UPDATED 18 Nov 2016 Perry Napoleonic Austrian (German) Grenadiers conversions

[ARKOUDAKI]

Well, time for the hobby is limited but I when I have found time I have kept moving things along on the Austrian Nap project. Below are some new pics of how things are going. You can see I am making progress on the Command units for the regular Austrian (German) Line Infantry, having done the NCOs, drummers, and standard bearers. I also did a Landwehr command unit (less the officer, who will require a lot of surgery to remove the sash and such). I also found time to do some work on the metal Austrian casualties (a couple were converted to Grenadiers but they aren't quite finished yet...need to add their swords). I also found that the Perry metal Austrian Grenadiers that I thought were finished showed casting problems that showed up after I did the initial primer, so that required more green stuff here and there. To be honest, I really don't like metals much anymore....far too tedious to clean up. In regard to the metals, you will see I opted to remove more of the metal hands and replaced them with plastic ones (I do wish the Twins would do more open left hands!  ).

What is left is to get the 5 regiments of 24 Austrian (German) Line Infantry figs all done...but for now I am sick to death of punching out and adding 22 buttons to each of the figs, so I will take a break and do something else. All of these will get some grey primer and then perhaps I will do some test figs before Xmas...if I get time...which is doubtful.

I have also thrown in some pics of other projects I am working on (the wonderful 20mm and 28mm CP Models Kharkov figs; 28mm plastic Medievals; and other things). I tend to put a lot of figs together and then move on to the next thing that takes my fancy. I find the building aspect the most enjoyable, sorta like getting a haircut, which is quite relaxing.

Anyways, please do let me know what you think of the current stuff...and yes, no need to keep plodding me about putting paint on the buggers...one day at a time! 

[ARKOUDAKI]

Some more close-up of the casualties with some conversions...mostly changing the Hungarians into Germans...

[ARKOUDAKI]

And some more pics...

[ARKOUDAKI]

And just to prove I am not just Austrian Nap mad....some cleaned and ready to primer 20mm and 28mm Kharkov figs...and also some plastic Medievals (which quite frankly are a pain to put together...very fiddly and requiring a lot of care...and yes, stringing the bows is anal but hey, so is replacing buttons, hands, drilling out musket barrels, etc.  )

[ARKOUDAKI]

Lastly, who hates digital cameras??? I mean, looking at the figs under the magnifier (as the eyes aren't that great anymore) all looks good...then you take some digital pics and you see all these areas that need work. Why can't our eyes just see like digital cameras!?!? Okay, rant over... Hope you like the WIP shots...please do comment so as to inspire me keep plodding along with it all....

[jambo1]

Austrian Napoleonics is great interest to me, sort of have an idea myself of starting something. Looking forward to seeing where you go with this.

[ARKOUDAKI]

Wow....one comment....where is the love....        

[Gangleri]

I'm so pleased to see these updates. As a matter of fact, I was working on some Austrians last week, and that got me to wondering what had become of this plog. 

As before, top-notch conversion work and attention to detail.  Also quite impressed by the number of battalions on the go at one time.  Just don't let WWII distract you! (Medieval distractions are acceptable.)

[Jeff965]

Well I'm in awe of your modelling skills, I wish I had the talent to do what you do, and as I mentioned earlier the preparation time spent on the figures will definitely pay off I'm sure.
As for the lack of posts I think we're all waiting to see some of the figures painted and based up, well over two thousand viewings shows a lot of of interest (and love  )

[toggy]

Fantastic work Rob.

I have a large Austrian army, trying to get enough stuff for a refight of Aspern- Essling. Find the lack of variety with officers very frustrating, spoke with the Perry twins a couple of times about doing a pack, but no joy at the moment.

Hope to put some shots up this week of the army so far, but am inspired by your conversions, so may get the scalpel & greenstuff out after Crisis.

