Friday 30 December 2016

From PeterD - 28mm SYW Highlanders (30 points)

First post for me in this year’s Challenge, late to the game but I really didn’t start painting until Boxing Day.  December 20th brought not only the start of the Challenge, but my mother in law, my daughter home from Uni and a pile of papers courtesy of the final exam for my Financial Mathematics students.



I got fairly well organized (for me) this year and figs prepped and primed and set to go on the day and actually started three different projects on the morning of the 26th.  These 5 SYW 28mm Highlanders are the first project off the production line.  The figs are from the Perry Brothers, from their AWI range.  I love these figs and have morphed several packs into SYW units when possible.  The Highlander uniform didn’t change much between 1763 and 1775 so this was an easy morph.  I filed off the shoulder wings and that was it.  There are some other anachronisms but they don’t stand out much.  The AWI uniform had lapels on where the SYW uniform had none on thars, but they had heavy lace and the actual lapels underneath don’t stand out when the lace is painted.  The cuffs on the figs are probably not quite right too, but uniform info on the SYW is much sketchier than later periods and invites a lot of free interpretation.



I did this group of 5 as a test group before going Full Monty (or Full Sylvain which may be more appropriate) on the unit.  The plan is to build a fully British force for Sharp Practice using new figures, during the Challenge.   I have FIW figures for a British force already but they are old and many of the figures I used are problematic.
 
Overhead view
It had been 15 years since I did a unit of highlanders and this was the first time I’d painted the great kilt as opposed to the small kilt or trews of the colonial era figs.  I am pretty happy with the results, and quite pleased with both the kilts and the red and white hose.  For the tartans I go fairly minimalist approach, going for the right look from 2 feet away or more. 

As for the unit, the British Army raised several highland regiments for the SYW, which were disbanded at the end of the conflict.  The regiments were shipped to North America, the Caribbean, India and two were sent to Germany.  The 87th Foot (Keith’s Highlanders) was raised in 1759 and a detachment shipped to Germany later that year.  The Colonel was a relative of the Prussian Field Marshall Kieth. 
 
Close up of the Officer


To quote the excellent Krosnokraf site (the goto site for SYW info, do your self a favour and get lost there for a while):

In 1760, Ferdinand of Brunswick was so pleased by these Highlanders that he requested to complete the initial detachment to a full regiment. Accordingly, 5 additional companies were raised at Perth and shipped to Germany to join the 3 former companies.

Highland units were used as a light troops or raiders. The men received little formal training other than to advance with the bayonet. The soldier's backgrounds, extensive cattle raiding in the Highlands, made them well suited to their role in Germany. The unit was often combined with the 88th Campbell or Highland Volunteers and both were heavily engaged in petite guerre operations gaining a fearsome reputation.


I find it interesting how the highlanders were used in different theatres.  In North America (and I expect other colonial theatres) irregulars were common and they were used as line infantry.  But in Western Germany regular infantry were a dime a dozen and it was irregulars that were needed.  It’s kind of like the Highlanders were not quite European, but more civilized than North Americans!

Bad lighting but a front on view


What's not to love about a man (or five) in a bonnet and a kilt? You're appealing to the Scots blood in my veins with these chaps Peter. They are absolutely smashing and I look forward to seeing more as your Challenge efforts continue.
I have the greatest respect for anyone who is willing to tackle a tartan or plaid so kudos to you for your efforts on these chaps. 25 points for the miniatures themselves and an extra point per man for the kilts and hose...
Cheers, 
Millsy

40 comments:

  1. Thanks for the informative and entertaining post - lovely work on those braw laddies as well!

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    1. Cheers Evan. It's more fun to build units with historical character.

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  2. Lovely work on these highland chappies Peter :)

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  3. nice work on the highlanders I do love them in any period

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  4. Love em Peter... a definite appeal to my Celtic side!

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    1. Thanks Dave. Eventually I hope to have some of the Irish Brigade for more Celtic flair.

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  5. Well done, Peter - excellent work. I'm not sure there's a harder figure to paint than a highlander in full plaid and kilt, and you've done brilliantly here. I love the details you've added to the submission - in particular the usefulness of cattle raiding in preparing troops for the tests of battle!

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    1. Thanks Sid. I had fun with the belted plaid. The cattle raiding bit is just gold..

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  6. Thanks Millsy, and thanks for the extra points. I didn't find the kilts a problem to paint at all, but I'm not giving back the points.

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  7. I'd love to do some Highlanders for our FIW but I'm not brave enough to attack the tartans and socks yet. Bravo and well done Peter!

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    1. There's nothin' to be feared of laddie. Grab yourself a wee dram and set to it. Actually Paul, the early Black Watch pattern is very basic. From any distance and with any movement on the figs it should look like a blue/green blur which is pretty easy to achieve. I'd take that any day over the last Highlanders I did - static firing line with Royal Stewart trews and puttees!

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  8. Nice work! I always like seeing some Highlanders on the table.

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  9. A very interesting post and super painting and basing. I look forward to seeing more of this British force for Sharp Practice.

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    1. Thanks Jonathon. There's more in the pipeline.

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  10. Great work Peter. "Full Sylvain"...what could go wrong?

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    1. Thanks Greg. Do me a favour and hold my drink.....

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  11. Bright colourful exciting these figures look ace!

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  12. Not surprised your pleased with the results, a very nice job for sure. I also use the same source for my SYW units

    Ian

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    1. Thanks Ian. I've really been enjoying your work with the SYW. Yes that's a website with tons of good info.

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  13. Those are very nice. A very characterful entry.

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  14. Excellent stuff Peter - I look forward to gaming with these fellows. Yes, I think I see my tartan in amongst that mob of reprobates (how fitting). :)

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    1. Thanks Curt, there's more in the pipes. The tartans are meant to be impressions of early Black Watch, but the Campbell tartan us similar. I nearly did these as Campbell's Highlanders but in the end like Keith's facing/lace combination better, plus the Nova Scotia Kieths brewery.

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    2. Well, considering the original Black Watch was half made up of Campbell's its not coincidence the tartan bears close similarity. ;)

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  15. The look really grand, Peter! My favorite period too! I was stymied looking for FIW or 7YW books at Barnes and Nobles over the holidays. I've been telling my kids two things over the holidays.
    #1) The 7yr war WAS the first World War.
    #2) Natives, Milita(including Marines and Rangers), and Highlanders were the FIW as the Generals couldn't quite grasp the land and the set battles they wanted. More was done in the deep wood skirmishes than anything else.
    Command, signal, and maneuver are a bit difficult over land where a squirrel could run from the Ohio River to Canada without touching ground! ;)

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    1. I'm glad you like them Dave, you're going to see a lot more of them! As for books I reccomend
      Stacey's book on Quebec
      Parkman's classic Montcalm and Wolfe
      His Majesty's Britannic Army In Germany for the other side of the coin.

      In Canada FIW had more European warfare as well as irregular warfare. A formal siege at Louisbourg and linear battles at Quebec and Ste Foy.

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  16. Fabulous work, Peter. Your style has improved in the time I've known you. The officer is especially nice.
    Have you ever read Warpaths, John Keegan's book on war in NA? Has some good stuff on this period.

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    1. Thanks very much Padre Mike. I've started Warpaths a couple of times but never got far with it (very unusual for a Keegan book). I'll try again someday.

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