Operations in the Sudan (4/13/21; Captain pg. 6)

[bc99]

Well I’ve finally completed my first unit! Here are the final two for the unit; a rating and officer, as well as an extra petty officer. This makes 21 figures for the Naval Landing Party.



I’ve got a sennet hat rating figure primed and ready to go. I believe I will paint him with white trousers, and brown leather accoutrements.

I’ve also got a couple more officers primed and ready. After that I’ll have to prep the rest of my sennet hat ratings and then I’ll be on the way for my second unit!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Great work mate!

[bc99]

Thank you Rick!

Now for a photo of the completed unit.



The landing party on maneuvers after putting ashore a day earlier. Lieutenant Ward runs his command through brief fire exercises before turning the unit over to his petty officers. The day will be spent acclimating, practicing bayonet drill, and formations/maneuvers.



On the boatswains call.



Lieutenant Ward behind the line.



Passing some cartridges, or maybe a shot!

On to the next unit!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Really sharp, as a unit they shine even more.

[Mad Guru]

Wow, they do look quite awesome!

[bc99]

Thank you so much for your nice comments. It does keep the motivation going!

I have a test rating on the table to try out the sennet hat miniatures. I hope to get some feedback re: the uniform. It will differ a little bit from the Perry guide in so much as I plan on doing the cartridge belts in leather.

It will give me a chance to paint leather and try some different techniques (including contrast paint, which didn't really give me the result I wanted on other models) and some other colors. Also it jives a little bit with some of the contemporary paintings. Finally, it sets off the units just a little bit.

My final part of the project, once the Naval Brigade and Naval Brigade gun sections are complete, will be the RMLI.

[bc99]

A quick paint up of one of the ratings from the second landing party. These figures are from empress miniatures Zulu war range and as such I believe their kit is a bit off. I still decided to paint their kit as leather, and don’t really mind. These brave ratings will see service in other games and other theaters.



And another view of some of his kit.



I need to do a lot of basing now and priming to get the next unit ready to go.

[Jack Jones]

Nice work!

[MaleGriffin]

Brilliant brushwork!

I hope mine come out half as well!

[bc99]

Thank you for the kind words gentlemen.

This past weekend was lost with familial and mundane duties. I hope to have a batch of ratings and command primed and ready to go for this next week so I can get a good start. I feel motivated, but actual time in the painting chair has declined this past week.

As a side note, white is very difficult to paint. I painted the trousers on the rating multiple times, trying different approaches; from blue/grey washes, to a brown wash, to direct placement of deeper greys. I finally just satisfied on a bright, light colored grey with white highlights. It doesn't show that much on the photos, so maybe I shouldn't worry too much. Either way at the end of this next batch I'll definitely have learned my way to paint whites.

[Plynkes]

I think you are on the right track there. I've never found washes to be much help with white. I have always got my best results from a 'less is more' approach.  I am the kind of nitwit that occasionally really goes to town with multiple layers. Sometimes my African flesh will be five or six layers plus a wash/glaze (whatever the hell you call it, I am by no means a technician, if I was in charge of the Workbench board it would fall apart in days). If I take that approach with white all I get is a mess.  A light grey base, medium grey in the shadows and white highlights is what works best for me.

 And in my old age I am getting a bit lazy. Young Plynkes would mix those himself. Current year Plynkes uses the Foundry triads. Either the Austrian White one, or the Arctic Grey one, depending on how briliant he wants the white to be.

Keep 'em coming!

[Malamute]

  Current year Plynkes uses the Foundry triads. Either the Austrian White one, or the Arctic Grey one, depending on how briliant he wants the white to be.

Keep 'em coming!

I'm with you on these two, the Austrian white seems to be my go too.

[bc99]

Great, I’ll check out those color triads or sets.

I’ve got a handful of minis on the prep station, my least favorite part of the process. I hope to have some progress to report in the coming week.

[bc99]

A new, lieutenant to lead the second unit of ratings. I’ve gone with white pants as this is the uniform the second unit will have.

I was planning to convert this miniature, I was going to takeoff the hand holding the hat, file down the top of his head and add a sun helmet, replace the other hand with a pistol. The more I looked at the miniature, the more I liked it. I really enjoy his dashing hair cut, and believe the pose can be either resignation, fatigue, or readying for the final stand; all possible while fighting in the Sudan!

I ended up enjoying the pose as it was.

[Helen]

Nice work on your Royal Navy. Lovely mix of miniatures from various companies.

Cheers,
Helen