Duchy of Strackenz

Thanks...

2010-07-08T12:48:00.002+01:00

to you all for your interest in this project over the years. Your help and support kept it going. I will leave the previous posts here in case they are of interest to anyone.
Cheers
Steve

de Saxe in English

2010-06-23T13:16:00.000+01:00

With many thanks to 'Drusus G. Rat Esq.' from Gentleman's Wargame Parlour, we now have a link to a copy of the original English translation of the Reveries.
Anyone who wants to have a look just go HERE for the download options.

Size Matters

2010-06-20T10:44:00.001+01:00

As always in these things it is a matter of opinion but I really do believe that size matters when it comes to miniatures. And to prove it here is the first pictures of the de Saxe musketeer in metal, with a ruler to let you all see the size.

Please note that although the ruler is on the groung rather than at foot level it still gives a good idea of the size of the figure. This is because the figure is leaning forward as he advances. When i've measured it along the correct axis the height comes out the same, it was just far easier to photograph this way! Photos of all of the figures will be put onto the Little Soldier blog during the course of the day. Each figure has been photographed front and back in both naked and inked metal finishes. They just need resizing befor posting. It may take a while as i'm being taken out for a Father's Day trip to the seaside.

Latest News

2010-06-17T13:34:00.000+01:00

I arrived home yesterday evening to a small package from Griffin - with the test figures from the master mould. At last I hear you all say but, believe me, the wait has been worth it. I will get some photos done and posted at the earliest opportunity, probably by the weekend (during it at the latest).
As many of you know I am making these figures available to others who may want a few and had set up a website to sell them through. This site has suffered due to the hosting company messing about with it's servers on an almost daily dasis. To get around this, and to free this blog to show the forces of the Duchy of Strackenz, I have started a new blog - http://littlesoldiercompany.blogspot.com/ . If you are a follower of this blog and want to have updates of the figures as they are sculpted and produced could you please follow the new blog as well.

Quick Update

2010-05-13T13:35:00.000+01:00

Sorry for the lack of updates over the last few days, unfortunately my Gran suffered a serious fall so I have travelled up to be with her and the rest of the family.
The greens are with Stewart at Griffin and as soon as I have some of the master castings I will let you know.

A Day Trip is Planned

2010-05-07T08:33:00.000+01:00

Not the usual title for a post, but an important one. At 10am on Monday I will be at the casters, along with six little men. The five greens and my youngest son!
Hopefully we can work out the best options for the composition of figures in the moulds. Never having done this before I am, very much, in the hands of the caster. I have no doubt though that it will all work out well.
The net post will be on Monday when I will have a better idea of when there will be some little metal men available to show off.

They're Here!

2010-05-05T10:40:00.000+01:00

And without further ado let me say that they are wonderful. My unreserved compliments go to Richard for capturing exactly what I wanted, regardles of my rambling requests.
As I have jjust told him, having only seen pictures of the figures I was shocked at how small they were. Not that they are small, it's just that the pictures showed on my screen as about 6 inches high.
For those of you who are interested, here are the photos (I have resized them to 640x480 so they are not too large). Remember, if you want to see a larger version then click on the picture.

Musketeer

Pikeman

Drummer

N.C.O.

Officer

Now it's off to the casters for them, after I've had another look!

Nearly There

2010-04-29T09:18:00.000+01:00

Late last night I saw the pictures of the, almost, completed greens! To be fair, Richard sent them late afternoon but yesterday was the one day I didn't check my mail until late, typical.
I won't post any pictures yet. Firstly they were to allow me to check the finish and details etc to see if everything was ok or if ammendments were needed. I've just sent my reply to Richard and I would rather show the figures in the 'ready to mould' stage. Secondly the pictures are huge. Putting them at 100% size on the screen makes the figures head and feet disappear off the screen. I will play with my photo resizing software later to make them a little more Internet friendly.
Needless to say, I am over the moon with what I've seen and can't wait to share them with you all.

WIPs WIPs Everywhere.

2010-04-22T09:43:00.000+01:00

I thought I'd take the time to show you the WIPs of all 5 figures which will go together to make the 'Century'. All are at the basic posed stage and are awaiting detailing.

