Spanish on the March

I finished the battalion leaders of my Spanish foot for my Louisiana project and thought I’d share them.  I think they look nice for aging and pretty simple figures.

The Louisiana Regiment is completed except the last of the four companies is short two figures.  They’ll be on my first figure order of the year. Pretty simple stuff, some white with some blue.  I allowed them a grenadier company

A photo of all four companies of the Louisiana Regiment .

Followed up by a picture from the front.  I’ve done the round command base for the battalion commander that has so caught on here.  I like the effect, and it’s a way to get a regimental flag in when a company wouldn’t have carried one. The Louisiana Regiment was a uniformed militia unit.  It was likely under strength as almost all Spanish militia units were.  The Spanish colonies all suffered from a lack of settlers, and hence soldiers, in their colonies in the 1790’s.

Newly painted command stand for the Louisianans

The Hiberneans were an emigre Irish unit that spent some time in the Western Hemisphere.  I figured Spanish regulars could be called in to deal with American saber rattling, but units might have to be cobbled together.  The Hiberneans will be joined by two more Spanish companies in their traditional white uniforms sporting a bit of piping. The blood shows up better that way.

Hibernian Regiment all in red.

All figures are the RSM miniatures from Dayton Painting Services.  The uniforms are probably a bit outdated for the period.  They could be slimmer with smaller cuffs.  Even so, I like the figures a great deal, and they were quite fun to paint.  I have two more companies (22 figures) to paint to finish out the two battalions.

Starting the new year off right

An overall glimpse at a portion (the tidy corner) of my painting table. The nearly finished Hibernia Regiment fusiliers, the barely started Grenadiers and the 54mm Abraham Lincoln in the background.

We’re nearly two weeks into the new year, and it feels like time is racing by. Even so, I feel like I’m in one of those creative zones, when I can’t wait to paint in the evening, and on the weekends I can easily put in three or four hours a day. I’m nearly finished with the fusilier company from the Hibernia Regiment, an Irish “wild geese” unit that served in the Spanish army, and periodically made its way to America. They appear quite different from the other Spanish units because of its red coat and yellow tricorne lace. Eleven figures.

A tighter view of the Hibernia figures front

Another view of the Hibernians from the back

I have the Hibernia’s grenadier company next up on the painting docket, and then I’m goind to take a quick little departure from Louisiana. I’m going to paint up the 54mm Imrie Risley figure I’ve had of Abraham Lincoln for some time. I glued him to a base and primed him up. I’ve begun working with the black base coat that will be most of his attire. The challenge is to take this simply dressed figure and somehow make it come to life, either by focusing on his face, or lots of shading and highlighting. I’m not quite sure which route to take.

Imrie Risley’s Abraham Lincoln. I’ve only just begun working on Abe. Expect to see a finished version and more 54’s as the year goes on.

Unfortunately my excellent progress may be a bit stymied for a week as we cruise into deadline. Probably no painting Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Then on Saturday Lorri and I take some time away, board the dogs and spend Saturday and Sunday in the little town of Stevenson down on the Columbia River.