller and quicker to paint than line infantry – black hat, flesh, blue jacket, white trousers, yer done !

Unfortunately, there are straps, packs, straps, epaulets, mustaches, straps, cords, and of course those damned straps.

Just thought – Austrians were all white and black shoes and hat, what were the contemporary French like ?

mustaches

everyone gets a thin black line on their upper lip – or nothing. If they don't like it…they can complainm in writing.

Should have said will be using 20mm plastics.

Frankly, any unit in a greatcoat is fairly easy to do.
Brunswickers are mostly black for foot and cavalry.

Yeah, guys in overcoats and covered shakos. Prussian landwehr are pretty easy too. For that matter, Russian line infantry and post 1806 Prussian line infantry (uniform based on Russians) are pretty easy to paint.

Russians – top to toe in green ?

So the allies can be pretty uniformly dull – what about the axis of evil (Napoleon and his chums ) ?

I keep having visions of mamelukes – but, yes, Airfix did the old guard in greatcoats, so they should be suitably boring looking / easy to paint ?

Revell did them in greatcoat. Airfix did them in regular uniform.

Thanks,

John

If you want to fight against the 95th, look for French Voltigeurs in their vests – essentially shades of white, gray, tan, the like. No tails on the vest, With shako covers, even easier: Just ball pompom with tuft – combinations of green and yellow.

GdeP

Great !

And PSR show then as top to toe blue – easy-peasy to a man of my talents !

Also from PSR – Airfix had 1 figure in a greatcoat – well someone must have bought a lot of boxes 'cos I'm sure I've seen a photo of a regiment all in greatcoats, which must have been just a lot of this one figure !

Russian jager battalions are all green. The musketeer battalions have white pants.

French Light infantry: all blue uniforms, white straps and edging.
Nassau infantry: all green uniforms, buff straps, white veste (IIRC).
French infantry with white uniforms: white uniforms and straps, facings on lapels, turnbacks, collar and cuffs.
French chasseurs à cheval: green uniforms, white straps.
Westphalian infantry: white uniforms and straps, facing colour edging.
Dutch grenadiers (French imperial guard): white uniforms and straps, red facings as per French white uniform infantry.

Just started painting Austrians recently and found them very fast to paint, not what I expected.

Cavalry (save for hussars) paint faster than infantry for me.

Anything in a great coat obviously.

Anything by Blue Moon. I typically paint OG15s but am doing early war Prussians from Blue Moon and they paint quite fast for me. AB paint slower.

Cheers,

The Bandit

@Dogged – I think that's me sorted for "the evil empire". Thanks ! I should be able to put together a number of varied units with minimal painting, and that was the aim for now.

Some of the French marines in 1813 (lotsa blue) or Davout's militarized douanes (customs officers) (lotsa green).

French light infantry all in blue.

Crotian light infantry all in green.

Gotta have tartans!