Monrovia - Dragoon Regiment von Beckstein

Finished the first of the two dragoon regiments for Monrovia - von Beckstein

Dragoon horse holder vignettes

Each regiment of dragoons is to have a horse holder vignette, so with two regiments for each side I needed four. Each vignette stand to consist of 3 horses and a horseholder.

I had to rummage around to find enough horses and had to convert a fair number of SYW ones I had spare; reigns were remove from the horses and lots of green stuff used to make good and add extra saddle furniture added...

 After painting up all the figures I set about basing them. I decided to inset the figures into the base, so marked out positions on one piece of card...

 cut out the holes out and then stuck that onto another piece of card

 then stuck the figures into position

 added the reigns using thin strips of black insulation tape

 Then filled gaps in the bases, painted etc - the completed items....

Working on dragoons ....some conversions

For one of my Monrovian dragoon regiments I converted 3 SYW Austrian dragoons. New heads and some green stuff

now I can get on and paint the regiment

Working on dragoons ....

After some thought have decided to standardize my dragoon regiments, each will comprise

• When mounted: 8 figures, Officer with Standard Bearer and 6 bods
• When dismounted: 10 figures, Officer with Standard Bearer and 8 bods; in addition a horseholder vignette - 1 bod and three horses.

I've had a sort out and set out the figures for the Monrovian dragoons,

One of the regiments is a bit of a mix-up for its mounted figures - some conversions to do there. Also I've started work on the horseholder vignettes

Wittenberg - Four more Horse Regiments

I've finished refurbishing 4 more horse regiments for Wittenberg. Each regiment has a colour theme and has yellow sashes and hat feathers.

Regiments Duke Franz (blue theme) and Kalkstein (red theme with hoops/stripes)

 Regiments Meissen (green theme) and Maestch (red theme)

That's all of the available cavalry for Wittenberg; I have one more regiment to add and some Croats, which will most likely be new figures, although I may experiment with home cast SYW cuirassier conversions for the horse regiment.

I will now turn my attention to the Monrovian army, starting with the dragoons and then the horse regiments. Still thinking about infantry unit composition so will leave these till later.

Great Book - European Weapons & Warfare by Eduard Wagner.

Received as one of my Xmas presents, a book well worth adding to your library,

Although nominally for the TYW period in europe the bulk of the content is relevant for the ECW as well. It comprises ~290 pages full of illustrations covering cavalry, infantry, artillery, supply train, camps, river crossings, fortifications etc.

I have the one published by Partizan Press, available from Caliver Books; Warlord Games also publish it, see their Pike and Shotte books section.  These are both paperback reprints, the original hardcover can be obtained but is a tad expensive.