"Prussian Artillery for Plancenoit now" Topic

Odd.

The message is lost. Let me try again;

OK, that's better.

For the Waterloo project.

TMP link

All are Art Miniaturen and forgive the white balance issue. The vehicles are the shade of blue in the top photo. The horses all carry wheel horse harness curiously and the drag ropes have been simplified and not glued to the swingle trees yet. Off in the post in 20 minutes!

Wonderful.

Amazing, simply amazing.

Great work!!

Jim

Eye-catching.

What colours did you use on the chestnut horses? They stand out.

Come to think of it, how do you do your horses in general?

Well done, congrats!

Beautiful work

Excellent!… thanks for share…

Armand

Great work!

the artillery and waggons and limbers look very impressive, maybe a wash with like dark brown would be a good idea for the barrels otherwise they look as just cast.

That is a outstanding job, way better than mine.
But you killed a horse, should have relieved it or had another team hauling the load.

Horse only just died. Prussians on to it.

Very nice, mate.

Superb painting, they look great

Absolutely wonderful. Such a privilege to include these in the diorama.

Apologies for the delay in reply. First trip ANYWHERE in two years and that was just three nights in London.

Well, I had no idea this posting would get any response frankly, let alone this degree of feedback. However much needed by the diorama, and however realistic, a Prussian "battery" is not to be compared with French Imperial Guard HA for glamour.

The drivers are remarkably complacent about the loss of no fewer than three lead horses, effectively immobilising three limbers. They are just sitting there, holding whips, to try to encourage a resurrection. We could add gun crews crouched to cut them loose of course, but my thought was there must have been countless instances of such in the battle, so they must be shown, rather than pristine teams.

von W's comment (as always) is so apposite. These cannon have been surprisingly well polished between Ligny, Wavre and Plancenoit! They are Vallejo bronze straight from the bottle, over black undercoat. I had fully intended a brown ink wash and just forgot (as I did with two drivers' whips). In 28mm I always did the barrels in dark earth and dry brushed bronze over that, with Old Gold highlights. (Jet black wheel rims are equally unlikely let us face it, but they look good!) Part of my excuse is I forgot, part is laziness, part is a rush job. There is a deadline here, not quite like a certain airport's gates, but looming.

The horses. I love them too…once done. The painting of artillery horses is infinitely more complex than cavalry. I would love to have done more realistic harness, drag ropes, chains etc but had to keep it simpler for transport and distal assembly. The AM figures are superb.

Here is the funny thing. There is not one single chestnut horse in this display. They are all bays or blacks. Let me get back on that subject.

The horses.

Let me now bore you all with an explanation. A "chestnut horse" comes in many shades of brown from the lightest sand to a very dark brown indeed. It may well have white socks and face markings, but it has not one black hair on its body. I very rarely attempt them, as I find them more difficult than even dappled greys.

A bay horse can equally come in a variety of shades of brown (including chestnut) but he has black legs, black mane and tail and black tips to his ears.

My chestnut coloured bay horses are nothing complicated. Various light brown bases over the years (latest is Vallejo Orange Brown 70.981) but then with chestnut ink, a light coating (a bottle of Games Workshop product well over ten years old). The black is highlighted dry brushing with Vallejo Black/Grey 70.862. Every horse gets a white face marking to bring them to life. Most get too many white socks for the same reason (but the old story was to never buy a horse with four socks…no idea why not). Horse eyes must be pure black, later adding a drop of gloss varnish. Light grey muzzle, even some pink flesh usually (did not here, that deadline…a rush job). Hooves I do not bother with, they can stay black. Actually with all those white socks they should really be a sandy/earth colour.

Thanks!.

Armand

Superb painting and modelling of these Art Miniturian lovelies and a fabulous contribution to the project .

I believe the train drivers collars were blue but it's a minor point in the grandeur of it all.

Best wishes,

Chris

train drivers of artillery had no sky blue collars, deadhead got it right in case I remember correctly for the New Prussian Army.

Drivers of artillery red collars. Drivers of supply wagons, blue. Drivers wore the uniform of the gunners whether HA or Foot artillery.

The three closest to us are HA, the four behind are actually FA, but I gave then white belts hoping no one will notice

Good and interesting news.

My source was Cent Jours.

Best wishes,

Chris

Cent Jours has it right.

Colonne de Parc. These are the supply blokes, with blue collars. (I do wonder if the top powder wagon might have been manned by them indeed. It is "supply" after all, but I would guess not.)

But go to any Prussian Artillerie, whether a pied or a cheval, and the site shows a conducteur amongst the gunners. He is the one who flogs a dead horse, in my models anyway, to pull the limbers and guns.

The site is invaluable. Love it.

Thanks Mr D.

I have Some repainting to do!

Best wishes,

Chris

Just started today on another three limbers and teams. Well, OK, I have the horses, ordered the limbers from AM this afternoon and tried supergluing on the drag ropes (tried the operative word). No drivers which makes it easier but that deadline is looming, end of next month in London. All we need is a spare indoor tennis court-sized room, must be ten a penny in the Chelsea/Kensington area…….?

Best of luck with that project my good friend!.

Armand