Swedish TYW Horse

Hard on the heels of the Finns and Croats are two squadrons of Swedish Horse. These took me ages to finish as I really hate painting horses and I was not very happy with the 'look' of the units until after I had applied a coat of shading fluid. I think they look good. One trick I've learnt about my horse painting phoebia is to undercoat and paint them on the sprues and then assemble them. Minimal touching up required. Obviously only works for plastics! I've stuck Wallenstein's Lifeguard together and undercoated them along with some more Finns and a couple of stands of dismounted dragoons. Thankfully more tufts are on the way, as are more mdf bases from East Riding Miniatures.

More Croats and some Finns

I'm making good progress finishing off the remnants of my TYW armies. This weekend I completed another six Croats and six Finnish horse, plus a couple of generals. In my preChristmas tidy up I seem to have mislaid some of my flags as I can't find my Maverick Croat banners anywhere so I've had to use the ones in the Warlord figure sets. They will do for the moment. I have no idea at all what banners, if any, Finnish horse carried so I will improvise. On the painting table at the moment are six more Finns, 12 Swedish Horse and some cuirassiers. I really need to get the mounted elements for my dragoons done but there's no rush I guess. I had hoped to have a game over the festive break but the weather and other commitments got in the way, so I have no idea when I'll get these troops on the table other than in a solo game, although John said he'd come up next week weather permitting. I am looking forward to it.

Thirty Years War Croats and more Dragoons

My first unit of Croats is now complete. I am reasonably pleased with the end result although the photos as always show up a couple of bits of sloppy paintwork that has now been remedied. I do like the Army painter dip (although I brush it on) and the shiney look. Lovely TAG figures.

I also finished a third base of dismounted Imperial dragoons (Warlord Games, horse holders by TAG).

I am on a roll! They just keep on coming! Thirty Years War Imperial dragoons

My production line technique of a few 20 to 30 minute painting sessions  during the day (only possible when I am not a work of course!) is still paying off as I today finished 2 units/bases of Imperialist dismounted dragons. I wasn't sure how to base these up as my typical 6 figure mounted unit count as a standard-sized unit in Pike and Shotte, but 5 or 6 figures on foot is a small unit, even if you count the horse! Given that dragons can only really be effective on foot this could cause a bit of a dilemma. A standard dragoon unit gets one D6 more when firing compared to a dismounted unit of the same number of figures. I want to keep the 80mm unit frontage as standard for all foot units but couldn't really justify, or fit, 8 figures (the minimum for a standard foot unit) on the base, especially as I wanted to include horse holders. Well, in true pragmatic Colin style I have decided that as the base frontage is the same as that of a standard unit then the dragoons will be counted as such, with the benefits of a standard rather than small unit.  I think they look really good, imagine them having just dismounted and running forward to give harrying fire on the Godless Lutherans! figures are Warlord, except for the horse holders who are TAG. The guidon is attributed to von Tilly's dragoons. I have 2 more bases to do plus the mounted versions. In terms of other prog  ress, I expect to have a unit each of Croats and Finnish cavalry and some commanded shot done by Sunday night. Oh, and my Army Painter dip has now gone past its best by date as it is really gloopy.....