In proper order - Järjestelmällisesti alusta loppuun

Yea, right that would be the intelligent way of approaching this. Instead I packed away most of the cossacks and pancerny and started working on the hussars. (And Petyhorchy - on the side.)

Olisi oikeasti fiksua viimeistellä ne melkein valmiit pois alta. Kun tarmoa tehdä kuitenkin on rajatusti aloitin siitä mikä on kivaa, pienestä husaarieskadroonasta ja sutien puhdistamiseksi ylimääräisestä väristä tein siinä ohessa vähän juttuja petyhorcheille. Husaarien peitsien liitos keskellä on aika viheliäinen keksintö.

More Poles - Lisää puolalaisia

Painting has stalled once again with other hobbies taking precedence.
We did manage to have a game of Blood and Plunder - first game of autumn season.

I did do some inventory of painted stuff and decided I needed more Polish cossack style cavalry to round up my choices if we get to play division game again - and also in case of doing skirmish games with Polish lists. So I got the box of Warsaw 1656 cavalry regiment. I already had in my stash a box of pancerni and a box of petyhorchy. I assembled the whole lot to be able to prime this outside before he outset of the winter.  I was positively surprised by the sculpts of the cavalry regiment cossacks. I was already bored with the cossacks in skirmishbox and cossack box, so finding all new sculpts here I was a happy camper. Mixing pancerni and cossacks I assembled the troops as 2 elite banners of pancerni, 2 elite banners of cossacks, banner of cossacks with spears and pancerni banner. (Elites have shields to mark them.) Petyhorchi got lances but no shields.

Petyhochy with lances, elite pancerny, elite cossacks, cossacks with spears and some more pancerny

Maalaus on ollut hiljaista. Listojen vilkuilu ja figujen  inventaario toteamaan, että puolalaisdivisioona oikeastaan kaipailee mahdollisuuden tehdä 2 ratsurykmenttiä ja kahakkalistoillakin lisäpancernylle ja kasakoille olisi tarvetta.  sai minut hankkimaan Varsova 1656 ratsurykmentin. Kokoilin sen ja varastosta löytyneet pancerny ja petyhorchylaatikot. Mukavaa kyllä rykmentin kasakat ovat uusia skulpteja.

Kasakkarykmentin ja petyhorchin jälkeen kokoilin QR miniaturesin husaarit. Inhottavat kaksiosaiset  peitset ja se,e ttei husaareille ole kahakkapelissä ole ollut juuri tarvetta on viivyttänyt näiden kaverieden kokoamista. Ovat varusteiltaan 1600 luvun alkua ja joukossa näyttäisi olevan varsinaisten husaarien lisäksi myös seuralaisia. 

Some hussars from QR miniatures. Equipment of early 17th century. Guys with capalinas, the brimmed iron hats,  might be companions  instead of true hussars. Inspiring sculpts and may get on the table with the 1656 cavalry as Lithuanian hussars even though they are fifty years early.

On other hand I should finish the guys below to have space on the table to start with this new batch.

Ennenkuin pääsen puolalaisten pariin, pöydältä pitäisi kuitenkin viimeistellä edelliset projektit. Sipaheja, renesanssireitereita, tataareja, puunilaisia ja ligurialaisia. 

Polish skirmish group ready

So I finally finished the contents of the By Fire and Sword box Polish skirmish group. Figures Wargamer, flags QRminiatures. A very nice feeling of accomplishment of getting the figures to state they are done with, to the detail.

Kahakkapartio 

These troops - banner of pancerny, Wallachians, and two understrength banners of cossacks led by a colonel  is playable as is. In game they can and probably should be strengthened by addition of dragoons, tatars, volunteers or more banners of the types present here. This group is worth 5 Force points different options can double the amount. Of course deploying troops worth more Force points lets the enemy choose the scenario and hamper You with various extra effects.

Imperial regiment of foot and Polish dragoons

At last something that is not WIP.

 Regiment of foot with flag of Oberst Holk, supported by a regimental gun. Musketeers and pikemen from QR miniatures 30 years war range. Gun and gunners from Wargamers range of Swedes.

 Joy to paint although the amount of details on musketeers was beginning to get on m nerves at the end.

 Dragoons - Swedish dragoons from Wargamer, with colourscheme suitable to Polish Royal dragoons - but could in a pinch serve also as Danish or Imperial dragoons.

Same regiment - box of dragoons and dragoons from the Swedish skirmish pack - dismounted.

Both troops were painted by first doing block painting, than washed with mixture of india ink and floor polish and then given nongloss varnish.