First we have the Musketeer, as previewed last week;

Next we have the Pikeman, we've opted to have a wire pike rather than a cast one. The one here is just shown to give an idea;

Third figure is the NCO, who will be armed with a halberd. Again this will be of wire, but there will be a cast head to go on to it;

Fourth one up is the Musician, seen here with his rather splendid drum;

Lastly we have the Officer, bravely urging his troops onwards;

The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed the slight difference in the uniform between the first 3 figures and the last 2. Neither the Officer or the Musician are wearing the sleevless leather waistcoat. Although not mentioned in the Reveries, I decided to go with this idea as it sets them apart a little and allows more space on the coat for extra detailing, lace etc..

For casting, the idea is to have a production mold with 1 Officer, 1 Musician, 1 NCO, 7 Musketeers and 7 Pikemen. This will allow me to do a Century of 170 men at 1:10 scale with one spin! Should people prefer using 1:20 scale then each spin of the mold will produce 2 Centuries. This, I hope, makes it reasonably versatile and maximises the number of useful figures from each spin. Should there be space for an extra figure or two then I will put in more musketeers and pikemen.

First View

2010-04-15T08:36:00.000+01:00

Richard has been hard at work, turning my rabid mumblings into purest putty! I wanted the unit in a more dynamic and aggressive pose than that normally seen for the period. As de Saxe writes that this is the proper way to fight, so that is how we had to show them.

Using the pose shown below as a base seemed to give the right amount of 'aggression' for the period!

Richard has tweaked it slightly so that the figure is advancing, rather than stepping over a fallen comrade. Below is the first picture which gives the pose and basic bulking of the figure. Now the hard work of detailing begins, when he transforms into a soldier fit to grace any army.

On the model you can see the two jackets, the top of the stocking and the cuffs. To me the lines of the model work well in showing the basic uniform as shown in Reveries;

(Please remember that the picture above shows the clog that was not worn on active duty.)

So, the important question, what do you think?

Orders From the Duchess

2010-04-06T21:42:00.000+01:00

Having heard of the impending arrival of the new troops the Duchess has decreed that there must be a clearout of existing forces. As I dare not disobey a direct order, a clearout is exactly what will happen.

I have about 12 crates worth of figures which I have been told to sell! I will be listing them on my site, everything will be nice and cheap. The first dozen or so bits are up now and the rest will be going on as soon as I can sort, photograph and weigh them. Please treat yourselves and ensure that the Duchess gets her new troops at the earliest opportunity...........

Is It April Yet?

2010-03-31T20:49:00.001+01:00

Not that I'm waiting for anything, honest!

Well two things really. First up is Richard starting work on the figures. Secondly is the Hosting company completing its' move to the new servers.

Patience is, they say, a virtue.

Counting Down the Days

2010-03-23T12:09:00.000Z

Well there is not long to go until Richard starts the sculpts, can you guess that I am a little excited? However, there is very little I can add at the moment. So I've been using the time to go over a few things and finish off bits and pieces in the painting pile.
I had also hoped to do a littlemore work on the website. Obviously when I have the time to do it, the hosting company decides to switch their entire outfit onto new servers, so access will be very patchy at best for the next week. On the plus side it means that I have no reason not to paint. Actually I do, it's the Mythic Game Master Emulator. Great fun, I roll the dice, jot down the results then work out the storylinw as I paint. As you can tell I have no great love of the figures I am painting at the moment!
As I'm talking about painting, my other site:
miniaturegaming.co.cc
has a few bits and pieces on that I have done. It amazes me how much difference there is in my painting when I am doing figures that I enjoy compared to the ones that I just need to get finished.

Website

2010-03-19T15:43:00.000Z

It is now up and running with a little content on it. Please have a quick look around and give me some feedback on it. I'm interested not only in what you think of the basic design and set up but also in how it displays in various browsers. So if you could drop me a quick email with your thoughts, observations and browser details I would be most grateful.
A link to the site is on the side bar to the left.

