This Weeks News...King Victor Emmanuel meets Garibaldi

1. GARIBALDI IS RECRUITING

Have completed a battalion of Garibaldi Volunteers. I enjoyed converting and painting these, using the Timpo solid ACW figures. Will issue a flag later.

2. THE FENIANS PREPARE TO INVADE CANADA, just got to paint up their flag.

The four new additions.....

3. THE SCHLESWIG VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE

And here are thirteen more completed partisans. Yet another change in their establishment, have decided to have five partisan battalions of thirteen, the thirteenth will be a standard bearer. This leaves me with a spare half dozen figures for other roles.

And here they are integrated..... just five more to complete the three non-uniformed battalions of thirteen.

4. LETS GO SAILING

As a follow-on, and proof of the above. My fishing boat has gained a third crew member.

5. SOME NEW FURNITURE

A charity shop visit furnished an unusual acquisition. This Aynsley Bone china Welsh dresser is about 1/32 in scale. Now those constructing street barricades aren't too careful, I must ask them to try not to scratch the furniture.. (Aynsley produced chinaware from 1775 to 2014, and supplied items to the late Queen, and Lady Diana.) This item floats around for about £8 secondhand, picked it up for £1.

6. SAXE DESSAU GAINS A RECRUIT

Picked up another Timpo Prussian and increased the Dessau company to four. 

7. KING VICTOR MEETS GARIBALDI

Back to the 'Box that Keeps on Giving'. A 1/30 scale British Horseguard has been altered into King Victor Emmanuel the IInd of Italy. It's another odd casting which came very close to being melted down on several occasions.

Original condition

8. SAXONY FOOTGUARDS sent to Schleswig

Finally. I decided to miliput trousers and remove the side plume on some Timpo French Napoleonic Old Guard. They now represent Saxony Foot Guards in there 1848 ceremonial uniform. Although never worn in the  Schleswig War, I will still use them....... although their red and sky-blue colours are rather Danish looking.

Original condition

MGB

PS. Having completed thirty-five figures this week, it has allowed me to largely clear my work top, and tidy up a bit!

REPLIES TO FRIENDS

Hello Brad. Have been doing some basic research on the 1st Italian War of Independence. It's rather overlooked by the 3rd. But the first has some very distinctive uniforms, and the failed Defence of the Roman Republic has some interesting actions between the French Army and the Italian revolutionaries. I also found the Neapolitan Army is very similar to figures in my collection, even the Swiss Mercenaries have red uniforms similar to my Danish army. 

Hello Donnie. Yes, that dresser is a fun addition to the collection! Now I wasn't expecting to return home with that, lol. Presently working on converting some more Timpo figures, to serve as civilian dressed artillerymen. I will then pack the paints away for a while, and have some inside and outside wargames, as Brad suggested.

Hi Quinn. I have used modelling sprays on larger items, such as ships, etc. I have painted (brush) toy soldiers using several gloss varnish products, but my favourite is a very, VERY runny, cheap yacht varnish sold in a discount store. It gives a smooth and strong protection, and yacht varnish is designed to resist the effects of ultraviolet, which turns white into off-white in a year or two. Note, I only paint with acrylic matt products, never gloss enamels. I can drop lead figures on hard surfaces and the paint NEVER chips, if by a fluke the varnish got rubbed badly all I need do is touch up with more varnish. Yacht varnish may also have a measure of flexibility superior to ordinary varnish, this should reduce plastic rifles cracking, but that is always a likely risk.

Thanks MJT. In my earlier years I would have done so. But I'm less 'sure' these days so it survived, and it all turned out for the best, lol. But you know what I'm like with projects...... if my morale is high, get it sorted!

Fenians and Schleswigs, painted partisans

Most of the week has been spent on home and garden projects, but I have painted a number of armed partisans, using the recently acquired solid Timpo ACW figures.

