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Monday, 13 March 2017

19th Century Imagi-Nations Armies

Having worked out the base sizes I have started the painting in earnest with a goal of two units every week. The painting is very simplistic with no washes or dry brushing, so I am reasonable hopeful of being able to maintain this target. In fact I am quite enjoying the painting aspect because there are few fiddly bits to pain and I am not looking for painting perfection. Far from it as the aim is to paint them quickly and with a toy soldier feel to them.

The aim is to have the following for each of the imagi-nation armies:

  • 6 x Infantry units
  • 2 x Skirmish units
  • 2 x Dragoon units
  • 2 x Cavalry
  • 2 x Artillery

That will me 150 or so figures per army needs to be painted or 300 all up. Tally so far 45. I suspect I will increase these numbers once I have achieved my initial target, more in increase variety and use the figures than increase the number of units on the tabletop.

Units on 3x3 inch bases
These units are the most complex I will get paining with different coloured trousers to tunic.

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8 comments:

  1. Norm13 March 2017 at 21:45

    Letting yourself 'go' to do fast painting is difficult and something that I need to give more effort two. Your results are good and the 3" (75mm) bases work a treat. I have been thinking about 3 x 50mm bases for infantry and 2 x 60mm bases for cavalry ... but now I am not sure :-)

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    1. Peter13 March 2017 at 23:11

      The figures not being detailed really to lend themselves to a fast painting approach. The base size allows for a unit of 16 figures. I did try 2x2 inch bases with 10 figures which did not look right to me.

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    2. Jonathan Freitag13 March 2017 at 23:49

      Norm, how would a 150mm infantry footprint fit in with your "Gaming in Small Places?" Would that frontage allow enough units and room for maneuver?

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    3. Norm14 March 2017 at 03:13

      Jonathan - not ideally. It does get the bigger scale onto the table but at the cost of everything having as much space to breathe as I have been used to. It would probably lead to up to a 50% reduction in the number of units hitting the table, since I presently use 80mm frontages for hex based games and up to 120mm for open games, though with fairly constrained orders of battle.

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  2. Jonathan Freitag13 March 2017 at 23:54

    "Toy soldier" style painting even without including all of the fiddly detailing is quite pleasing en masse and a coat of gloss.

    Your 3x3 basing with two stands per unit lends an "open order" feel to your BMU. Will the setting of your 19thC project feature units primarily in open order or will close order doctrine be an option too?

    With a target of 300 figures, you will be finished in no time.

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    1. Peter14 March 2017 at 07:30

      My intent is to base my imagi-nation armies in and around the 1860-1870 period. I must confess the basing of a loose, or open, order was less planned and more about fitting 8 figures onto the base which looked nice.
      As for painting 300 figures in no time, I am not quite the painting machine that you are :-)

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  3. Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com14 March 2017 at 23:18

    These look good. I have a sentimental attachment to 3" bases from my 54mm Volley & Bayonet days but have settled on 60mm square to save room.

    It was common to have a skirmish or firing line with supports behind them so these loose 3 deep bases look fine to me.

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    1. Peter15 March 2017 at 07:15

      Thanks. I had forgotten Volley and Bayonet had 3 inch bases.

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