GNW (Prince August)

[Jaeger]

I'm rekindling a childhood dream of making a tinsoldier army of my own.

My first battalion is shaping up:



And more moulds are in the mail:







I'm thinking Blackpowder rules for wargaming but nothing determined yet.

/Jaeger

[Engel]

Ohhhh, thats takes you back.


Will follow this with great interest.

[Quendil]

Where are you buying the metal from for moulding?

[Argonor]

I think I have a mould of a fast marching musketeer (musket shouldered) from my casting set from many years ago.. somewhere.... would you like to have it, if I can find it? Or maybe you have it already?

I think it would go nicely with the drummer and standard.

[Jaeger]

Where are you buying the metal from for moulding?

Originally i used the Model Metal from Prince August. I tried a cheaper alternative buying 60/40 lead/tin alloy awailable in hardstores.

But the succes rate of casting dropped dramatically and details were very poor at best.

I therefore added 30% Bismuth to the alloy and have a 100% cast rate with excellent details now. Bismuth is rather expensive though, so I'm trying a lower percentage. 20% was to Little, but 25% seems to cut it.

@Argonor: I'd love it. Don't have it yet.

[Argonor]

I'll see if I can find it... I have a ton of cr.. fine old stuff to sort through, partly from about 3 years ago when we moved to our house, partly from last year when we emptied my deceased father's house.

I know I ran across some Prince August stuff recently, though, if I can just remember where... 

[Jaeger]

Sounds great.

Just let me know if you find anything.

Meanwhile I'm contemplating which paint schemes/nationalities I want.

Naturally I'll be needing a Swedish army, but for an opponent I'm torn between Danes/Saxons or Russians.

[Engel]

Danes.

Nothing like an good old Danes vs Swedes fight is it?


No but seriusly, eather one  would be nice but the Great Northern war was so much more then the standard Russians that you usually sees.

[Jaeger]

Danes.

Nothing like an good old Danes vs Swedes fight is it?

Ha, ha. How true. Poor show for the danes in that particular war though. Oh well I'm not aiming at 100% true to history setting.

In the end I might do both the danes and the russians.

I've been casting some more musketeers, but think I'll take a brake from casting until my new moulds arrive.  

[Argonor]

I think there's a special technique involved when painting these half-flat figures to make them look natural?

[Jaeger]

I'm not sure, but I'll personally be using heavy black lining. They are tinsoldiers and should really stand out imo.

Besides I'm personally a big fan of heavy Black lining. Too much mud and grizzle just doesn't cut it for me when looking at miniatures on a gaming table. A personal fancy of mine.

[tomek917]

Aaahh, this brings back memories (mostly of ruined stoves, miniatures without heads, feets or muskets, burned fingers and so on )!

Great project! I'll vote for Danes and Swedes too 

[Jaeger]

Burnt fingers I can relate to. When I was younger, I moved a mould before the alloy had cooled and spilt the liquid alloy over my finger. That really, really hurts.

I just received the 3 new moulds and the Work nicely. Only trouble is the standard bearer. It casts with the banner pole bend and it breaks every time I try to straighten it out.

I've tryed when warm and cool, but nothing seems to help. I might replace the pole with a brass rod or something. But first I'll try to weld it together with an old hobby welder (unsure of the correct English term. The ones used for Electronics).

[Hammers]

I think there's a special technique involved when painting these half-flat figures to make them look natural?

Personally, I would not bother. I think these are more suitable for the classic toy solder pj, you know the glossy primary colour look. But that is of course a matter of taste.

[Hammers]

Aaahh, this brings back memories (mostly of ruined stoves, miniatures without heads, feets or muskets, burned fingers and so on )!

Great project! I'll vote for Danes and Swedes too 

Me to.