First up is a battalion of Fenians, plotting to invade British North America. The general view is that some had been issued green roundabout jackets trimmed in yellow or gold. Others still wore their old Union and Confederate uniforms, while the remainder wore typical civilian garb.

I must admit, these were a pleasure to convert and paint. Fourteen were actually completed, with two others being drafted. The slouch hats were easy to cut down or alter with milliput and some heads were swapped. Will have to go back to these when the varnish is fully dry as I have found a report that a green band was worn on the blue kepi, and down the side seams of the pale blue trousers.

Second up are German-speaking volunteers for my 1st Schleswig-Holstein War collection. I had previously raised five volunteers but have now painted up a further nine. And again, mainly using the Timpo solid ACW figures.

And finally. A visit to the collectables shop furnished some nice little extras for £4. A very well painted Britains Middlesex Volunteer officer c.1910 will be added to my Empire Staff. Some plastic Napoleonic figures will be converted into something unusual. And another Britains hunting hound.

MGB

POSTSCRIPT

Change of Plan

Looking at the two completed partisan battalions above, have decided to revise my plans for raising generic units. I will now have only one battalion of twelve painted up mainly in Fenian green, and another in red to represent the Garibaldi legion. The other four battalions will be in civilian colours. This is by far the most practical method to utilise the full potential of 'generic' 19th century units. Now this system does go somewhat against my tendency for 18th Century or 'linear' formality in collecting toy soldiers. 

REPLIES TO FRIENDS

Cheers Donnie. In my childhood I had an assortment of Timpo multi-part figures, but was never a great fan of their design. I now feel their earlier solid ranges were quite good, and they paint up well (as Brad pointed out in the last post). I do agree, about lending themselves well to conversion. I remember having some Airfix French Guards, but the Timpo versions are new to me. Thinking of converting them to Saxon Guards for the 1830s, a very colourful uniform!

Hi Quinn, I have always mounted my figures since the early 1980s on stiff card, particularly mounting card. I never use cheap card as this is prone to warp or curl. Now good card will still warp in a damp environment, but I have figures based in the 1980s that are still fine, and I have started painting and varnishing the underside for appearance and added protection. The MDF are slightly thicker, but do look good...... but they also cost more. 

I should also mention, most of my larger artillery bases are old picture boards, which IS made of MDF, or something similar.

Thanks Brad. I have enjoyed converting and painting this first batch, and have started on another twenty. But they do take a lot longer to complete because of the constant changing of brushes and paint. Still, they will certainly open up lots of scenarios, and supplement several small collections. (I am beginning to think Garibaldi's followers only acquired a measure of uniformity quite late on in the wars of unification, and battalions still had very distinct uniforms.)

Hi Q. I find the stiff card used as backing on pads of writing paper has proved very useful for my scratch-built buildings, but mounting card is my favourite for toy soldiers, particularly if I am texturing the bases using polyfilla. 

Thanks MJT. I am hoping to complete another batch of thirteen today, after my home duties. They really do take some time to paint because of the accoutrements. This will allow me to muster two German-speaking battalions for the Schleswig wars, so I hope to have enough to fight a wargame.

Garibaldi, Partisans, GENERIC UNITS, Painted Projects

 Garibaldi Prepares to take Command

This was a fun project, not least because it comprised stuff I really did not expect to use. The 'Box that Keeps on Giving' included someones home-cast cowboy, not particularly good, and more like 1/30 in scale. It had ended up in my store of casting metal more than once. The head is a converted medieval, while the horse came from that recent delivery of cheap plastic figures and fences. Other bits came from the spares box. I'm pleased with the result, and he can serve as a partisan leader in several conflicts.

(The 'Box that Keeps on Giving' was picked up for £5 in June 2023, I later gave £3 to a family member for kindly picking them up. It comprised forty-three lead castings, more than half of which were home-casts. Can record thirty-six have been very successfully integrated, only seven ended up in the melting pot, to create spare heads and weapons.... my frugal Scots blood is well pleased at 22p a figure.)

