From PeteF: AWI 71st Foot - Fraser's Highland Regiment - Tartan Aaaargh! (132 points)

The fightin' 71st

One of this year's projects is Wetzel's Mill, a battle that was fought shortly after Cowpens by some of the same troops - it is one of the scenarios in Warlord's Black Powder Rebellion! supplement. I'm hoping to have all the troops ready for a one day event in Portland in early December.

The 71st foot were at both Cowpens and Wetzel's Mill. They were one of five or so highland regiments that fought in the Revolutionary war (American War of Independence).

Perrys

I have a bunch of sprues from two Liberty or Death sets - not sure what I was thinking getting quite so many - as well as some assorted AWI Perrys that I bought from someone online. The assorted Perrys included some in kilts. The kilt had probably been abandoned by the time of the Southern campaign - but maybe a few of the hardier and more traditionally minded souls kept theirs? 

Grenadiers

The kilts won't make the button counters happy but I did do things like paint the officers' coats brighter (they were scarlet whereas the other ranks' coats were brick red - in reality all would likely be faded and ripped up on campaign). There's a grenadier company that will eventually be part of a converged grenadier battalion. Speaking of buttons - does anyone have a recommended brush or technique for doing buttons? I keep finding that my small brushes are too pointy (and make a line rather than a blob) and my larger brushes tend to get a stray hair or just hold too much paint. It all results in rather uneven buttons.

The colonel

The heads and some of the figures are from Kings Mountain Miniatures.  They're somewhat heroic but I like them. Plastic bodies from Warlord/Wargames Factory. Rest of the metal from Perry.

This was my first try at Tartan - I experimented with blacklining either the outline or across the weave (The real "government set" tartan has a dark strand in both places).  It was brutally hard painting and blacklining over the highly textured Wargames Factory breeches - these really are much better painted and washed with Strong Tone! Someone suggested that it only needs to look like tartan at 2 feet - I'm pleased with the results - I especially liked doing the hats with the blob of blue where the red weaves cross.

I considered doing a wound on the casualty but then realized that because he was fighting the Continentals that he had been shot in the back. I magnetized him so that he can be placed on a base dial that I'm experimenting with - this is a heroclix base that's been taken apart and given new numbers - it goes up to 12 so it will work for severl rulesets. I think I'll prefer this to casualty caps/markers  and I can use the magnets so that the same dials will work for different armies/eras.  

Heroclix dial - tiny magnet

Where the casualty was shot in the back -with a magnet

Highland casualty - goes up to 11 (or 12)

If it looks like this battalion is missing a musician - it is. He's not quite finished - but guess what instrument the bonnie wee lad will be playin.

Lang may yer lum reek

One Mounted, one dismounted officer and one casualty from KMM
13 Foot with Warlord bodies and KMM heads
9 Perry Foot

Total (all 28mm) 1 mounted and 24 foot for 130 points

____________________________________________

Tremendous Pete!  I admire any chap that takes on the challenge of painting tartan on the wee lads and first attempt or not these look stunning.  My morning cup of Earl Grey was nearly spat across the room when I read your reasoning behind not indicating the wound on your fallen hero, very funny.  Now on to the points, I am awarding 132, a couple of bonus points for bravery and clever basing.  Many congratulations on a fine unit and reaching your target score - a cracking start to the Saturday Showcase.