Franco-Prussian War in 10mm (Pendraken)

[Ray Rivers]

the figures themselves are actually really good for such a tiny size.

Exactly. There is only so much you can do with a mini if it is not sculpted well.

Pendraken have a number of periods with really good sculpts (and some not so good). I have already linked to Javier Gómez's FPW thread. Here is one to Dazza's AWI thread with over 122,000 views... and for good reason.

Another important point made by Javier, which needs to be mentioned, is that the minis are actually easy to mod and you can find minis from one period, which with a dab of different color paint and slight modification, can work in another.

When it comes to big battles I have always been a 15mm advocate. But after seeing these minis, I believe that 10mm is now the way to go. I say that not because I dislike 15mm (because I love that scale) but due to space (both on the gaming board and in storage), quality of sculpt and... price.

[Ray Rivers]

Update time...

So I finished a dozen more charging infantry and at this time I should have 4 of the 5 line regiments done. However, since I decided to mix 3 different poses (+ command figures) in each regiment that has caused a big delay in finishing the 5 regiments.

Here is where I stand:



I have 15 command figures, 30 figures receiving and 30 figures charging. I need 15 figures running to finish, and you can see the holes where they will fit.

So quite a bit of delay here, but I think overall they will look good with all the different poses mixed.

Next up is some artillery (4 guns with 16 crew) and another command stand of 2 mounted officers.

Painted project minis: French - Inf: 75, Cav: 9, CMD: 2

NB: I still haven't finished all the minis in the starter army which costs 28.50 GBP.

[Roo]

More little beauties!

[Captain Blood]

Wow 

You are really motoring along with these little fellas Ray.

[Ray Rivers]

Thanks, Roo!!!!!

You are really motoring along with these little fellas Ray.

Thanks, Richard. I'm enjoying myself immensely painting them up.

Once the infantry, artillery and a battalion of Chasseurs are finished (starter army complete) I'm going to have to start doing some terrain as well... and I am really looking forward to that.

[Malamute]

Amazing stuff Ray, really enjoying seeing these and I can't believe the size of them given your superb painting!

[Ray Rivers]

Really appreciate that, Nick! 

I've had to learn a totally new way of painting (using black for shade) to get the colors to pop. Some things like the rifles, I do better now. The faces are always tough to figure out. I was having a heck of a time with the charging minis faces at first, until I realized they had a mustache and goatee.

Little buggers... 

[Ray Rivers]

So... does anybody have an idea what they think would look best on my bases and terrain?

Normally I use static grass, but I think for this scale, scatter (flock) would look at lot better.

Any opinions?

[SupremeLittlenessDesigns]

For 10mm, I just use what I use on all my bases for all scales.

www.michaelscott.name/1809/1809blogpost127.htm

I generally go for smaller tufts and I might take the scissors to static grass.

www.michaelscott.name/1809/blog2015/1809blogpost185.htm

Cheers, Michael

[Ray Rivers]

Hey thanks, Michael, for weighing in.

I must say, that blog of yours is a fantastic 10mm resource and I have, of course, book marked it. You answered a lot of questions I had, seeing as I am a 10mm newbie, by going through it. I almost certainly will return to it repeatedly. For example, how compatible are Magister Militum minis with Pendraken.

I would also be remiss to not say how wonderfully you paint your minis! Really nice, mate. 

Highly recommended to Napoleonic 10mm fans.

[SupremeLittlenessDesigns]

Great thing about 10mm is that skills acquired are usable across periods. And scenery and terrain can be just the same for different periods!

MM and Pendraken comparisons are here:

www.michaelscott.name/1809/blog2015/1809blogpost180.htm

probably easier to see here:

www.michaelscott.name/1809/1809blogpost40.htm

All easier to find by subject matter in the Blog Index:

www.michaelscott.name/1809/map/1809index.htm

[Ray Rivers]

Small update.

Crewman for my 4 batteries of artillery are finished. Still need to do the officers and the mounted commanders.

Once again a not so great shot (fairly blurry):



Another development was that after I read that a lot of folks use 6mm scenery for 10mm, I went on a deep dive (and I do mean deep), to see if I could find some 6mm scenario I did probably almost 20 years ago.

I found most of it... 17 based buildings and a bunch of metal trees but am still missing the river sections I have. They are there somewhere... I just don't know where. 

Here is a couple shots of one of the building bases:





I think they will work, but I will need to do some work on them and rebase them.

Back to my artillery...

[DintheDin]

Although the figures are small, your painting is very neat! Keep up the good job! Cheers!

[valleyboy]

Those really are very neat Ray
As to the basing question I've often thought that the smaller the figure then the lighter the base ought to be to make the figures pop.
What about a mix of scatter and earth dry brushed to make it look dry

[Ray Rivers]

@Din: thanks mate, hopefully they will be finished soon. I actually had a bit of a rest painting because the figures weren't going fast enough. I finally remembered my hussars and how in the end I painted all the troopers first (the same pose) and the rest last. Once I started concentrating on the minis by pose (and there are 4 different poses for the artillery), then once again I saw some pretty quick progress.

@valleyboy: I agree that a lighter touch is needed on the bases. I have a couple different flocks from years past, but I don't like them for what I am doing. I have ordered some Jarvis flock from Pendraken and hopefully soon I will able to finish the bases. I think overall I want about 50% coverage and the rest sand. The bushes are clump material soaked in PVA and if necessary, can be painted.

I'm fairly happy with the project so far and will probably soon start making terrain as well. But first I need to complete my artillery and infantry.