PART TWO

RAISING SOME PARTISANS or GENERIC UNITS

As part of my 1848 Danish-Schleswig project, have started to raise some armed civilians, using cheap Timpo ACW figures. Having seen Brian Carrick recruit a fair number of ACW red shirts, and subsequently use them to represent Garibaldi's followers in Italy, and French republicans during the 1870s, some generic and multi-purpose units would be very useful.

Have just purchased two batches of 1960s Timpo Confederates and Union troops with the intension of creating some armed partisans for the 19th century. The first cost £20 delivered, and numbers forty-two figures. The second cost £10.50 delivered, and numbers twenty-seven figures. These Timpo solid figures are  not as sought after as Deetail, Herald, or Timpo-multipart, perhaps it is the animation? But the casting is good, and they look fine painted up. 

                                                                              1st Batch

And here they are unpacked, and formed up. The pistol figures will make officers or artillerymen. The dual armed will become ensigns or artillerymen.

And here are the partisans I presently have, some of which are solid Timpo. I'm thinking about narrowing my usual base size to 40mm by 25mm?

2nd Batch purchased.

My plan is to form these figures into six battalions of twelve. Two of these will be wearing a lot of red, to portray Garibaldi's red shirts. Two more battalions will be wearing short green jackets trimmed in yellow, to represent the Fenian invaders of Canada. The last two battalions will portray Schleswig volunteers, in a variety of coat colours. And figures from all these battalions might be mixed or drafted as scenarios require. Some of the slouch hats will need to be converted into top hats.

                                                            INSPIRATIONAL GALLERY

                                       (for educational purposes, no copyright infringement intended)

                                                                              PART THREE

A recent visit to the local collectables shop was worthwhile. I picked up a much wanted lead midshipman for my Royal Navy collection for only £2. The shopkeeper allowed me a further seven plastic and lead figures for £3 more. I have enjoyed restoring these figures, and they will be very useful.

A French artillery officer.

Three Napoleonic Prussians were given miliput trousers and converted into Anhalt Dessau Infantry c.1840. In about 1845 they adopted pickelhaubes and tunics, but I will still use them in my 1848 games.

Figures cleaned and converted.

MGB

REPLIES TO FRIENDS

Cheers Brad. I must confess, I am determined not to wargame the Napoleonic Wars in 54mm as I feel it is too large a period, and more appropriate to the smaller scales. But the lesser known European 19th century conflicts that followed, including the three Italian wars of independence, would be suitable to a limited portrayal of battles in 54mm. So having two battalions of red shirts is a strategic start. One can only have respect for such a committed patriot as Giuseppe Garibaldi. By the way, I personally believe Garibaldi's red shirts derive from the American firemen clubs, rather than the Uruguay butchers, it is still a matter of debate.

Hi Q. I'm just glad the cowboy did not end up in the melting pot, now that would have played on my mind as a missed opportunity. These irregular battalions will add dimension to the 54mm collection.

Hello Donnie. It is fair to say this project is exciting my interest, and involves some creative projects. Have started Milliput conversions on a few figures to get the ball rolling. These Timpo solids were a bargain, and free of oxidisation!

Cheers Tony, I used milliput to increase the jawline and construct the 'Garibaldi' beard. With some luck, it has worked nicely. Just about to prime a load of partisan figures, some more milliput work set hard during the night.

Hi Quinn, I have only ever used the standard milliput, grey and yellow, but I prefer to use three parts grey to two parts yellow, as the latter is a bit too gooey and delays the milliput reaching full hardness. I have spent part of today working on the partisans, mainly converting their hats. Hope to start on some painting possibly tomorrow. 

Thank you, MJT. There is always a morale boost when something that had no use is made useful. Have converted about thirty partisans, and splashed on the primary colours. The detail will take a bit longer. Nothing great, but it's fun, and they will open up quite a few scenarios. Still waiting for the second batch to arrive.