Tuesday, December 3, 2019

DANISH DRAGOONS DOUBLED: A SECOND REGIMENT JOINS THE RANKS

The newest addition to my Post-Napoleonic/Chocolate Box Wars collection:  Northstar 1864 Danish Dragoons.

Travel, the recent Thanksgiving holiday, and life in general may have slowed blogging, but there has been hobby progress.  In this post, dear readers, I follow up on my To Arms, To Arms! post of Oct 29--with the first unit among those being prepped there to be completed (others should be completed--fingers crossed--prior to the Yule).  In this post, as usual, you may clix pix for BIG PIX...
 Austrian 1866 Dragoons Converted to Represent Red Coated Danish Dragoons
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The Danes were my first foray into post-Napoleonic forces. At that time, Northstar did not offer any Danish cavalry.  Thus, I converted Northstar 1866 Austrian Dragoons to represent Danish Dragoons (in the earlier red-coated Danish dragoon kit).  Although pre-blog, there is a post on TMP outlining this project.  Fast forward to the completion of my other major contingents (Prussians, Austrians, Hungarians...) and I realized that my Danes could use some updating, specifically in the cavalry department, which consisted of three regiments: the aforementioned single regiment of dragoons, the Danish Guard Hussar, and the Danish Horse Guard .  The prompt to take action came when I saw that Northstar had updated their 1864 line to include Danish Dragoons.  Here is my study of these figs:
The sculpts are in the less colorful later uniform and wearing the greatcoat typical of the 1864 campaign.  I do think that the helmet with the steel fittings is a rather smart feature of the later uniform.
Although depictions of this uniform vary, they generally show a steel/grayish light blue uniform with no color differentiation between the uniform, greatcoat, and saddle furniture (very unique in that way). To reflect the color, I used Humbrol 157 Matte Azure Blue, a diluted wash of black, and then a fairly "heavy" highlight of Humbrol 89 Matte Mid Blue. I took some license with he saddle furniture and used a slightly darker shade of blue to create some separation between the rider and furniture.  When I tried a historically correct rendition with them in the same color, it left the figures looking unfinished.  So this became one of those touches that I  deliberately got "wrong" in order for the figures to look "right." 

As usual, the Northstar Sculpts have details that take closer examination (and sharp eyes) to appreciate--like the van dyke facial hair on the command figure (left). Although under gaming circumstances, nobody will probably ever see this, I know it's there and that's what matters, I suppose.
The Danes can now can field a proper Dragoon Brigade...
...as part of a proper Danish Cavalry division. 

Excelsior!

19 comments:

  1. These are superb horsemen! I like the cavalry in greatcoat and steel trimmed helmet.

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    1. Thanks, Jonathan. This was one of those units that just didn't seem to be coming together while it was in progress (even at later stages), but once done delivers a very different impression (in a good way).

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  2. Great Danes, l too think the great coats are excellent. I have been really interested in the Danish army since I went on holiday there over thirty years ago for the first time. I have been back a number of times. The Tojhusmuseum is terrific and well worth a visit. I look forward to seeing more of your Danes.

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    1. "Great Danes"--nice: I hadn't thought of that (believe it or not!). I need to get them out on the table again.

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  3. Elegant and wonderful looking cavalry!

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    1. Thanks, Phil. Agree: the greatcoat and cavalry combination is an elegant one (it even works for cowboys wearing those long "slickers").

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  4. Wonderfully painted figures, Ed. NorthStart figures are really well sculpted and sturdy for gaming as well.

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    1. Thanks, Dean. Northstar really are top of the line. Word to the wise: the horses legs on some of their earlier figs are rather spindly (I'm thinking the running horses of the Austrian 1866 hussars in particular), but their later horses are much better (agree).

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  5. Very nice toys indeed Ed...
    The blue grey greatcoats are quit striking... apparently they were heavy enough to turn a sword blow...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks, Aly. I recall reading (somewhere) that the Prussian cavalry in 1864 had been briefed to thrust as opposed to cut because of the toughness of the fabric: "great" coats, indeed!

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  6. Great looking Dragons there. I’m not sure what a dragon is exactly, but from the looks of these bad hombres I’d want lots of them in my army. 😀

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    1. Dumb auto correct put dragons instead of dragoons. I know they didn’t breath fire...

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    2. Hi Stew: dragoons are just another category of cavalry (basically) by this time in history. You're not far off with "dragon" though: the name is derived from a type of firearm, called a "dragon", which was a handgun version of a blunderbuss, carried by dragoons of the French Army.

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  7. Well its all been said really. Great figures with great painting to match.

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    1. Thanks, Ross. All that's left is to get them out on the table and then killed off in the customary fashion for new units.

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  8. Very, very nicely done!! I think your take on differing the hue of the saddle blanket was the right step.

    Jim

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  9. Lovely looking cavalry unit, the greatcoats are very elegant!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks, Iain--it will be interesting to see if they turn out to be clumsy vs elegant on the table :)

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