Guards Brigade at Busaco: Part 2 of 3 'Coldstreamers'

I have to confess I'm rather proud of myself. Not for the way this brigade has turned out (though I am satisfied) but the fact that I finished them in such short order. There is usually a hell of a time lag for me between purchasing and finishing but these have all be done this year. Furthermore, this finishes (finally) the original army I set out to build some 25 years ago which is a supported 'First Division' for Busaco - the 'Gentlemen Sons'.

Most of the figures are Elite Miniatures with a good sprinkling of Offensive Miniatures for the Sergeants, officers, drummers and most casualties like the poor unfortunate in the process of being shot above.

The casualty laying prone in this shot is Elite Minatures

I should identify that this post for the Guards Brigade is all about my Coldstream Guards - the 1/2nd guards. I honestly can't say where the motivation came to crack on with this lot - I wasn't even convinced I get them finished when I was in the middle of painting them.

It is a 40 figure battalion at 1:20 representative troop scale for the historical returns according to Sir Charles Oman just prior to the battle of Busaco in 1810.

 

The above image is of my Grenadier Guards (toughest of the tough) based on a stand of 8 figures. My Command stand is also of 8 figures, otherwise all standard bases accommodate six figures and the light company are based three to a stand on the same size base cut for 6. You may have noticed I drill out the barrel ends and paint them black - a subtle but worthwhile effort which makes a difference I submit.

The drummer (one of two) has diced lace and the correct drum motif - well, a rendition of it at this scale. The grasses are all home made tufts and the bases were finished off with some directly applied dots of dried grass.
 

There must have been occasions for skirmishing light companies to operate with bayonets fixed but I tend to prefer mine without. It must have made loading and shooting on the run easier. So I have to cut and file the cast bayonets off prior to priming.

For the fist time I cut my 5mm MDF bases deeper than normal to allow officers, sergeants and drummers to stand back from the line. The Command base is extra deep to allow for the mounted commander.

 

The base texturing is done with premixed woodwork putty, applied wet with a mixture of tile grout and sand with clumping clay and BBQ fat-soaker pressed into it. When dry, I apply a spray of diluted isopropyl alcohol and drip a solution of diluted PVA to set it. After drying and sanding the edges, I then paint it and apply static grass.

As a general rule, I'm not a fan of marching poses which is why I love the Elite Miniatures advancing designs. They give a distinct impression of forward momentum and the canted angle of the muskets don't take up too much room forward on the figure's footprint - making basing more compact. I replaced the sergeants pikes with steel wire, retaining the original heads which I carefully drilled and fixed with Superglue gel.

Of my two guards battalions, I only ended up giving the Coldstream Guards a mounted commanding officer - a Perry Miniatures figure which I should have mentioned earlier.
 

I thought I liked how my standards came out but there's no doubt that a properly textured and completed base brings everything together. It reminds me that before too much longer I'm going to have to get to grips with my general wargame scenery and table-top base. I am between two systems - having turfed one and not yet replaced it.

This will likely be THE only unit I have for my British (soon to be Allied) army which has a pioneer. Another Offensive Miniatures figure and with that axe, they don't come more offensive.
 

At 'em boys! I can't guess how they will perform on their first outing but the fact that the Coldstreamers can take the field will at least put the wind up my opponent - until Unlucky General once more lives up to the name.