Quarterly inventory

I did some counting on amount of figures I've acquired and painted for Polish and Imperial/Danish armies. This is not progress in three months, it is total situation now.

Total amount of figures is close to 750, probably a bit over.  (I have figure 738 in the spreadsheet, but that is lacking artillery crews and probably still some blisters of infantry.) That sounds like a lot and to tell the truth it actually is quite a lot.

In context of By Fire and Sword it means I will be able to field Polish and any western skirmish forces  pretty easily. By existing lists for Polish Division I have several options on what to bring to the table. I could field tatar skirmish force on the table and possibly an ottoman raiding  force. I think I might even be able to get minimum strength Swedish division against lean Polish division. For the Commonwealth I don't really need any minis at this moment. I could use Petyhorchy for Lithuanian force and probably some more cossacks, but as is I have lots of options. And still quite a lot to paint.

Amount of painted figures is not quite so impressive. Total of figures with enough paint to look semidecent on the table is 261. A Polish division with extras basically. Figures with varnish and finished bases is 27. Figures lacking just varnish and the finishing of the base probably about the same. I sill

Before tha last game I was mainly working on getting the hussars to stage where they could be deployed. After that I have worked mainly on basing and priming infantry and dragoons. Plus pondering on which colors to give them - there is very scarce documentation for uniforms so I would be safe in just painting them in individual colors. After first going through units of landsknechts and then irregular Polish volunteers and cossacks idea of regimental semiuniformed troops sounds very appealing.

So - dragoons will get red coats and yellow cuffs - suitable for Polish Royal dragoons. Regiments of pike and shotte infantry will wear red, off-white/grey and pale blue. (Uniform red, blue or white would be plausible too, but I hope to get more flexibility for same minis by using regimental colors.)  Smaller musket detachments will either be scruffy mercenaries  in total random colors or spiffy citymilitias/lifeguards in livery.

Imperial regiment with coats and cuirasses painted QR miniatures 15 mm

 
Same regiment with some hats and socks. On background dragoons with their new boots and baldricks.  

Musketeers contramarching.

Painting - work continues.

WIP seems to be constant theme here.
I got my brave hussars to stage where they have their primary colors on. Tidying bases, inking and detail work remains. Roughly at midpoint from finished I figure, but hour or two from stage where I could get them on the table.

Hussar clothing should probably not be uniform. Variation here is very subtle though. Lances are painted separately except on the test figure on the right. Mixed in their is one Wargamer figure, rest are Legio Heroica. At this point I decide to base the guys since I have tendency to get green on figures when painting bases - corrections can be done at same stage as painting over inked figures.

Hussars have been the main project, but on the side Polish king Jan  with his retinue has been getting some treatment. 

Cossacks and Pancerni by QRminiatures are painted and inked. Some higlights and they are ready for varnish and grass. See the grass stained hooves...

...and continuing. Reiters WIP

 Reiters have continued to get details, on the side I've added details to noble volunteers I started already before Christmas. The reiters  got sword frocks, hair and beard, manes of horses, stripes to saddleblankets and steel to their pistols and swords.
 In principle they are ready for inking. I might still add some detail like buckles or hooves, but basically the primary colors are done.

The volunteers had most riders already painted but lacked color on some horses and quite a lot of reins. Finally got all the horses painted as well as reins, some saddleblankets are still black.

Some of the greens dont really work, they are too dark and require some work. Horses manes are mostly unpainted and require work. And all the figures need to be checked for any missing details. Facial hair is missing so far and quite a lot of guys have black undercoat showing in their fur caps. Not a bad color, or effect, but very lazy solution.

On the side some of the Cossacks or Light cavalry by QR miniatures got excess color so that all their horses have the basic color. I kind of like the leather red - new bottle in my paint storage so it seems freash among grey and light brown mounts.







And since I don't seem to be able to get just a small drop of paint: 

the Pancerni from same batch got their mail coats and helmets painted now.

Alltogether a reasonably productive evening. Counts as family time since I set up my painting area on same table as wife was playing Civ and even had conversation while working on our respective pastimes. Cozy.

Continuing the reiters

 Decent hour hour and a half of painting. Added red on the reiters and used same color for various cossacks, volunteers,pancerni and other troops  on the painting table. Same story with different browns

I used for reins and different parts of these Reiters other gear. Only after putting this pic up I noticed missing scabbards. 

Likewise with skintone and metallic blue I gave to the helmets and breastplates. The effect of metallic blue is not bad but feels a bit like cheating. It is also a bit too shiny for what I'd expect blackened armor of mercenary troopers to look like. 

