Fondling's Horse

[Captain Blood]

Just finished these... Sir Marmaduke Fondling’s Troop of Horse – otherwise known as ‘The Pinky-Blues’ – an entirely fictitious English Civil War company. (Is ECW swashbuckling? It is for me  )

Couldn’t resist doing them pink when I realised I had several Bicorne and Renegade figures in Montero hats (obviously very popular in the 1640’s but looking slightly silly now).
Anyway, figured I might as well paint some Royalists to face my Ironsides, and thought a bunch of pansy cavaliers would be just the ticket.

I’ve now painted 50 of these cavalry figures, and have 20 to go… Half are true ECW, the other half are cast as late perod reivers (but will do for ECW too… )

Truthfully, I’m getting a bit sick of painting bridles!  





The entirely fictional banner of House Fondling...












If you want to know what 50 cavalry look like en masse, it’s like this…






I’ve stuck this on all three forums (fora?) in which I now participate. Apologies if you’ve seen them already at one of the other places.

[Rhoderic]

I keep seeing it, but I just can't grasp how you get colours so vibrant!

As for whether ECW is swashbuckling, I think it is as long as you game it with a swashbuckling mentality.

[Vanvlak]

It swashes a lot of buckle. And bridle, in this case. I'm just starting my ECW collection - grand work, and very inspiring. 50 horse look formidable! 

[archangel1]

Very nice work! I'm afraid there would be a major struggle to make me wear pink and blue, though! 

[JollyBob]

Outstanding. 

Its one of the things that continually upsets me about this hobby, I love cavalry miniatures and think that massed ranks like yours look truly magnificent, but I absolutely hate painting horses. Too much tedious leatherwork and saddlery.

[Furt]

A massed rank of horsemen looks very intimidating - imagine in real life. 

Very nice work! I'm afraid there would be a major struggle to make me wear pink and blue, though!  Cheesy

I agree that wearing pink and blue either distinguishes your troop as very brave or slightly bent. 

[Lowtardog]

Its the viv and trix hat (remember the grumbleweeds anyone) these are great

[bandit86]

WOW great job!!

[Captain Blood]

I love cavalry miniatures and think that massed ranks like yours look truly magnificent, but I absolutely hate painting horses. Too much tedious leatherwork and saddlery.

I know what you mean. I love painting the horseflesh itself, but all the leatherwork and saddlery is indeed a chore. I figure that painting a cavalryman is equivalent to painting 2.5 foot figures in terms of time and effort. You paint the rider, then you paint the horse, then you have to paint all the fiddly bits on the horse and put the two together.
And do a great big base. 

So yes, it's an undertaking, but the end result usually pays off. Must admit, I've built this force up slowly doing just a few figures at a time. 5 horsemen is probably the optimum number to paint in one batch - enough to give you a decent group straightaway; but not so many that every process grows tedious...

[Regulator]

Beautiful paintjob! Perfect colors 

[Rhoderic]

I actually don't get what you guys are saying about painting horses. How is it worse to paint straps on them than on humans? It seems like every time I get a new miniature (especially any swashbuckling one), it has a profusion of belts, baldrics and other straps.

[oxiana]

Awesome! Cavalry always looks fantastic in massed ranks, but it's even better when they're painted to such a high standard. Absolutely love them...

[Malamute]

Stunning stuff. Love that uniform look, it beats beige anyday...

[Argonor]

I actually don't get what you guys are saying about painting horses. How is it worse to paint straps on them than on humans? It seems like every time I get a new miniature (especially any swashbuckling one), it has a profusion of belts, baldrics and other straps.

I do have some of the same reservations, but not only about horses... I just do not like painting anythind bigger than a human... takes me too much time, and it seems that any little mistake is so much more obvious on a large mini