From Curt: Dutch Red Lancers for 'Hawkin's Hill' (155 Points)

Sarah's Balloon sets me down upon picturesque 'Hawkin's Hill'. Here, our pal Phil asks us to finish something that we've had sitting around for three years or more.

Looking through my out-of-control lead stores, I'm ashamed to say sourcing figures for this task was nooo problem at all, in fact it was more about prioritizing what I should do. Actually, as it turns out, it was no contest at all, as I've had something needing to be done for a very, very long time. So, I present here a regiment of Napoleonic cavalry, but not just any unit, but the 2nd Regiment of Guard Lancers, the 'Dutch Red Lancers' whose uniform is perhaps one of the most beautiful from that sartorially splendid period.

This post is special to me for a few reasons. 

First it's Napoleonic themed, which is wonderful in of itself as Napoleonics were my first 'wargaming crush' and I haven't done a proper regiment for ages. To me, the period is the most beautiful example of Paper, Scissors, Rock. In it, none of the martial arms had complete dominance, making for some very exciting military history, and the uniforms were the perfect blend of ostentatious beauty and brutal function. 

But, for me, the most important aspect of these particular figures is their background.

I received these models 10 years ago as a thank you gift from my very good friend Greg for standing up as a groomsman at his wedding. Yes, this year Linda and Greg will celebrate their 10th anniversary (congratulations you two!) and so I thought it high time to get these figures properly attended to before another decade slips by.

Sarah and I met up with Greg and Linda for a few days during their honeymoon in Paris. During our visit Greg and I spent a wonderful day at the Musee d'Armee at Les Invalides, where I think he became bitten by the Franco-Prussian War bug (such beautifully curated displays, wow). The museum also had a gorgeous example of a Dutch Lancer uniform which, in turn, prompted this gift of miniatures.

While I typically enjoy working on Napoleonic figures I absolutely dread painting cavalry, especially from units as ornate at the Dutch Lancers. True to form, these were complete swine to work on, with all their varied colours and intricate uniform detail. They almost gave me fits. I started them in the first week of the Challenge and barely managed to get them completed for our final run-in. And I still have another dozen of them waiting in the wings! (Earmarked for your 20th anniversary, Greg!) Well, all this being said, I'm pleased with how they turned out and they will be a wonderful addition to my French cavalry contingent. 

As an aside, during the past few days while I've been working on these, I've been listening to Bernard Cornwell's 'Waterloo, The History of Four Days, Three Battles and Three Armies'. I have to say I'm surprised at how crap it was for the most part as I really enjoy his fiction. Sadly, I found it very derivative of other, better written histories, and on the whole it read as an unabashed Wellington love-fest. It was actually pretty hard to take at times. It certainly doesn't hold a candle next to other recent monographs such as the brilliantly written 'Waterloo' by Mark Clayton (which I highly recommend to anyone interested in a balanced perspective of that campaign).

Anyway, forgive my self-indulgent book review. Here are the Dutch Red Lancers, all done and ready to skewer the enemies of the Emperor. 

Greg, thank you very much for these wonderful figures! The unit will be a wonderful memento of your wedding and of the great time we had in Paris!  

-Curt

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Oh WOW, dude, these are truly breathtaking, just fantastic! It has indeed been ten years, and time has sure flown by. Paris is such an amazing city, and the Musee d'Armee was an incredible thing, and super cool to be able to visit it together with you. 

(And of course, I should note here that my wife of 10 years, Linda, is an incredible woman...I have no idea how she tolerates me, but I certainly consider myself blessed). 

I was moved as soon as I saw the post title, as I immediately recalled these figures, and to see them painted is just so great.  Your brush skills on them are top-shelf, just inspiring stuff, and the unit looks incredible.  I can certainly relate to how long a unit like this can take to finish - particularly cavalry.  But the results are beyond splendid. Seeing them makes me immediately want to crack out the 28mm Napoleonics for a game! 

Naturally this also makes me think of my wedding and of our time visiting in Paris...so just awesome, an excellent aspect to the hobby. Any time I see 28mm Napoleonic figures, I think of you and Sarah. It's a reminder of the ties we share beneath the hobby...many people might assume, with all of the painting late at night, that this hobby is about being by yourself, when in fact the opposite is true...each figure in my collection is inspired in some way not only by my (many and varied) interests, but the friends who will eventually join the game when the project is ready - in days, weeks, months or years.  Those friendships are with me when I sit late at night at the painting table, and I'm sure it is the same for other participants in the Challenge.

Well done my friend - I've added some extra points for the Challenge location, and just generally awesome paint job on one of the coolest-uniformed units of the Napoleonic era. Stunning stuff, thanks for sharing this (and thanks to the other Minions for leaving it for me to post).  I can't wait to see them live on the gaming table.

GregB