Spanish Infantry Regiment de Santiago
This week I started in on the first of the Spanish Battalions for the planned upcoming battle of Mesas de Ibor. The Regiment de Santiago is the first of 6 big 36 figure regiments completed by Dick Tennant. I will be cleaning and restoring each, adding some simple shading and highlighting and then finally rebasing and giving them a gloss coat. Additionally, each of the six will have a new mounted Colonel to lead them into battle.
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| Ready for a soft brush cleaning and then repair of chipped paint |
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| I still have not been able to equal the quality of Dick's detailed line work. Simply amazing brush control! |
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| While I hate to destroy a figure, this poor soul made the ultimate sacrifice for a bayonet to replace a Chasseur company bayonet that had broken, and a head transplant for the Colonel of the regiment. |
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| Here is the head atop the mounted Colonel. The mounted figure was a rough condition Der Kreigspieler mounted general. I had intended to use the figure head with a bicorn, but it was beyond saving. |
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| I made some repairs to the horse and added epaulets to the colonel, which should look OK once painted. |
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| Here he is ready to receive his uniform. |
One of the ways I stay sane while tackling this enormous collection of figures is to make sure I get outside and hike. Tennessee is a great state for enjoying really beautiful state, city and national parks.
A few weeks ago my wife and I got to hike down to Chickamauga Creek, part of the Chickamauga National Battlefield. General Bragg pushed his Confederate army across this creek in 1863 on the two bridges and various fords in an attempt to retake the city of Chattanooga, a crucial logistics and transportation center, thus precipitating one of the largest major battles of the civil war.
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| The high banks made the bridges and fords crucial for crossing. |
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| Hard to believe this serene field just on the west side of the creek was once a spot of deadly struggle. |
Fiery Gizzard State Park - Despite the wacky name, an absolutely beautiful spot with some challenging hiking.
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| Foster Falls |
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| One of the many cliffs used by technical climbers. |
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| The gorge was just stunning, especially after struggling along the rocky trails down in the bottom of the gorge for several hours. |
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| A well deserved break! |
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| Some folks swimming below Foster Falls |
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| Cindy was awfully close to the edge of the cliff getting this shot! |
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| Down in the gorge. |
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| Me getting closer to the edge than I realized, but what a gorgeous day for hiking. |
Looking forward to seeing your progress with this regiment, I can see what you mean about Dick's lining work, it is really top notch painting. Some lovely scenery on your hikes, stunning views.
ReplyDeleteDick's painting skill has really made me up my game. I'm getting closer as I am learning how important it is to get paint to the right consistency and retard the drying time so that modern acrylics will flow well. I only wish he had primed his figures, as the paint is very prone to chipping. It's a good reason to put a protective gloss overcoat on them!
DeleteBeautiful figures and beautiful scenery.
ReplyDeleteTwo things I really love in this post. Painting is meditative for me, and the hiking reminds me how much good there is in the world. The people we meet when out hiking usually show the best of humanity!
DeleteReally enjoyed both the hobby photos and those of your hike terrific.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thanks Alan. While Tennessee doesn't have the grand views one gets from the Rockies out west, the more intimate landscapes of the Tennessee foothills and Smokey Mountains refresh my soul - as does time with a paint brush!
DeleteI’m also looking forward to seeing the Spanish progress, the unit will look great when finished. Chickamauga doesn’t seem to get as much attention in wargames as the eastern theatre battles which is a shame. It’s always interesting to walk an old battlefield.
ReplyDeleteThe Chickamauga National Battlefield is one of the nicest historical battlefields I have been to. The Museum is amazing and houses a simply incredible collection of historic firearms. The park itself is huge and really brings home the idea of what a titanic struggle happened there back in 1863. The original woods and fields are maintained as they were, which really helps to picture the battle, and what it must have been like to march out of the woods into one of those open fields.
DeleteWhen you've done with those Spaniards they really ought to come and sign up in my army, mine are struggling to hold their own against my French.
ReplyDeleteI scrolled through the photos of your country rambles without reading the captions. So, when I got to Photo 18 it looked like someone had pushed Cindy off the cliff, and when I got to Photo 24 I could see the cad who'd done it, caught on film just after the push.
Yes, I am curious how they will do. I was just reading about Albuera, where some elements of the Spanish Infantry got stuck in and resisted stubbornly, while other just decided to essentially stick it out. It really did come down to good leadership, and previous battle experience, so in some cases the Spanish Infantry could be rated as high as French line, but in others, definitely not!
DeleteMeant to say "sit it out" not "stick it out".
DeletePSS - Cindy is safe and sound at home! Thanks for the laugh!
DeleteNone of us are going to believe that if we don't see Cindy alive and well in your next post.
DeleteWe play Miami in a playoff grudge match this Friday. I'll try and get a shot of her with Messi in the background! Hopefully that will suffice as evidence enough. :)
DeleteThose Spaniards are a fantastic looking bunch, worthy of an occasional higher morale rating just to keep them on the table longer! And what a spectacular set of photos of your State......how sad that it saw so much misery during the civil war.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I never really fully appreciated how pivotal the state was until just recently. The battle of Stones River was another huge affair, that took place just a 45 minute drive from Nashville. The cedar glades there are lovely, so another natural treasure that was saved due to a tragedy of violence.
DeleteSix battalions! That'll be a sight to behold. You're right about Dick's lovely line work. He was very good at doing buttons as well by the looks of it.
ReplyDeleteTennessee, as always, looks terrific.
Yep, It will be quite the Division when all is said and done. I'll be adding some skirmishers, a Provincial Grenadier reserve battalion, and some mule drawn artillery to round it out. Going to be a long slog yet!
DeleteThe Spanish infantry look lovely, Dick was certainly a master at painting the fine detail…
ReplyDeleteOnce they are varnished the colours are really going to pop…
You are blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery…
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly. The shiny really does deepen the colours and enhance the contrast it seems to me, or "pop" as you say. It really takes the look of these figures to the next level. The subtle ink wash and highlights I add will help too. The beauty of the state is really what keeps me here, although my son makes a good argument for moving to California...
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