Twiddling My Thumbs

2010-03-18T21:02:00.002Z

Well after the excitement of recent weeks everything has quietened down here. I spoke to Richard today and had a good chat about all sorts of hobby related stuff. Long story short, he will be starting work on the sculpts at the start of April. Well early April, depends on exactly when he finishes the sculpts he is currently working on.
So for this part of the project all I can now do is wait............it's a pity I'm not very good at that!
To keep me busy and out of mischief I've started work on a website to show off the figures to their best. So far all that I've done is get a basic template done. There are a few pages set up, but there is no content on any of them yet. Frustratingly the site has been offline all day as the mySQL server has gone down, so I havn't been able to add any content tonight. Instead you all get to read this. Should you wish to bookmark it for future use the site name is: littlesoldiercompany.co.uk if you add steve@ to the begining then you have an email address to contact me on about this crazy adventure.

The Dress Code for the Men of the Legion

2010-03-12T13:28:00.002Z

Gentlemen, please examine the Codes presented here, they are to be used for the dressing of you regiments. Please comment upon what is written, as once the details are with the tailors it will not be possible to change the look of the troops. For images of the proposed uniforms please refer to earlier communications.

Shoes: A leather, low fronted Court shoe with a low heel (Buckle or similar?).

Leg Wear: Leather Breeches that reach to just below the middle of the thigh. They are buttoned on the lower 3 inches on the outside of the leg. The buttons being on a short cord to enable them to also fasten on to the gaiters. The gaiters are of a soft leather , rising well above the middle of the thigh. They have a seam running down the rear of the leg. The gaiter ends inside the shoe, in a similar fashion to the stockings worn earlier in the century.

Shirt: A loose fitting shirt is worn, this is visible at the wrists where it is gathered in and also at the neck where it is worn closed.

Waistcoat A full length, sleeved waistcoat is worn. It reaches is level with the bottom of the breeches. There are no turn-backs, but there are cuffs and a collar. The cuffs are folded back about 5 inches and are split on the outside edge. The collar is loose from the neck, exposing the shirt worn underneath and is folded down. Attached to the sleeves of the waistcoat are brass shields on which the Legion and Regiment numbers are displayed.

Jerkin: A (Buff?) leather, sleeveless jerkin is worn above the waistcoat. It reaches mid way between the waist and the bottom of the waistcoat. It is buttoned (or hooked or laced) at the front. At the neck, the jerkin fits under the down turned collar of the waistcoat.

Head-wear: Hair is kept short and is to be covered by a small lambskin (fleece) wig. A metal helmet of the 'Roman' model is worn. The front of the helmet is decorated with two metal fans reminiscent of bird wings, which curve back as they rise. Between the wings is a single piece representing the birds neck. Around the the base of the helmet there is a stuffed band of woven or twisted cloth which shows the colours of the Legion and Regiment.

Belts in the order they are put on: Around the waist, over the jerkin there is a belt which fastens to the front. It supports a pouch immediately to the rear of the scabbard. Then there is a thin belt worn on the right shoulder. This has a buckle at breast height. From this belt a scabbard for the bayonet is worn. The scabbard hangs slightly to the front of the left thigh. Over the left shoulder there is a wider belt which supports the cartridge pouch on the right hip. This belt is fastened by using a covered hook at the front.

Cloak: A light, hooded cloak is worn in bad weather. It is loose fitting and has a hood which covers the head completely. It hangs to just below the knee. When not in use it is rolled and carried over the left shoulder, being knotted at the left hip, just above the cartridge box.

Musket: The musket is 60 inches long. It is breech loading, the mechanism for which is alongside the trigger.. There is a thin sling attached, used to carry it over the right shoulder, angled to the left hip.

Bayonet: The bayonet is 24 inches long and inserts into the barrel of the musket (a plug bayonet). It has a guard on it so that it may also be used as a sword if needed. The guard is a simple crosspiece.

Half Pike: Overall it is 12 feet long, including the metal head of 18 inches. The shaft is hollow and is wrapped in varnished parchment. (visible as spirals on the plates).

