Any tips for Napoleonic Brits?

[psyberwyche]

So, I just decided to embark on a brave new genre - Napoleonics - Inspired by the 28mm models being released by the Perrys and Victrix. I've just received my first box of Victrix British line infantry, but I'm not sure where to begin.

You see, while I have painted armies in the past, I'm pretty slow, and the sheer number of models I need to paint (playing Brigade-level games with a 20-1 figure ratio) is pretty daunting. Could anyone recommend a quick way of getting those redcoats on the tabletop? I'm a pretty good/neat painter, so I'm not afraid of advanced techniques, I'm just looking for a colour scheme or technique that will save on labour.

I'm considering using Army Painter dip, but I think the brown stuff will just make those white trousers look too warm and, well, brown, while the black stuff will probably dull the red down too much - however, I may be proved wrong.

Thanks in advance!

PS. If anyone has any pictures of their British troops to illustrate/inspire, please do post!

[Mad Doc Morris]

Instead of a general dip or wash you could use inks as produced by Vallejo or Games Workshop - the latter's Devlan Mud works very well for almost all natural colours (leather, skin, even uniforms).
Personally I'm not aiming for speed painting, but Foundry's three-colour-system has decently raised my output. There are some nice new sets especially for the Napoleonic age; I've used British Red Coat and British Blue Grey so far, and I'm quite happy with it. Although I would recommend to start with a darker base colour for red.

[meninobesta]

paint all the mini in black, then paint the jackets and flesh areas in flat/dark brown
then block paint the basic colours the white/grey for the trousers, red for the jacket, the flesh colour, brown for the rifles and satchels, grey/blue for the bed roll and metal for the bayonets and rifle details, and if you have some patience you can also paint the brass colour for the buttons and the plate on the shako (if you are using those shakos)

if you just paint this you'll have the minimum required for gaming use! and because you've block painted the colours you'll have some detail in the miniature!

after you've made your basic force then you can give some highlights and paint the piping and all the details!

I prefer to leave the miniature not fully painted and then give it a final touch, than paint it in a rush with some techniques that are not comfortable with my way of painting! probably you'll like more to use washes or other painting styles so it's better to use the methods that you like best! the recipe I gave is aligned with my painting tastes! 

[warrenpeace]

I'm not fast either.  I'll usually glue 48 figures on sticks and try to paint them in assembly line fashion. However, that doesn't really make me speedy.  The guys I know who paint 28mm fast usually base about 10 to 12 figures at a time, white or black prime depending on final colors, and take a couple of days or evenings to paint them. They usually block paint quickly, wash with watered down accrylics or ink, then touch up a few details that help the overall effect. But they don't try to get all details perfect. When painting figures for mass battles that gets the requisite number on the table looking good enough. Nice flags and nicely terrained bases help. Players don't take out magnifying glasses to look at them when they are playing a big battle.

I would suggest white priming for colorful periods like Napoleonics. Washes work fine for getting darker shades in the folds and creases. When painting colorful uniforms it can also help to use a sealant that brings out the color better. Many people are dedicated to the use of dull coats for gritty realism. However, one of my area's most prolific painters uses Patricia Nimocks Clear Acrylic Sealer Matte (spray can). It comes out a bit glossy, in spite of the matte designation on the can. So it's only for those who can stand a little of the old "toy soldier" effect. However, the colors show through gloriously, and his figures always make a great impression.

If you want to see your figures on the table faster, you could start playing skirmish games using Sharpe Practice after basing your figures individually on 25mm squares. Then you could group them on magnetic business cards or chips for bigger battles.  That way you could game with them in two different scales.

[fastolfrus]

There was an article a few years ago that gave a method for painting an army in a fortnight.
The basis was to look at your colour scheme and take the 6 basic colours involved.
For the British I would suggest red, grey, flesh, black, brown, metal.
(I realise you would also need white, and a facing colour, but the article was written for an ancient army, so maybe you should go with 8 colours)

Use one of those colours as your undercoat colour, preferably a "big" area - torso or legs are about the biggest so you'd be looking at red or grey - spray that on and then paint the rest. If you spray them red, then paint the trousers grey they will look half painted already.

As a system it does work, I've used it for Franco-Prussians (most in dark blue undercoat) and ACW (blue or grey undercoat, depending on unit).

The only other tip for speed would be to leave the face as just plain flesh but pick it up at the end with an ink/varnish wash.

[dcnapoleon]

definitely the three step method and also from sources i have red due to the re dye which faded your Brits could even end up with (God forbid) pink coats, if you prime black blocking with redwook red or a cranberry wine (ceramcoat) then napa red and follow that with light red oxide gives a nice British red almost scarlet

don't prime in white ant more black primer gives you an easier time with shading later use both the min wax brush method and am trying army painter medium tone as well. gives them that campaign look