"Black Hussar Zastrow Cuirassiers" Topic

A selection of photos of my latest project, Black Hussars' Zastrow Cuirassiers.

Actually not my favourite uniform (indeed I will never tackle white again!) but, after getting their Garde du Corps, I simply had to get these figures. Paul Hicks' very characteristic work and, I think, even better poses than the G du C.

The original plan was that six would become Louis XVIII's Black Musketeers and one was sacrificed to prove it simply could not be done. That left a gap filled by a Front Rank figure which I have tried to present as a Saxon General. Some horses are Front Rank for variety and they look far better with these figures than I have ever acknowledged in the past. Otherwise, unusually for me, pretty much straight out of the box. Standards are GMB purely as I had them lying around. Black Hussar do them too but no idea if a smaller size.

What a fetching rendition of this unit. There is lots to admire in the details and brushwork but for me the colour/shade choices of the white yellow and black and orange are perfect.

The whites for the gloves and sashes are different from the sleeves. What did you do to get the contrast? What gold did you use?

Lastly what happened to the round bases? Liberated from gaming conventions I had thought that was a signature?

Super work Deadhead. I liked the inclusion of a general in the line. A new idea and a good one.

Absolutely splendid!

fantastic work, I like the idea to include a Saxon cavalry general within the unit

A great looking unit, the detail on the saddle cloths is excellent – you must have the patience of a saint. I also like the satin sheen on the horses which makes them look alive, real creatures that sweat when galloping. Horses painted or varnished matt just look like stuffed carcasses.

Agree with all of the above.

Also a great earth color on the bases.

Tom

Agree with the earth basing observation – it too is compellingly good. The esteemed Deadhead will no doubt shortly inform us that the bases include a pinch of Borodino earth, smuggled out without attracting attention from Russian tour guides. The man is a genius, taking the hobby to soaring new heights!

Very nice brush work.

That's a great looking unit!

many thanks all. Great to get this feedback.

The yellow shabraques and portmanteaux/valises got a wash in Citadel Cassandra Yellow. I was very reluctant at first as it is so red/orange, but was assured this was the best. Once a second coat of yellow it did work. Odd no straps on the valise…….?

The gloves. I always use Iraqi Sand, Vallejo 708189. Seraphim Sepia wash to show fingers and then rehighlight. But the gauntlet cuffs? Courtesy of von W himself who told me that Vallejo Ivory 70918 is infinitely easier to work with than pure white. The paint quality is totally different.

The general was just quick thinking to fill a gap. One of so many Front Rank figures I have never used. I am beginning to admit I have been far too hard on what are superb castings. You just have to choose your figures. The horses proved brilliant here. Black Hussar do three very nice walking horses, but two only differ in slight change of head position, so you need more.

The base? Pollyfilla. Paint it in Humbrol Acrylic 26. Add some gravel and tiny stones (some are a bit leg breaking here!) with PVA glue. Repaint in Humbrol. Highlight with a light stone colour drybrushing. Add some grass tufts. No Borodino mud here alas. Three times to Moscow, different lass on each occasion, but not one fancied the trek out there in midwinter. After freezing my Altama boots and cracking both soles on Red Square last visit, they might have been right.

Oh yes! The sheen on the horses. It is from the Chestnut ink. I was not sure, so matt varnished one (bottom picture, see the rump of the horse furthest right) but it killed the colour completely. Left the rest!

Forgot the Q about gold. Nothing clever there. Vallejo 70878 Old Gold with 70996 to highlight. I then added a gloss varnish to the helmets and to the horses' eyes, which are solely black…no white anywhere.

They are a lovely unit. Well done! Have you painted all the Black Hussar Saxon cavalry yet? They're all excellent!

Many thanks. So far only Zastrow and G du Corps

I almost exclusively collected figures from 1815, but did branch out slightly with figures like 2e Eclaireurs or Mamelukes. For some reason there was always something about the Saxon G du C uniform shown in Haythornthwaite's Uniforms of the Retreat from Moscow. So I had to get the Eureka figures as shown here before.

TMP link
TMP link

Westfalia suggested the chance of such a release and finally Sascha at Black Hussar did follow up on that. Paul Hicks' sculpting won me over, the moment I saw G du Corps, so I had to get the Zastrow too. He also did the chasseurs for Brigade games Miniatures that I upgraded to Garde and the detail is just amazing. (Never yet tried his Murawski, I must)

I am very tempted indeed by the Hussars and Chevaulegers obviously. Funny thing though, ‘er indoors says she does not see enough of me, we do not go out enough, I spend too much time on the TMP etc etc (and I do have the six Black Musketeers to do, which no one will be interested in, I do know)

Excellent work and good numbers here too Liam, we'll get you on the wargaming table yet ;)

Let's Party with Cossacks sent me a personal message making a very good point, although he actually was worried I might take it badly!

