SIMPLE FIGURE CONVERSIONS FOR BEGINNERS

or WE DO NOT DO FIGURES FOR THIS PERIOD !

By Stephen Grethe

INTRODUCTION. 

My own interest in the era stemmed from the usual ACW route but was catapulted into overdrive by a superb series in 1970 by Robert C. Gibson in the incredible `Airfix` magazine (yes I am old and infirm!). So I dedicate these articles to him and his ingenuity of providing figure conversions for virtually every state involved in the Austro-German Seven Weeks War.

The first question to answer is why 20mm? To me it has always been the scale of choice. I do not feel I am a good enough painter to do justice to 25-28mm figures and I am not rich enough to buy ready painted figures.15mm on the other hand is just too small! The principle advantage given for 15mm figures is that it allows greater movement and outflanking potential, yet in my experience it just means more figures on the table accompanied by the usual traffic jams. As I wargame WW1 and WW2, 20mm means that I have to collect only one scale of scenery.

The final point is one of flexibility. I mount my infantry figures in pairs on bases 40mm x 20mm as this enables them to be used in a variety of different rules. Principles of War means that 3 bases can be used as a Company or Battalion whereas two bases one behind the other can be used to represent a single stand for Fire and Fury brigade level games.

The majority of my conversions involve the superb range of B&B figures in their Franco-Prussian, Russian Civil War and Foreign Legion ranges. To me these figures possess a certain style in keeping with the era and I like my figures to look like model soldiers rather than the bedraggled and probably ugly masses that they would be in reality.

So I hope that these articles may inspire some of our members into 20mm wargaming and may even provide me with a few new opponents! All of the mistakes, errors and omissions are mine, feel free to write to me if I inadvertently step on some of your sacrosanct beliefs, after all this is wargaming and we would not be in it if we did not want a fight! Finally I issue the usual public health warning that you pursue these figure conversions at your own peril as I have the scars to prove that sometimes the ends do not justify the means! 

TOOLS OF THE TRADE.

 I use a Swann and Morton scalpel as these are much better and sharper than craft knives and are available in any good art shop. I use a No.11 and replace the blade regularly. My one and only piece of advice here is to ALWAYS cut AWAY from you. A cutting board or surface is a must. I assure you that you do not want to do some of these conversions on the dining room table. Fairly thick card is required as you do not want the blade to pass through when cutting or use a chopping board, but not one used to cut food, remember that the figures do contain toxic lead metal!

A number of small needle files is important, some straight and some curved but you do not have to buy a set, just get one or two to begin with. As you get use to working with the figures you will begin to prefer one particular type.

I also use a very small screwdriver, one normally provided as part of a small boxed set. This is made of a very hard metal alloy and can be used to scratch the surface of the softer lead metal to obtain a variety of effects.

Finally lighting is important, I use a small fluorescent tube light and stand bought in IKEA. This gives plenty of light for the magnifying glass that I sometimes use to get a close up look at the damage I have caused to the figures.

Now to the figure conversions. To begin with I clean all of the flash off the figures using the files and the scalpel and wash the figures in warm water containing a little washing-up liquid. This provides a clean surface to apply undercoat after the figure has been converted.

I have begun with the Hanoverian Army partly as the Society`s booklet on Langensalza is available (and such excellent value) but also the Army can be collected in its entirety and is a good balanced force for introduction into the period.

KINGDOM of HANOVER 1866

INFANTRY

In 1862 Hanover adopted the Austrian style covered shako. On the front of the shako was the George Star for the Foot Guards and the leaping horse of Hanover in white metal encircled by a brass wreath for the line infantry. Up until this time they had followed Prussian styled uniforms and equipment. The infantry tunic was single breasted in dark blue with collar, cuffs and tunic skirt turnbacks in the regimental colour shown in the table below. “Litzen” on the collar and cuffs was yellow for the 7 infantry regiments and white for the Guard regiment. Trousers were dark grey piped red with tan coloured gaiters above black ankle boots. Packs were made of natural hide and blankets were grey. Belts and equipment were white, cartridge pouches black, the water bottle having a pale blue cover.

 Facing colours for Hanover infantry regiments

 For basic infantry I use B&B Prussian jager figures (FPGI3). The back of the helmet is carefully removed using the scalpel, moulded and scored to resemble hair.  By laying the blade and running it across the surface, the metal is soft enough to remove small crescent shaped pieces. Done carefully, the hair may be shaped and then scarred using the small screwdriver. The top of the boot can be used as the top of the gaiter and some simple shaping near the ankle using a file is all that is required to complete the gaiter. The gaiter may be scared by running a line down the side of what was the boot.

