Oh schaurig ist‘s übers Moor zu gehen. Florian‘s Silver Bayonet

[DivisMal]

It’s as good as an archetype as I had wanted, because now I had an idea. And finally a use for a very old model!

In German folklore Irrlichter are malevolent spirits of the dead, so I thought a light green color on a vaguely humanoid model might be a good depiction!

[Cordvane]

Now we need the Ghostbusters-Theme played by a classical orchestra...

[anevilgiraffe]

Great idea, but that forearm is so thin 

[DivisMal]

Now we need the Ghostbusters-Theme played by a classical orchestra...

Yes. He’s also scheduled to star in my coming 15mm Ghostbusters project;)

Great idea, but that forearm is so thin 

I think that’s intentional because its body is made up of…air? Or ectoplasm? But I was also wondering if it’s a miscast. Sadly it’s one of those models where I don’t know how I got to have them. My best guess is that originally it was a Greebo 10mm ghost from their undead not-blood bowl range (now oop).

[DivisMal]

So, here is my first French model. It’s no one else than Cpt. Eduard de Fronsaque, nephew to the great natural philosopher. Eduard got his orders from Bonaparte himself: it makes the Empire look vulnerable if Friesland and Hanover cannot be pacified. England, Prussia, Austria and Russia are eager to see France bleed, eager to see a sign of Bonaparte just being a normal human.

Fronsaque has a small unit under his command and is determined that he’ll crush the rebellion once and for all.

Great model by the Perry twins. Awesome model.

[Cordvane]

Nice choice of model for that sinister look. But I think his coat could use some more highlights because it's such a big part of the model.

[DivisMal]

Nice choice of model for that sinister look. But I think his coat could use some more highlights because it's such a big part of the model.

I actually had planned just that. Then I realized the difference between an expert modelled inage of a cloak during a storm and our usual fantasy cloaks that, no matter the weather and wind direction, fly in all crazy sorts. There are really not so many good places for highlights as the cloak is tightly wrapped around the soldier.

When I’ve finisged enough models to play, or possibly earlier, I’ll go over this model again. At the moment I fear, I might ruin it with „fantasy“ highlights.

[DivisMal]

While I have found very little time for painting in the last week (not even to reconsider my French officer), I managed to really fast paint an old model (iirc from some KS with tons of plastic goodies, maybe Conan or Mythic Battles): viola my bog hag. A Frisian version of the Irish banshee. Roaming the bogs on foggy days, these creatures lire men into their doom. The cold hands have given quite some fisematenten* to the first voltigeurs who thought it was their lucky day!


*fisematenten, noun, f, pluraletantum, German
assumed loan word said to come from French „visitez ma tente“, said to be a common hook-up phrase for French soldiers hitting on German girls [it‘s probably way more boring and unclear like everything in etymology, but I still love this explanation, the word was still used by mothers when I grew up and my girlfriend at uni knew it quite well].

[FreakyFenton]

I really like the Irrlicht, and a great stand in for Slimer/Spud! 

The cloaked soldier by the perries is great. I have wondered about getting one of the Retreat from Russia packs as well for some Silver Baonet brigands.

The bog hag is great! And yeah, also agree on the Fisimatenten or Fiesematenten bit. Usually used if some is up to mischief, but I have definitely heard the story multiple times, curiously enough even today in a bookshop about the visitez ma tente origin!  The Franzosenzeit in Hamburg and the North of Germany is definitely an interesting topic from a linguistic standpoint.

[DivisMal]

The Franzosenzeit is also underrated in the changes it brought! I’ve been stranded here in Nienburg where it’s the result of one of Napoleon‘s engineers who liked the place and stayed here that the railroad from Bremen to Hanover was built through Nienburg. And they brought biscuits which you can still buy today 

Thanks for the nice words. I’ve currently several French from the retreat from Moscow range on my painting desk: they’re the best historicals I’ve ever seen and among the best model soldiers ever. Amazing details and poses. Reminds me often of my student time when I had to deal with Ancient Greek sculpture. Just brilliant, so yeah, definitely worth buying for The Silver Bayonet.

I’ve actually considered doing a second setting (remember I play mostly solo, so for the Brits I have all I need now), where a group of French soldiers fights cosacks, monsters and marauders of the Russian campaign (and the retreat).

I really like the Irrlicht, and a great stand in for Slimer/Spud! 

The cloaked soldier by the perries is great. I have wondered about getting one of the Retreat from Russia packs as well for some Silver Baonet brigands.

The bog hag is great! And yeah, also agree on the Fisimatenten or Fiesematenten bit. Usually used if some is up to mischief, but I have definitely heard the story multiple times, curiously enough even today in a bookshop about the visitez ma tente origin!  The Franzosenzeit in Hamburg and the North of Germany is definitely an interesting topic from a linguistic standpoint.