Keep up the great work

[ARKOUDAKI]

Okay sports fans, some more work on the Nap Austrian project. I have pretty much finished the build aspect of the Grenadiers as well as the Line Inf Command groups. I have now primed them all a light grey (Tamiya Superfine Primer) and let them cure for a while. I actually spent hours yesterday sucking up paint fumes doing a lot of priming of some finished work, which included not only my Nap Austrians but WW2 German for Kharkov (20mm and 28mm); loads of Perry plastic Medievals; a mass of Pirates that never seems to end (I have been revamping the old Guernsey/Foundry range); some of the Perry's new ACW Union officers; Xhosa warriors for the Cape Wars (1st Corps, not the newer Perry stuff); 1/72 Zvezda plastics; and various other bits that I have finished over the past months. I tend to prime in mass, as if you are going to get out the extractor and smell the paint (the wife complains about the smell!) then you might as well make it all worth it.

For some reason, I failed to put the grenade device on the crossbelt of my Nap Austrian Grenadiers, as this was a symbol of the Grenadiers. It also appears on their cartridge pouch (which I was aware of and was going to do later). I don't know why I missed this but I will rectify it when I have strength to look at this project again. My plan is to glue on a proper sized rivet and then use the LBMS grenade decals I have for the French Guard. I think it will look nice and save me having to paint such fiddly bits.

As I am pretty burned out on Nap Austrians, so I will put that project to the side (also almost out of .018 buttons; will do more over Xmas when I am stuck at the in-laws!  ) and try and finish up other projects that have been laying around. Since we plan on moving house 1Q of 2017, not much time to do anything else but continue to build, prime, and pack! That said, I have a burning desire to dig out all the paints and perhaps see what I can do. We shall see.

In the meantime, here are some more pics of the Nap Austrian project! Enjoy and please let me hear your inspirational comments so I don't give up on this one.     

[ARKOUDAKI]

And a few other pics of other WIP...let me know what you think (aside from putting some paint on them!  )

[ARKOUDAKI]

And to be clear, the end result thus far is I now have 2 full Regts of Austrian Grenadiers, comprising 7 command, 1 casualty, and 24 infantry (see photos below).

I still have to do the backpacks and add the swords (Andreas/Kaiserbill was a great help and kindly had his friend cast me +50 of these in resin!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!), add the Grenadier device to crossbelt and cartridge pouch, complete the drums (I usually do a bit of work revamping the Perry's drums), and then 'Bob's Your Uncle'....

I have also finished the command groups for 5 Austrian Line Regts, one of which will be Landwehr types. I now just need to do 120 marching figs, which means 2640 buttons (each one done with a hammer, plasticard, and my wonderful punch and die set!), along with a full cleaning up of mold lines, drilling musket barrels, and additions with putty/scribing on the sides of the figs where some detail gets lost due to the molding process. And let's not forget the backpacks too! Loads of fun...  

[jambo1]

Wow!! your Austrian project is taking shape nicely but what work you still have to do!!! I like the Austrians in Napoleonic times so it's great to see this project taking shape and a great inspiration.

[ARKOUDAKI]

Thanks for your kind comments Jambo1! Yes, this project is taking a long time but it is only because my modelling time is so limited. Also, cleaning up the metals and doing a lot of conversion work did take time. I think the remaining marching Austrian Line figs won't take all that long...it will just be dead boring doing the same figs over and over again. And all those buttons. I wish I could find a punch and die set that does .018 holes like a sewing machine...as that would take some of the mindless soul destroying work away...

Like I said, I might take a break from the Austrian project and try and finish up others piled up. For example, I have Perry plastic Sudanese riflemen figs that need rifle straps put on with lead foil (tedious work); loads of Pirates to clean, add putty to, etc....Yo ho matey!; Perry plastic ACW artillery pieces that need detailing (the crews are all done); Perry British riflemen conversions that are just in need of a sword bayonet; more WW2 figs in 20 and 28mm; and also some 1/76 and 1/48 tanks I want to build. Variety is the spice of life...

Back to the Austrian project...I also have to clean up all those backpacks and resin swords for the Grenadiers...but I will get there...time is the only enemy really.