There were three battalions of Jager and one Guard Jager battalion. Again the Prussian jager figure may be used with the back of the shako being removed as before. The boots need to be changed into trousers by filing down the top edge of the boot and shaping the bottom close to the ankle. If lines are still showing on the trouser leg, then these may be filled using Araldite resin to obtain a smooth surface to the trouser. All jager wore the same green tunic with black collar, cuffs and shoulder straps. The Guard jager had red piping around these black facings. The trousers were dark grey with a red stripe. A black plume worn was on the front of the shako (supposedly parade dress only) and this may be added using a small piece of wire wool brushed with PVA glue and stuck onto the shako. 

CAVALRY

Hanover had six regiments of cavalry; two regiments each of dragoons, hussars and cuirassiers. All followed the Prussian style of dress and so are simple painting conversions using the Prussian dragoon (FPGC3), hussar (FGPC2) and cuirassier (FPGC4). For the dragoons, tunics are light blue with crimson facings for the Cambridge dragoons and white distinctions for the Crown Prince dragoons. Trousers were grey with a red stripe. Both regiments wore black lacquered spiked helmets with the white horse of Hanover on the front (Interestingly, a picture on page 21 of the Langensalza booklet shows Captain von Einem of the Duke of Cambridge dragoons in a feldmutze styled peaked cap.)

The colour distinctions for the hussar regiments are given in the table below:

The two Cuirassier regiments (Guard-du-Corps and Guard Cuirassiers) wore Prussian style helmet in white metal with brass fittings. Both regiments had readopted the cuirass in 1866. The Guard-du-Corps wore white tunics with red facings and white lace. The cuirass was white metal with brass fittings. The Guard Cuirassiers had white tunics but with cornflower blue facings and yellow lace. Here the cuirass was black with brass fittings and a brass crest on the front. On campaign both regiments wore less spectacular dark blue tunics so I favour painting mine in parade dress. Trousers were a very dark grey (almost black) with a red stripe. Horse blankets were black but I have seen a Guard cuirassier with a red blanket edged with two white lines. The saddle bag at the rear of the saddle was black edged in red with the letters GC also in red.

ARTILLERY

Foot artillery consisted of a battery of 12 pounders and three batteries of 6 pounders. The uniforms were similar to Austrian dress in style with once again the head dress being the shako.Tunics were dark blue with red facings. I use the Wurtemburg artillery crew (FPGA21,22 and 23) as with a little bit of filing the large kepi can be reshaped to resemble the shako.

Horse artillery had a battery of 6 guns and one of 4 guns. The uniform was similar to British Horse Artillery with the Tarleton kaskett with a black crest and white plume. The tunic was dark blue with red facings and yellow lace. I use British Napoleonic Horse Artillery figures from either Kennington (available from SHQ) or Newline Design. The Newline Design figures are slightly smaller but can be mounted onto penny coins prior to basing to give them a little more height.

The colour of the artillery pieces is a question for debate. I paint mine in blue-grey similar to the Prussians, yet someone in the Society may be able to clarify this.

 VARNISHING

This is generally a matter of personal taste and arguments can be made for both gloss and matt varnish. Having spent a relatively long time in painting the figures, I give all of mine a coat of clear non-yellowing varnish to protect them e.g. Humbrol Gloss Cote. I keep a size 4 brush to one side and use it only for varnishing. Remember to clean your varnish brush with brush cleaner or turpentine as this is not an acrylic varnish and so is not water soluble. 

BASING

            Having mounted the painted figures on a suitably sized base:

1. Cover the majority of the base with brown Basetex.
2. When set, dry-brush 2 to 3 times with brown, adding white each time to get a paler colour, with the final dry-brush being almost white.
3. When dry, add green Basetex to the remainder of the base to achieve the correct balance of grass and earth .
4. When set, dry brush with pale green then yellow.

The effect may be enhanced using small stones either placed onto the Basetex when still wet, or by glueing them to the base first. Obviously care must be taken not to paint over them in the later stages.

Long tufts of grass or reeds may be added using coconut matting. Again stick them to the base first (using superglue) and build up the Basetex around them when the glue has thoroughly dried.

 Stephen Grethe's  email address is  smgrethe @ blueyonder.co.uk. n.b (remove the spaces)

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