Tuesday, January 24, 2017

REAL MEN WEAR PINK (FACINGS): HONVED GRENZERS, 1848-49

Over this last weekend, I completed another of my Chocolate Box Wars units, once again from among the Hungarian Honved forces of the Hungarian Revolution.  Once again, the source (and inspiration) was derived from the excellent Gyozo Smogyi Honved Army, 1848-49 text...                               [as in all posts, you may clix pix for BIG PIX]
My aim: Hungarian Grenzers in Pink Facings

Once again, I converted other figures for the purpose. The 1848-49 grenzer uniform remained essentially Napoleonic. So, for figures, I turned to the Perry Miniatures Austrian Grenzers Marching Casually ...
Perry Napoleonic Austrian Grenzers
If you look at the Smogyi illustration above compared to the Perry figures, you'll note the shako pompon (1848-49) vs the oak sprig (Napoleonic) on the shakos...
Pompom Replaces Oak Sprig
...So, the physical conversion for this batch of figures involved the headgear. I snipped off the oak sprigs and made pompoms out of Green Stuff.  I thought--"How hard would it be to make a few balls and stick them on the shakos?" Harder than imagined is the answer (at least for my limited talents).  Sizing them and getting them uniform proved to be a challenge, and then handling the little blighters drove me to distraction. Eventually, all were positioned--and reshaped after the violence involved with that--into something resembling balls.  In short, this latest minor conversion proved another object lesson in the difference between me and someone who does this for a living--and the incredible talent that  professional figure sculptors possess! 
The amount of sculpture-realistic detail on Perry figures I always find quite demanding--as opposed to the kind of detail on something like the superb Front Rank figures, for instance, which seem more "painter friendly"--then again, it just might be me and my patience levels talking there.  I could not imagine sustaining this level of effort for big units of 18 or 24 figures, and have great respect for those who can.    
 The casual marching poses of the Perrys makes for a very good effect when the stands are stacked in column. 
The Grenzers join the Grenadiers in the line of my growing Honved/Hungarian Army (not to mention the volunteers and foreign legions that I've already got). I've commissioned some Honved infantry in kepis, Jagers, and command figures in the excellent Steve Barber Revolutions in Europe Hungarian army of 1848-49 line. Once those come in, I'll be able to field a complete Hungarian Chocolate Box Army in 28mm (with few if any other conversions)!

Excelsior!

9 comments:

  1. I sympathize with your customizing but the pompoms look good on the Hungarians, nice job on the uniforms too. I've painted a whole bunch of those guys too only in 18mm Blue Moon figs.
    You going to make some Hungarians in ACW kepis too? It was rather commonly used but then you know that, having the Smogyi book too. Great source!
    Looking forward to seeing more additions to your fine collection.

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    1. Hi Mike,

      Yes, my main Honved infantry will be in shako (those just arrived from Steve Barber, as a matter of fact). However, I intend to do some special units in kepi (like the "Red Cap" Battalion). Also, the differing headgear opens up the option of doing some of the colorful locally raised units that wore a close variation of the Honved uniform.

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  2. Very nice job (and great sculpts) on these figures, well done!

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  3. Excellent conversions and the pom poms look good to me. When I needed to do something similar many, many years ago for Mexicans during the French Intervention in Mexico, I used small shotgun shot for the pom poms. Terrific brushwork too!

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    1. Shotgun shot...now why didn't I think of that? Next time, maybe I'll post a question first and see if folks have suggestions! Thanks for the encouragement on the brushwork (these fellows had alot of steps to them).

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  4. Nicely done. That salmon color works well for a few Napoleonic units as well.

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    1. "Salmon"--I guess that is a better name for the color than pink Sort of like "Polish Crimson" :)

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  5. Great job, Ed! Can't wait to get caught up on all the painting you have been doing lately!

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