"Adding waterbottles/gourds etc?" Topic

Hi everyone, have recently purchased my first AB French light infantry I was a little disapointed that not one came with, surely, an essential piece of kit, a waterbottle. I am aware that the French did not have a standard issue but used many containers. I have just given the entire battalion something resembling a gourd type waterbottle using sesame seeds. If you're interested in uniform accuracy would missing waterbottles be something you've dealt with?

I may be an outlier here, but I wouldn't give it a second thought, especially in 15mm.

The title is "Adding" and that is surely the point. It is murder to remove something unwanted from a metal casting. Anyone can create a gourd shape from Greenstuff to add to a model (if it seems that important).

I wept when Perrys finally created line dragoons that I thought could become full dress Imperial Guard Grenadiers a Chev or Empress Dragoons. They had the lapels, the long coat tails, they were 28mm. But they were ruined by all the slung kit required for the Peninsula. Easily added, impossible to remove.

That's a good idea to use sesame seeds for water containers. For 15mm that seems to me a little overboard, but to each his/her own.

Jim

Contrary to myth, the French had a regular water bottle which was made of white sheet metal and already worn in the AWI – the problem – it rusted quite quickly and soldiers seemingly tried to get a water bottle of glass in wicker cover or a gourd, due to better taste of water than from a rusty iron one.

Additional to the individuel water bottle they had also a big one – to serve for getting a bigger amount of water for cooking etc.

In case you like to look for a good selection of those you have to have a look at the Perrys (who else?) plastic elite infantry of the earlier French period of about 1807 – 1812/13.

@Carta1958. I would count your blessings! Painting the water bottle straps sitting across white belts has always been a pain!

I am still working through 4 packs of Victrix Bavarians and I wish these chaps had left them behind:)

Hi Tim, I count my blessings that I still have reasonable eyesight. I am going to use very fine wire for the cords. I was reading in an old post that 1 in 6 French infantrymen carried a cooking pot. So room to add those as well. To be honest adding a strategically placed waterbottle saves a bit of difficult work painting the details on the coat tails I struggle with the red piping also the backpack straps.
Regards.
Alan.

Update. Thanks Mr Barton, that was quick! I just, this evening, checked the AB Figures collectors club page and low and behold the great man has apparently redone some pre Bardin light infantry with….waterbottles.
Regards.
Alan.

I was reading in an old post that 1 in 6 French infantrymen carried a cooking pot.

I add cooking pots to my infantry.

link

Carta, it was something I overlooked when I made them about thirty years ago. I'm afraid I'm guilty of a few slips like that , which eventually someone notices. And yes , I have now put that right with a new set of masters.
I'm gradually working through all our basic infantry types to increase the number of slight variations in the production mould. Those moulds get the most use because they are of course the biggest sellers, so as they get replaced more variations will appear.

As @79thPA says, in 15mm it's not something to bother with.

That said, if you are desperate, then Warmodelling infantry figures have a lot of gourds, cooking pots etc.

An enormous thanks to you Mr Barton for the reply. Wonderful to know that you are doing so much to remaster the figures and add extra variations. I appreciate the accuracy and attention to detail and superb sculpting of your figures and wish tbere were many more, but more than that it is important that you still find satisfaction and joy from your labours.
Best wishes.
Alan.