From PeteF: Old School Minifigs 61st Ligne (120 points)

This is the second battalion of French Ligne that I've done for this Painting Challenge. Project 1 is Mo' French! so that I have enough crappoes* to take on the Anglo Allied 100 days army I inherited from my dad and my brother. I've based and flocked10 battalions of various Dutch Belgians and Hanoverians in the last couple of weeks - making the need for some opposition even greater.

Vive L'Empereur

These Minifigs are new castings that I bought from Calivers Books in the UK before I discovered the 2nd hand market of unpainted minifigs - I've picked up a few more battalions of French (and for reasons of lack of self control some Prussians - now project 13) but I'm always on the look out for more - the centjours website lists 55 regiments of Ligne - most with 2 or 3 battalions. This takes me to 10 battalions - so just a few to go - maybe I should change scale?

On that subject we tried out ESR with 2 bases per battalion and my wargaming group liked the rules. Even though ESR probably looks best in 10mm, 25mm is what I've got so I've gone for strong magnets on each base - 2 bases can be fitted to a metal base that will take either 8 infantry or 3 cavalry and the whole base can be lifted up by any one figure. This will work for Blucher as well.

Flexible Basing

I used the centjours website to decide on the details - the voltigeurs got yellow over green plumes, the ensign an all blue coat and the drummer blue coat with white lace instead of green. I have the impression the minifigs standard ligne are more peinsular or 1812 - but they'll do.

It's always a pleasure to put paint on minifigs - it takes me back to my first days of wargaming - I can even vaguely remember the smell of Humbrol and turps.

Skirmishers out

Hard to believe we're in the last month of the Challenge - I wish I'd had more time, especially to meet people live on Google as brushes are twirled and flocking flocked. I'm down to the last battalion and a bits and pieces that I primed way back in December with some hope of getting them all painted by the 20th. Good luck to everyone else as we hit the home stretch!

24 x 25mm foot - Minifigs - 120 points.

* crapaud - toad.

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Fabulous job Pete, what a wonderful sight!  Like you I can't believe that we are in the final throes of the challenge.  Great to hear that you have nearly achieved all that you hoped and best of luck in the final push.