Franco-Prussian War in 10mm (Pendraken)

[Ray Rivers]

Thanks, guys.

You know there is really a huge difference between a 10 and 15mm miniature. Because of that, you have a lot more surface in which to use lots of techniques such as blending to make your details pop. Though to be honest, I still have a tendency of using black lining for 15s.



With these guys, because they are so small, I adopted a totally different way of painting than I have ever used and that amounts to using black as a "shade" if you will, irrespective of color. By doing that, the result is that your colors will "pop" and you will be able to see details such as stripes, creases and such because they will significantly contrast with the black shading. I also tend towards brighter colors for the same reason. It plays a trick on the eye and prevents all the colors from blending in and looking like a fruit salad. 

[Malamute]

They look stunning and when placed against a 28mm figure you really see just how teeny they are.

[Ray Rivers]

Thanks, Nick!

They are tiny and to be quite honest I am amazed at how well they have been coming out.

[DintheDin]

"With these guys, because they are so small, I adopted a totally different way of painting than I have ever used and that amounts to using black as a "shade" if you will, irrespective of color. By doing that, the result is that your colors will "pop" and you will be able to see details such as stripes, creases and such because they will significantly contrast with the black shading. I also tend towards brighter colors for the same reason. It plays a trick on the eye and prevents all the colors from blending in and looking like a fruit salad".

Great! You said everything! This is it!

[vodkafan]

Thanks, Nick!

They are tiny and to be quite honest I am amazed at how well they have been coming out.

They are not just "coming out" they have been setting a standard  and also started a 10mm itch for me personally. Possible future 10mm projects are under discussion with my oppo as I write....like I need  yet another project 

[valleyboy]

Its great to see this thread developing Ray, the cuff tip is brilliant and I like the diagram showing your progress. I could do with that sort of disciplined approach!

[schoey]

Wonderful detail on such little figures.

Paul

[Sparrow]

I’m finding this thread hugely inspiring - thanks so much for sharing all this with us! 👍

[rct75001]

This thread and your painting has - I'm afraid - had a very big impact on my plans.

I am intrigued by this period's warfare in Europe - buit had always shied away from doing it because of my impression of the drab and dull colours of the armies.  I would only do it in 10mm given the size of some of the battles.

But these images have changed my mind and reopened the strong desire to collect Pendraken figures to make this a project.

Thanks a lot ...... I think

Richard

[ChrisBBB]

I am intrigued by this period's warfare in Europe - buit had always shied away from doing it because of my impression of the drab and dull colours of the armies. 

Richard, I'm glad that Ray's fine work has changed your mind. There is plenty of colour to be found in 1859, 1864, 1866, 1870, 1877 etc. There are also lots of fascinating tactical challenges to explore because of the asymmetry of weapons and doctrine in late C19 wars as technology evolves, and as generals and armies keep having to adapt to how the rules have changed.

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://groups.io/g/bloodybigbattles
https://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com/

[Ray Rivers]

Thanks very much for all the comments! I've been dying to reply, but, you know, I need to get an update in there too so that we got some pictures to see! 

In Spain we say... "mucho ruido y pocas nueces" (literally a lot of noise and very little nuts) or much ado about nothing. 

So...

I've finished painting the last of my infantry to complete my 5 regiments. I still need to base them though. Anyway, here is a waaaay too close and fairly horrible photo:



These guys are actually Chasseurs painted up to look like line infantry. The cut of their coat is a bit different and shorter, but when they are all mixed in, I don't think it will make a difference. For those wanting more poses in their infantry I would really recommend the Chasseurs as their charging and firing poses are very nicely sculpted.

At the same time that I am painting a batch of minis I am also trying to do some terrain pieces. I have 2 small forest bases that I have been working on and they will be finished with my line infantry.

Here is a photo of all the old 6mm trees I have that need reconditioning and new bases. They are in a Chessex high impact plastic box which I use for storage (I have 10 or so of these):



They are in pretty bad condition as they are over 20 years old, but I think I have enough for this project. They are all lead including the bases. I'll be rehabilitating them little by little.

Here is a photo of all the old 6mm buildings I have that are in pretty good shape:



So in total I have like 16 buildings and a farm, so that should be good enough as well.

As I do more minis, I'll be posting up my newly based terrain. (I forget to get some farm animals in my last buy...  )

Have no idea who made this terrain. I'm thinking GHQ or Irregular Miniatures but after looking about I figure they are way OOP.

And here is just a general interest thing. Everything I paint I record on a note pad document so that I can refer to it as I am doing the project and if... several years later I want to return to it, I have all the information on how I painted them.


DAMN that's big! 

Writing down what paints you used I think is a really good idea and can be used for other projects when you think to yourself... how did I paint those boots on that mini... for example.

So that's it for now. In a couple days I'll have my 5 regiments of line infantry and 2 terrain pieces finished and then I'll post some pictures so ya'll can see the state of my project!

Once again, for those following my progress... a big thanks! 

[Malamute]

More goodness

[Ray Rivers]

Cheers, Nick!

Wanted to provide a small update on my project with a few photos. Last night I had a marathon session gluing sand on 17 bases. Today I will be painting and hopefully flocking as well. That will finish off my infantry.

Glad folks feel inspired by the thread and enjoy seeing my completed minis. Uniform wise it is indeed filled with lots of wonderful uniforms. Mind you, it has only been 50 years since the end of the Napoleonic wars, so a lot of traditions have continued. The Prussians are still wearing their grey and Prussian blue uniforms with colorful cuffs, collars and epaulettes, but now are also sporting a swish spiky helmet. Their cavalry however, in many respects still have some beautifully colored uniforms and of course, on both sides, they drip with tons of brad. So plenty of great looking uniforms to be seen on these battlefields.



The trick, of course, will be to paint the Prussian infantry so that those colors pop and don't all jumble together in a blueish grey mess.

There are also lots of fascinating tactical challenges to explore because of the asymmetry of weapons and doctrine in late C19 wars as technology evolves, and as generals and armies keep having to adapt to how the rules have changed.

This also makes the war very interesting. On the one hand you have one army (the French) which seeks to use the devastating fire power of the rifle on the defense against massed attacks of infantry in the open. While on the other hand you have an army (the Prussians) who are quite prepared to assault, but use maneuver to outflank its foe so that they are not funneled into a great killing ground. Paradoxically, within 50 years of the Napoleonic wars, military doctrine has completed flipped and it is now the Prussians who are the masters of maneuver as they so plainly displayed (a foreshadowing for the French) during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 at the Battle of Königgrätz.

[Malamute]

I've always liked the uniforms from the FPW and had plenty of the original Wargames Foundry range from the 1980s.

  The figures also fit perfectly into the VSF settings we have played over the years!

[Ray Rivers]

The figures also fit perfectly into the VSF settings we have played over the years!