Spanish Line Infantry (UPDATED: 01-01-10)

quindia · Post by **quindia** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:49 am

I have been wanting to add more coat colors to my allied army and decided to try converting a couple of Spanish line battalions from the new Victrix 1804-1807 French set. They aren't a perfect match, but they will serve well enough on my table.

Just finished these this afternoon. Not the best photo, but I shot this without my normal set up.

I wanted a ragged look beyond the mud so I used a mix of shooting and advancing poses in the front rank to simulate poor fire discipline! A second battalion of the same regiment is on the assembly line and no, they will not be depicted running away...

01-01-10 And then there were two...

John-G · Post by **John-G** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:21 am

Wow, he's a bit of alright. And yes, he'd also serve on my table too

I have two boxes of the early French, and intend using them to make up two battalions of Swiss in Spanish service (dark blue coats) and two battalions of Swiss in French service (red coats), but having deserted over to the Spanish (as they did at Baylen)

Cheers,

John.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:43 pm

Looking good. I'm really looking forward to getting my first box of Victrix.

Atheling · Post by **Atheling** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:48 pm

I'm liking this chap very much .

More soon you say......

Cheers,

Darrell.

big-gazza · Post by **big-gazza** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:48 am

Hi,
very nice. Great idea.

Gazza

John-G · Post by **John-G** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:35 am

I say again ... WOW! They look superb.

Any chance you could run through what you did re: the converting?

Cheers,

John.

quindia · Post by **quindia** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:55 am

John-G wrote: Any chance you could run through what you did re: the converting?

Heh... very little. The only real converting was taking a scalpel to remove the points on the vests. I painted the vests the facing color so they would appear to be part of the coat to more closely resemble the cut of the Spanish uniform. I also used all of the grenadier bodies I had so most of the models would have two crossbelts as was the Spanish norm, but there are single crossbelts mixed in. They really should all have plumes rather than pom-poms as well and I should have gone the extra mile, but there are other minor differences as well so these simply go in the category of 'good enough'. It's actually not too late to add the plumes and I may do this even these guys are ever to see action beyond my own humble table.

John-G · Post by **John-G** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:16 am

Clarence,

thanks for that, it's really helpful. This has given me the jolt I needed to start work on the two boxes I have that will be used as Swiss in Spanish service.

Cheers,

John.

quindia · Post by **quindia** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:18 am

New pic in the OP...

Wayne A Turner · Post by **Wayne A Turner** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:32 am

How about a step-by-step of how you went about the conversions?

quindia · Post by **quindia** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 5:29 am

Wayne,

90% on the 'conversion' is simply painting. The main difference on a 28mm mini that you would notice is the coat...

I removed the pointy bits from the vest with a scalpel and then simply painted the vest the facing color to give the illusion that the coat continued. The cross belts hide the rest. Also the Spanish normally had two cross belts so the bulk of my models are from the Grenadier and Voltiguer bodies. I had to mix in some single belts, but the effect simply adds to the rag tag look I wanted for the unit. I also used all elite heads because they have mustaches which I felt lent to a stereotypical Spanish appearance.

They really should have had plumes instead of pom poms and I should have taken the time to sculpt them, but I think these will do for my purposes!

Hope that helps!

Duke of Plaza-Toro · Post by **Duke of Plaza-Toro** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:50 pm

They're really lovely Clarence.

I like the mix of poses for the ragged look - I'm planning something similar to get the right 'mob' like appearance for my c.1792-93 French National Guard battalions.

Wayne A Turner · Post by **Wayne A Turner** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:39 pm

Thanks Clarence. They look great.