Those rocks. I took a very heavy mallet to some stones from the garden, but left them too big, I do accept. I said above "(some are a bit leg breaking here)" and the more I look at the chap front left, the more I am convinced that a few minutes work would make them far more sensible. A job for today.

Round bases I have slightly gone off. Great for small groups, skirmishers, artillery.

The snag with these for on a wargaming table, the weight! The three ranks weigh 1.5Kgs!

I've been outed!

Deadhead mount the whole unit on a mini marble slab and you might reach the 10kg mark – it certainly deserves it.

1.5 kg weight? Cannot believe it, ware the scales alright?

Three steel perforated plates, Polyfilla base, stones(boulders indeed) and 18 metal figures and horses. Soon adds up.

Great work!

Deadhead I had something more elegant in mind – not plastic with numbers on it. Think gilt edges black marble inlaid with the imperial bees.

Heavy stuff mind you! In every sense….

@deadhead

I stand correct, finally I finished my Prussian Cuirassiers of the 7YW – see

TMP link

Do follow the link to see what really skilled artistry can achieve and to see the quality of Black Hussar's products. Whether Paul Hicks or Germershaus, superb.

I like the flagstaff which is curiously missing from the Saxons. Exactly right for them too.

The blued sabre is great. All you need is tiny golden Gothic script on it or brass decoration. In 28mm, with your talent…..easy. I tried it with Mamelukes……series of gold dots was the best I could do

Fantastic work!!!!

Great job on a justly famous unit!

Thanks to both of you.

Full credit to Archiduque, whose book continues to inspire me, even though it is now falling to pieces from constant use.

My next will be a signed, leather bound, tooled, version, for my library.

Hi Liam, another minor question
"The staves were of unpainted wood with gilt spear-shaped finials."
From here:
link

Do you have different info? Can't see anything on this in my Rawkins book.

How odd that my picture of them on a weighing scales has now been replaced above. Thank God it is nothing too weird.

Went back through every image I have of Zastrow and Garde du Corps, especially other modellers attempts. One even shows a yellow staff but the rest all show in natural wood, but with a distinctly red cast to it. Mine is Vallejo Cavalry Brown, 70.982. I had intended to add an ink wash but forgot!

It is little known that Saxon Flag staves were of imported Californian Redwood. So little known that only I do so. Funny thing tho' every modelled has shown it distinctly a red brown.

Like these;

Interesting thanks Liam, I guess plain wood can also be reddish in colour, and just cavalry brown is quite a red colour alright!

Very nice indeed and the usual superb standard of painting.

May I respectfully suggest that a darker shade of colour be applied to the trumpet to suggest the flare?

With respect to groundwork, builders sand works well, and rougher ground can be created with sharp sand as it is more ‘ bitty'.

Keep up the good work, splendid stuff.

Best wishes,

Chris

for the cavalry standards – hopefully Jörg Titze will tackle this topic in the future.

As for trumpeters on grey horses for heavy cavalry – no – a pity that you go this road.

for more see

link

also for cavalry standards, just for 1792 but it may give a trend, see

link

some are depicted and show again how small they were in reality

The trumpet! How did I miss that? I have looked at these pics so many times…and never noticed. It is the old thing…your brain "sees" what you expect to see.

To von W. My apologies I was not clearer. The top six are my figures. No trumpeter has a grey horse in my Saxon Heavy Cavalry. The bottom three miniatures are the work of others, who have posted here (and remembered to fill in the trumpet flare!). You are certainly right about smaller standards. The only ones I have that are correct…well only one, for my Black Musketeers I made it

Again, to von W, some hours have passed. I was called to Sunday lunch with Frau Deadhead and two out of three offspring sons. A thoroughly good lunch….far too good for the liver though!

GMB flags are well known for quality, but also quantity. They are….BIG. They admit scaled to suit wargamers, those strange folk who actually want to know who is whom, on a very large table. Easy for me, they are either on a glass shelf, saved to my PC and/or stored in my attic.

Black Hussar do standards too, but I had these in reserve from GMB. Has anyone used them? They may be more sensibly sized.

Oh crap I have just based mine and have grey horses for trumpeters! Will remember for Leib regiment.

But I will bet they look good. Come on, show us a photo or two. Never mind the quality of the camera itself……

But esp the Garde du Corps. Possibly my favourite uniform of the era. Close tie with Gendarmes d'Elite