Cossacks and reiters WIP

With less harsh winter I finally did some undercoating outside.
Tatars are still waiting for inspiration, at the moment the horde looks even too dirty, but I am not sure what to do to amend that. Some careful highlighting may be in order.

I finally glued on some cossacks I have been painting separately.

By Fire and Sword cossacks.

Some highlighted details, grass to the bases, varnish and I think these guys may ride to skirmishfields. And a flagpole to the flagcarrier ofcourse.

Reiters from QRMiniatures

 With these I am experimenting on new process with painting troops before basing them. Handling horses and riders separate already seemed much more comfortable than painting three troopers and their mounts side by side. Interesting to see how this method works for me.These troopers are to get coloring suitable for German mercenary cavalry equally at home in Polish or Imperial troops. If required they might be easily drafted to Swedish or Danish service. I am tempted to get more of these guys, just to get more troopers with that wonky helmet, but so far I have resisted the temptation - no new miniature purchases until previous ones are painted and based, preferably finished.

Obviously not all of them, but amount comparable to intended purchases.  And even though I get kind of reluctant to do the finishing touches to units I need do just that to clear the queue I have made.
So in future I should work on:
- finishing Wargamer Cossacks, Volunteers and Polish Infantry.
- making a list of troops required for Polish division - that is minimum of two Polish cavalry regiments of which one may be light one, with at least one more regiment which may be volunteers, Dragoons or German mercenaries - and painting those units first
- finish the Reiters that I have already done to some level
- work on units of Italian wars and finish them one at the time
- playing with toysoldiers
- having fun in all parts of the process

WIP Tatars

So, the weather here has been harsh, with temperatures outside between -15 and -20 centigrade so using spraypaints outside where I usualy do my priming has not really been an option.
Hence experiment with the QR minitaures tatars using white acrylic primer painted on with a brush.
 After basic colors and glaze I am at this point:

Small horde

Poor nomads, not able to get colors like the Poles.

 After painting with black primer, white feels ackward. All the mistakes and omissions seem much clearer. The proper darkness of glaze remains to be experimented - although I wanted a dusty, dirty look to these warrior it seems a bit too dark at some points.

QR miniatures - some 15 mm cavalry

Yesterday was assemby for Poles in here today I mounted them on cardboard for undercoating and possibly painting too.

Here are some pics and my feelings on the guys.

QR light cavalry with a member of nobility leading on.

Sold as light cavalry - these troopers have no visible armor. Could work as wallachians, volunteers or cossacks in my army. For Polish cossacks they might be slightly underarmoured. Nice mixture of bows and carbines.

Members of nobility

Nice gowns, seem to give good opportunity for opulent painting. No bows, quivers or carbines, but case of pistol holsters. Separate heads and weapons. I struggled with the weapons, but heads fitted easily.

QR Pancerni

 Commander with fur hat, leading a noble again. Carbines and quivers bows on those without. Separate weapons and right hands on some. Easy to glue on. My favorite is estoc carried by fourth from the left.

QR 30 Years War cuirassiers

Five wear closed helms, three have zishagge helmets, all in 3/4 armour. 3 with drawn swords rest with pistols. Will no doubt find a place in early 30 Years war army. Detail on zishagge is especially pleasing to me.

QR 30 years war Reiters

 Of the eight six seem to have breastplates. 2 of these have weird helmets of the type shown as Swedish early cavalry helm in Osprey, close to kapalina. The rest have hats. Pistols for all the armored troopers, drawn swords for the two guys in long buff? coats. Will nicely turn into a gruffy looking company of German Livonian or Curonian mercenaries I think. Could also work as early Swedish company.

New goodies

The mail brought some new stuff.
Osprey-book on Polish Hussars, giving some new ideas for painting the heavy hitters.
Batch of miniatures from Minifigs and Matchlock ranges and some figs from QR miniatures.

I mainly worked with QR stuff yesterday. The cavalry I was working with, different Poles and Tatars/Kalmuks from Russian range had horses and riders cast in one piece. Level of detail was pretty nice to my eyes, quality of cast was decent with pretty little flash.

Mixture of QR Lithuanian Tatars and Tatars/Calmucs from their Russian range

Some of the ranges had separate heads (Szlachta and lithuanian tatars) and some separate weapons on part of figures(Pancerni, Szlachta and some of the tatars.) I personally dislike gluing such minuscule details, although the estoc on one of the pancerni was very nice detail.

Generally these guys are a tad pudgier than by Fire and Sword  and Legio Heroica figures. It remains to be seen if separate banners of these guys stand up from the general lineup too much.