I'm back ............. and I've been busy

I've not posted anything for a couple of weeks because we decided to make a last-minute trip around France before the chaos of Brexit descends upon us.

My partner and I, plus Maisie and Daisy, our two Westies, booked a return crossing via Le Tunnel  sous La Manche and booked up a few hotels around France, in places that we have visited before and which we both love. Naturally, these included stops in wine producing regions, as well as that gastronomic heaven, Lyon. We were away for around 10 days, which left me just this week to finish off my latest rush project.

At the end of March, I am involved in a two-day event at BIG, playing Napoleonic Sharp Practice in 28mm. Although I have a few groups of 95th Rifles and Portuguese Atiradores I wanted to field some line troops, as well as fitting into the event's points limits of 55pts per player.

Anyway, I'd previously started off some Victrix Peninsular War British, getting them undercoated and partly blocked in with base colours, but now the pressure was on, not least because I wanted to have a practice session this coming Sunday in a club game against Brian's French. I have decided that these will represent the 61st Foot, a.k.a. The South Gloucestershire Regiment, which seems appropriate because of the Bristol connection.

Well, this morning I got them finished, and here they are. First, some leaders;

I only need two Leaders for the BIG event, but I wanted to paint up more, so that I can expand the force later.

Now, the actual troops, three groups of eight;

I wanted to give these a battle-worn, grubby look, with some troops in non-standard trousers, hence the chap in the third group in blue trews, which he's clearly taken from a French or Portuguese soldier who had no further use for them. Others have grey or brown trousers, and all of them are wearing uniforms that wouldn't pass muster on parade, in terms of cleanliness.

I have enough parts left on the sprues to make up another 16 figures, so that is two more groups. I will also finish off a drummer and an Ensign with the colours at some point, but I don't need these at the moment.

I always worry when I am painting figures, especially plastic ones, because I never think that they are going to look any good when I've finished, but I think that these are OK. Once they were dry-brushed and inked, they really began to come alive, and once flocked and varnished, I am relatively happy with my work.

Now, I need to come up with some names for the Leaders. I am definitely going to have Captain Nigel Molesworth leading them, but I am still thinking about the other three.