Variations: The front two ranks carry only the musket. This should have the bayonet fixed. The rear two ranks carry the half pike in addition to the musket. They should carry the musket slung and the bayonet in it's scabbard.
Officers: Dress is varied as follows. Breeches are of cloth and come below the knee. Gaiters are replaced with stockings which reach to the lower thigh and are supported by garters. They do not wear the jerkin. The waistcoat is worn longer, coming to cover the tops of the stockings, and is buttoned to the front. The neck line is higher, coming up to near the neck at the front. It is embellished with lace to the edging (front, skirt, cuffs, collar and pockets). The shirt has laced edges on the collar and cuffs The helmet is similar to that worn by the troops, but the decoration is more elaborate (taller and more detailed). Over the right shoulder is worn a belt to support a sword scabbard on the left hip. A sash is worn over the left shoulder, being knotted at the right hip. Equipment is a foil (or does it need to be bigger?) worn in the scabbard and a pike carried on the right.

NCO: Dressed as a pikeman. The musket, bayonet, scabbard, cartridge pouch and associated belts are not carried. The waistband and pouch on the left hip is still worn. The pike is replaced by a halberd with central spike and two opposing blades in a shape similar to a fleur de lye.

Musicians: Dressed as the NCO, but with no jerkin and without the Halberd. The waistcoat has lace added in a similar manner as the officers and the sleeves are heavily laced. The waistband, pouch and scabbard belt with scabbard are worn. The cartridge pouch and its belt are not worn. In their place a wider belt is worn to support a drum held at the right hip. On the belt are holders for the drumsticks. Along with the drum a fife is carried, it's case being attached to the waistband alongside the pouch. The scabbard holds the standard bayonet.

A Summary and Some Questions

2010-03-06T22:22:00.005Z

I'm going to give a summary of the information I have, along with several uniform plates as a visual aid. At the end are a couple of Plates showing poses that I quite like. Any thoughts on any of this would be very appreciated.

First we have two Plates showing a Legionary. He is of the rear ranks as he carries the 1/2 pike, but otherwise is standard in dress. In both Plates the footwear is of clogs, which were not used in the field.
The Plate below shows the Legionary wearing the cape which de Saxe speaks so highly of. In the Plate above is the cape worn slung over the left shoulder? It sort of looks like it is shown over the crossbelt.

The helmet decoration, I've chosen to use the two Plates above to illustrate it, appears to rise from the front of the helmet and then sweep back along the sides. The way the cape covers the helmet but leaves the decoration clear suggests this set up. Or are there any other options that I have missed?

The Plate above shows a cavalry man without his armour. Although the cavalry will be getting produced later, I have shown this Plate as it illustrates the shoes as worn by the infantry.

The Plate shown above is of one file of the Leigon's foot, it shows the four ranks. The rear two with 1/2 pike and the front two without. Other than in standing poses, this is the only pose shown. For posing the foot it is either going to be using a fairly standard marching with musket over the shoulder (similar to Minden or RSM miniatures) or based on the above plate but with a little more movement in the sculpts (similar to the Plate below).

I quite like the pose of the figure in the foreground, it has a nice sense of movement without being too energetic, which just would not be correct for the period! Do you have any preference?

The last Plate shows an officer type in what I think is another very fitting pose. What other poses would work well for officers and NCOs?

Well that concludes this part of the Q+A session, all replies will be very appreciated.

Below is a cut and paste of all the bits of information scattered through this blog. It is not in any particular order. Comparing these notes with the Plates above, is there anything that does not match or needs changing, looking at etc.?

The shoes and leggins are as I described in a previous post, i.e. that is done the wrong way round with the gaiter going over the top of the shoe. This will be changed on the next batch. The jackets are; a long under waistcoat with sleeves made of fabric; a short over waistcoat without sleeves made of leather.
It is quite hard to see some of the differences due to the poor lighting.
Other details added since the figure was last shown - the arms, musket, belts, cartridge box, sack, shoulder tabs for unit identification

Yet de Saxe insisted on the absence of garters ("that cause martyrdom")

On colored plates XIV and XVII gaiters and shoes are of the same grey, appear almost as continuous -while the text makes clear they are different items.
To further complicate things, some illustrations (with the cloak on, e.g.) may well depict the legionary with the 'winter socks' - worn above both shoes and gaiters.

Yet... on plate I 'Habillement du soldat', clearly no low boots are depicted above the gaiters, and on the *left* heel there is *perhaps* a suggestion of a gaiter worn above the shoe?

So we have a very high gaiter, long waistcoat under a shorter,sleeveless waistcoat

The picture above shows the clogs recommended for when in camp. I cannot really make out the leg wear, it is either a very high gaiter (there is a change in the shading under the jacket on the right leg) or a tight fitting full length trouser, similar to that worn by grenzers.

