Monday 5 August 2013

The Verdun Project: French Battalion Command (Part 2) and a New Blog Banner

I finished off the French battalion command and another section last week, so I thought it was time to post some photos of these. The command figures are from a couple of very nice Scarab Miniatures packs. Although a little chunkier than the Brigade Miniatures used for the Poilu, they actually fit very well together as these photos hopefully show.



The uniforms of higher commanders seems to have been the same Horizon Bleu shared by the troops in the field, so I used the same paint scheme for all of the figures (please see the late Great War French painting template on the Blog sidebar for more details).





I felt that the gas mask conversion has gone reasonably well, and I may do more of these in the future.



The Homme Soupe is a great addition to any range. Hopefully there’s a scenario we can think of to use this chap!

The battalion command group was a lot of fun to paint, and complements the one I have done for the British and the German forces.






I still want to try and produce a front line command group as these gentlemen are clearly not equipped for life in the front-line trenches! Standing close to the shell-damaged cafĂ©, never to far from un croissant amandes and a fine cup of coffee seems somehow fitting considering their popular image in Paths of Glory, possibly sharing bon mots and illicit information with a war journalist from Le Bonnet Rouge…! (More of such intrigues in a later Blog Post, ladies and gentleman!) 



And finally, it’s time to change the Blog header to match this year’s French theme. I'e put some contenders below (one of which is very silly). Which do you prefer? Something plain, or something which is a little busier and with more going on? A border...or no border.  Alternatively, would you prefer something less “staged” from an actual game - troops attacking "The Anthill" perhaps? Please let me know – I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Here’s the contenders at the present time….the winner will be the banner until the end of the Verdun Project (which at the present rate is going to be sometime in the late Autumn).







I've put one of the banners up temporarily, although the colour seems to be slightly different - perhaps a Blogger gremlin.  I'll try and sort that out later today!

37 comments:

  1. Wow! These are absolutely stunning and joy to behold. As always your attention to detail is mesmerising, but interesting the detail that caught my eye was the purple wash to the pigeon's plumage - genius!

    As for the banner, I rather like the one in situ, but would a slightly different elevation help, so we could see a little more of the commands' faces?

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    1. Thanks Michael! You'll not believe how long I looked at pigeon photographs on the internet to get that effect!! I may well try a slightly different elevation - good point!

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  2. Awsome indded, Sidney!
    Couple of comments:
    1/ I see a scenario for the Homme Suope based on your trench raid variant published at the TFL Special sometime ago.
    2/ I'll vote for banners 5 or 6

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    1. Funny you should mention that, Benito. I have a scenario planned around just les Hommes Soupes and their struggle to the front lines! Possibly one of our "Christmas Games". Thanks for the vote as well!

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  3. Fantastic looking stands Sidney. My vote is for Number 3 that I think is also the one already in place! Looks good with, the border, the name at the top (gets a bit lost in number 4)and not too many troops!

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    1. Thanks Rodger. Yes, I know what you mean about Banner 4 - the lettering does not really "pop".

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  4. For me, the next to last picture(Number 5) stands out and I think would make a good banner.
    These are a wonderful and colourful collection Sidney, 10/10.
    Cheers,
    Pat.

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    1. Thank you Pat. Much appreciated! I took a leaf from your own fantastic blog in simply posing the figures on the photos instead of waiting until we had a game going - so thanks for that!

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  5. Greate work !!!

    I´ll go the the last one no6 with the french text:)

    Best regards Michael

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    1. Michael - number 6? Oh gosh...I only put it up as a joke!

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  6. Lovely work!!! Nice and subtle.

    Darrell.

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    1. Thanks Darrell, I really appreciate that, that's high praise indeed. Thanks so much.

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  7. I really like these Sid, excellent stuff and a real pleasure to look at. Thanks for the close-ups as well, they help see beyond the first impressions as to how the effect is achieved. Great work (as ever!).

    I love Monde du Roundwood...

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    1. Ed, thanks for dropping by and voting, Sir! The close ups were taken at two different times - late afternoon (strong sunlight) and early evening (less natural light but with halogen lights above). A bit of an experiment, really, just to see the slight contrast and difference in colours under different light conditions.

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  8. These figures and the command stand have all kind of wonderful in them. I especially love the carrier pigeon and the purple used. It's all such a treat to look at!

    And another vote for Monde.

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    1. Thanks Monty. The carrier pigeon was fun to do, I admit! Thanks for the vote!

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  9. Splendid! Beautifully pained Poilus. Best, dean

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  10. These look great! Always jealous of your painting skills.

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    1. Chris, that's very kind but no reason at all to be jealous, Sir. Guys like you have talents, stamina and consistency I can only dream abut! But that's still very kind...so thank you!

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  11. Stunning work. It almost makes me wanting to do some great war stuft myself.

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    1. Go on, go on, go on, go on.......you know you want to Moiterei!

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  12. I'm really impressed by the command group...fantastic work.

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  13. Beautiful work Sidney! I prefer the 2nd pic myself!

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  14. Excellent stuff. I like 3 or 5, but probably more No.3 (which is up now is it not?).

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    1. Thanks Mark, great to see you dropping by. Banner number 3 is indeed up on the site at present. A while back I started making the banners slightly thicker and I thought it was time to possibly narrow that back a bit. Thanks again!

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  15. Another vote for number 6...I'm getting worried! Thanks Andrew!

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  16. Lovely, lovely stuff Sidney! I particularly like L'Homme Soupe (I can picture him with a few baguettes tucked under one arm and a gallois precariously hanging from the corner of his mouth). Definitely a boost for troop morale!

    ...and of course I have to go with your last banner - it is tres magnifique.

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    1. Curt, you shall be pleased to know that I've ordered some more Hommes Soupes today. I shall try and do at least one with a baguette/ Gauloise combination in your honour!

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    2. Sidney, you are a scholar and a gentleman!

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  17. Great painted figures! I like he fourth banner most!

    Greetings
    Peter

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  18. Nice work Sidney....I like the second one - more toys on display

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    1. Perfect, thank you Mervyn. I'll hold the votes open until Friday and then put the winner up!

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  19. What a great work! Details are really impressive, and the colors wonderful...and the basing...well, in fact, all is perfect!

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