Continuing to hunt high and low for more figures to paint - I came across a couple of WW1 projects that I'd never properly completed. I had concentrated on Early War (1914-5) engagements and we'd had a series of games at the club which were pretty enjoyable. As ever I had jumped in with both feet and had good sized armies for British, German and Belgian forces with an over concentration on Infantry and Cavalry - others at the club provided the artillery!
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| Completed lot of Late WW1 Infantry |
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| Undercoated figures on the sprue, I used Khaki paint. |
This batch of figures were from a second British force that I started to raise - but for the Late War period (1917-18)!
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| Partially painted figures on the sprue |
These figures are from the Plastic Soldier Company, I acquired them a number of years ago and they have been kicking around my cupboards for a number of years. Moulded in dark brown plastic, the set is designed to give a wide range of base figures for a British Infantry unit to participate in one of the company's games.
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| Mortar Company |
The figures represent 4 Companies of Infantry, a Supporting Mortar Company and a Machine Gun Company, there is also one individually based figure to act as a runner. The kit did not supply any command figures.
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| Machine Gun Company |
I painted up a number of these some years ago and was pleased with the results but was frustrated by the ease at which the bayonets & rifles on the figures would snap off.
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| Close-up of a Machine Gun Platoon |
I decided to paint these figures on the sprue, to reduce the likelihood of damage when handling them during the painting process. However, I'd forgotten, the main pain with these figures is actually getting them off the sprue without damaging them.
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| And a close-up of a Mortar Platoon |
I'm pleased with the ease of painting them on the sprue but I broke the bayonets or guns off at least 6 of the figures when separating them out for basing. Most of these were reasonably easy to fix with a cut of liquid glue, but one figure was unusable after the rifle flew across the room into oblivion when cut from the frame!
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| Two Companies of Infantry |
I painted the figures with a base coat of khaki, then added a lightish green for puttees and helmet before adding an ochre colour for the webbing. I washed all with a Soft Tone ink from Army Painter, once dry I then painted in rifles in brown, boots and bayonet handles in black before putting a darker Green down for any equipment. All of these items were then washed in Army Painter Dark Tone to give a colder feel.
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| And the other two. |
Figures were then glued to bases and given a matt varnish, after painting the bayonets silver. Once the figures fixed in place on the base, I applied my PVA Glue / Emulsion Paint gloop to the bases and allowed to dry.
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| Individual figures - left a Battalion Runner and right a casualty of the removal from the sprue process. |
I struggled a little with the bases, I knew my usual approach would not work, so I have left a lot of the gloop on show, with a light sprinkling of fine sand and patches of grass to break up the ground. (I know that this is likely unrealistic but its the best I could think of)
