Hinterland Machine Gunneresses- Updated 8/10/2011

[Dr Mathias]

Hello,
I'm finishing up my Hinterland female hussar machine gun teams, but I'm questioning my basing decision. I'm looking for some advice on whether or not to include a third figure on my second machine gun team. I didn't want the second team to look like a clone, so I left off the team leader (the one patting her comrade on the back).



The neurotic part of me that desires symmetricality is considering putting a third figure on- the radio operator from the command unit. Did troops in WWI even have such a device? Would a machine gun section conceivably have such a person attached?



I've got extra rifle gals to round out the teams to four if the ruleset I happen to be using wants them that way, so the actual number on the base doesn't matter for practical purposes. I'm mainly just waffling and thought I'd ask you guys!

[Mancha]

Not that this helps you at the moment, but I really should make another machine gun crew.   
 
I like your head-swap conversion of the loader.  And I think the field-telephone figure would look good on the base.  It might be interesting if she were turned away from the action; you know, trying to hear instructions.  Maybe with her back to the other two?

And if you Google WWI German Field Telephone, you'll find some interesting pictures.   

[Mason]

My way of looking at it is-
Its your army, obviously not historically based, so YOU decide what goes on your bases!
I personally like the idea that every base is different in some way, some prefer all things of the same type to be the same. It's just a matter of personal taste and I don't believe any one option is any more relevant than another.
Just go with what you like the look and feel of and that way YOU will always be happy..........

Figures are looking good, by the way, was tempted with some of these gals myself. They are rather good and you are bringing the best out of them.

[Blackwolf]

The girls are cracking,and as usual Dr. so is your painting. How about one base with full crew and one with just a gunner and number two? The third figure on one of the bases could then be the section commander?

[Aaron]

I'd go with either the phone operator or maybe a spare riflewoman. You could easily make an ammo box or two to place in front of her so it looks more like she is part of the crew. It looks like the left over team leader could fairly easily be given a pistol or sword and used elsewhere.

[Dr Mathias]

Not that this helps you at the moment, but I really should make another machine gun artillery crew.    

Fixed your statement Mancha

Thanks to all for the advice and comments on the painting- although the photos are so bad you wouldn't know if they're any good!

I think I'm going to add the phone operator, which means I have to get her primed up. Placing her with back turned is an interesting idea. I like the way she's covering her ear, toward the gun- as if she found a moment to call in and the gunner decided to open up the Maxim.

The ammo box/ammo belt and the water canister should really tie the little scene on each base together. I'm hoping to have all my ladies painted up before school starts in two weeks... eeep!

[Mancha]

Fixed your statement Mancha

So many cool packs to make, so little Paul to go around.   

My ego simply won't let me make an artillery crew without having an artillery piece of my own, and finding someone to make an artillery piece is difficult.  I chased Ian Armstrong for months to make me something, and he finally had to decline because he's too busy.  That said, I have a couple modellers working on things now, and when they finish their current projects, I hope to have one or the other of them get started on an artillery piece.  In fact, I've been doing research on that subject.

That said, I'm not sure I want a Hussars crew for it.  The reaction to Princess Cecilie was strong enough that I'm very seriously thinking of starting an offshoot army of pickelhaubed Prussians, and I see them as being a better crew for an artillery piece.  Perhaps the Hussars should then have a mountain gun, or some similarly small piece?  ANYWAY, when I have an artillery piece to offer, I will ask my loyal customers what kind of crew they like.   

Back to your Maxims, I like your depiction of the telephone operator covering her ear as the Maxim opens up.  I still think it would be interesting, however, if her attention is fixed elsewhere than in front.  You might turn her slightly so she's looking off to the side, or would that just look silly?

[Plynkes]

Don't forget that artillery have a ball on their pickelhaube instead of a spike.



 

[fastolfrus]

That said, I'm not sure I want a Hussars crew for it.  The reaction to Princess Cecilie was strong enough that I'm very seriously thinking of starting an offshoot army of pickelhaubed Prussians, and I see them as being a better crew for an artillery piece.  Perhaps the Hussars should then have a mountain gun, or some similarly small piece?  ANYWAY, when I have an artillery piece to offer, I will ask my loyal customers what kind of crew they like.   

Not hussars, but have you looked at King's Troop RHA?
http://www.army.mod.uk/artillery/units/kings_troop/default.aspx
They don't mess with small guns, and some of the current troopers are girls.

[Scout_II]

I actually picked up extra command packs for just this purpose.  Was going to include the phone operator on one machine gun team, the standard bearer on another and the extra princess on the 4th (with the normal leader on the first).  The extra leaders from the gun teams get re-purposed elsewhere.

I would likely turn the phone operator off center though.

Another thing that I was considering was changing the gun mounts as well.  Using something like the wheeled set that you often see on Russian Maxims.  Not too hard of a conversion to do, and it would help to set one apart from the next.

[Sinewgrab]

I know what you should do - send them to me!

No?

Phooey.

I like what you have done so far, actually.

[Dr Mathias]

Thanks again all, I appreciate the guidance. I think I have the second gun team squared away.

Now, for the command group (not pictured as of yet):

http://hinterlandminiatures.weebly.com/uploads/3/9/9/7/3997309/580840_orig.jpg?550?2872409

What is that metal plate (I guess I'd call it a pectoral, I don't know the correct term) on the throat of the standard bearer? What color should it be- considering the distinctions of the 2nd Life Hussars was silver/white?

I painted the shoulders of the drummer/bugler white/black as that is what Knotel showed for the 2nd Hussar drummer ca. 1913.

Kind of fun researching this stuff (despite the irony of trying to match historical accuracy with a hypothetical female hussar regiment ).

[Mancha]

Kind of fun researching this stuff (despite the irony of trying to match historical accuracy with a hypothetical female hussar regiment ).

I am often cognizant of exactly this irony.   

The object you refer to is the standard bearer's gorget.  I used those exact search terms to find quite a bunch of pictures on the internet.  Most of them show the gorget in silver, although I painted mine in gold (to better match the warm green tones of my hussars' uniforms).  If I understand it correctly (and Hammers or Plynkes will doubtless jump in to point out my mistake  ), the gorget was the mark of office of the standard bearer, and was symbolic of the knight's breastplate, although shrunk to a bearable size.

Here's a page showing an example, but take note, there's swastika stuff in here:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=530129

I can't wait to see some final pictures of your army.

                        Jason

[Dr Mathias]

Thanks for the reply, that's useful information. I have some Ospreys and other assorted military uniform books and couldn't scratch up the term gorget... I should have thought of that.

The gorget you linked to is the real world parallel to the GW Skulls and Purity Seal overdose! I can just see the sculptor who made the gorget:

"I wonder if they will get the point- perhaps I should add another swastika! Ah! Seven should do it!"

Although maybe there is some occult or symbolic reason for them...

Thanks again Jason, I will certainly post some pictures here, and I planned on sending you some as well. I'm trying something different for the conveyances though- the one I used in the LPL is too big and bulky.

[Dr Mathias]

I'm on to my next indecision

I have the entire force painted up, just putting on the finishing touches in the form of Siflor flowers from Antenociti.

My plan was to base each unit with a different color flower so they could be easily differentiated if they get mixed up. I'm starting to think that might be too busy looking though. So far I have a unit with yellow, and one with purple. Machine gunneresses No. 1 have both colors, as does the Lt.



I have red flowers, white, as well as some other color (I forget if it is orange or magenta) coming in the post, so I could do each of the four units with a different flower color. I could just go with the complementary yellow and purple across the board and call it good, although the red would be striking with the black and white.

The things I get stuck on... thoughts?