March 12, 2017 – Man of Tin blog

Army Blue troops after repair and repaint – Johillco buglers, Herald Guardsman kneeling firing on Fimo base and a modern Home cast mould version of Guardsman en garden alongside an original hollowcast version.

Emerging shiny from the box, a set that never existed – Army Blue troops

Here are more of the damaged and paint bashed play-worn scrap or repair figures to join Army Blue (as H.G. Wells would call them).

These are Imagi-Nations paint schemes, channeling mixed uniform influences of American Civil War Union infantry, Danish Guards and late 19th Century Belgian, Prussian and Danish Infantry.

Some of the Blue Danish Guard inspiration came from John Patriquin of the Wargame Hermit blog, which I have successfully used on past Airfix HO/OO Guards figures. http://wargamehermit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/distracted-once-again.html

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/more-redcoat-toy-soldier-inspiration/

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/19/airfix-british-redcoat-infantry-1960/

Close up you might notice a range of Army Blue troop types.

Above: The first two were once Britain’s Redcoat Guards marching with rifles at slope, followed by two Britain’s Redcoat Line infantry, a Fimo base repair to a damaged footless US Marines figure, (Home cast? type) Officer with pistol and one of my recent Home cast infantry.

From the back – The simple white belts, equipment and cross belts show up more than practical black and gives a proper toy soldier look.

Basing and Painting

A variety of basing can be seen, experimenting with bases for these soldiers to be part of future Close Little Wars skirmish games on the games table or in the summer garden.

Four of them are based on 2p coins, although I am still experimenting with the best adhesive. Wood Glue might not be strong enough. Whilst it was still wet and white, I mixed in some flock to see how this worked. Flock basing is not very traditional toy soldier but then the two pence bases are practical, suitably light but weighty enough, inexpensive and more importantly, to hand.

http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/single-figure-bases-cheap-bases.html

Figures still need their final coats of varnish and any final details.

I wanted to get a shiny factory first-grade everyday paint look, not overpainted with fine details, to look as if they might once have appeared from a toy soldier factory.

Failing to find an acrylic Gloss flesh, the faces were a Matt Flesh Revell acrylic mixed with some of their Fiery Red Gloss and some Revell Clear Gloss. The Matt Flesh in itself is too pale.

Eyes and moustaches were put in with cocktail sticks. Other fine line details such as chin straps and cross belts were put on using the fine points of cocktail sticks as well.

The Before Photos

The original state of some of these figures can be seen in the following ‘Before’ photo, before restoration, repair and repaint.

Rather than strip them back to bare metal, I gave each figure a quick wipe over to remove ancient play-dirt and dust and then used several layers of Revell Gloss Acrylic for depth of colour.