This photo shows the alternative footwear of low shoes, as recommended for duty in the field. Again the leg wear could be either of the options given above. From behind the overall look is very much that of a Grenz from slightly later in the century (I have a drawing of one circa 1790 that this combination of shoe and trouser is shown).

The very peculiar shoes are another exemple of Maurice (a good penpal of the Monte-Cristan ruler, hence the familiarity)'s original, unconventional, yet (seemingly) very sound and founded ideas. They were to be low-fronted-shoes / court shoes / almost ballet shoes with flat heels, of soft leather. To be worn 'naked feet', without socks (they cause blisters), the feet greased with tallow both to protect them from moisture and to 'nourish' the leather and keep it supple (hard leather cruelly wounds the feet of infantrymen).

he text mentions breeches of skin (deer skin? goat skin? some rather supple material, certainly)that don't go down far below the middle of the thigh, with "tirans" (tongues with buttonholes? Or more probably buttons on a short string, like the closing of duffle-coat / Hungarian dolmans, with buttonholes in the breeches themselves) along the 3 lower inches [not very dissimilar to Tyrolian 'thigh slapping' dancers, then? Seeminly more close-fitting).
The gaiters of soft leather and to raise well above the middle of the thigh (significantly higher than the British ones, then). Under the middle-leg they would to be whole, without opening on the side, like boots {according to the illustration, btw, they were sewn / stitched on the rear}. They were to have buttonholes to receive the tirans of the breeches, as to avoid garters 'which cause true martyrdom'.

Thus, in addition to the shoulder belts and cartridge pouch, and shoes, we have to pieces of clothing, garnments, made of skin / leather: the soubreveste (sleeveless vest) worn above the [full, large] (waist)coat - well depicted in the plates, the buttoning may be inspirational?;
the breeches;
the gaiters.
The three probably made from different qualities / types of skin / leather. Given the suppleness (?) / flexibility / softness required, the gaiters are probably of the thinner type, while the breeches may be more like 'leder hosen'? Thus we would have 3 different colors, two light 'buffs' for the gaiters and the vest, one darker for the breeches?

The gaiters seem to be of thin leather -you don't need the same thickness as with fabric to have a perfectly waterproof item -de Saxe was very sensitive to all possible causes of illness. Thus very tight: this contributes to the "'Grenzer's thigh trousers" look, together with the lack of garter, of large buttons (same very small ones as on the 'soubreveste'?), of any buttonning from the calf down.

The musket is based on one desribed in Reveries and being about 60 inches long.

The decoration of the helmet is specially intringuing, seemingly as 'mysterious' as Mickey Mouse's ears (from whatever angle you look at them, they appear as disks - yet they are NOT spherical...): seen from the side it seem to go rather backwards, yet it is not covered by the hood of the 'Turkish coat'...

The only mention I found on gaiters was that they should not be white.
Half-Pikes: Yes
Shield: Yes
Plug Bayonet: Yes (it is in Reveries)
Breech Loading Muskets: Yes
Turkish Coat with Hood: Yes
Sheepskin Wig: Yes? Although my copy of Reveries does not mention it, but I did read it in one of your quotes.

helmets were worn perfectly horizontal.

"I would have a soldier wear his hair short, and be furnished with a small wig either grey or black and made of Spanish lambskin, which he should put on in bad weather. This wig will resemble the natural head of hair so well, as to render it almost impossible to distinguish the difference, will fit extremely well, when properly made, cost but about twenty pence, and last during his whole life. It will be also very warm, prevent colds and fluxes, and give quite a good air. Instead of the hat, I would recommend a helmet made after the Roman model, which will be no heavier, be far from inconvenient, protect the head against the stroke of a saber, and appear extremely ornamental. In regard to his clothing, he should have a waistcoat somewhat larger than common with a small one under it in the nature of a short doublet and a Turkish cloak with a hood to it. These cloaks cover a man completely and don't contain above two ells and a half of cloth; consequently, are both light and cheap. The head and neck will be effectually secured from the weather, and the body, when laid down, kept dry, because they are not made to fit tight and, when wet, are dried again the first moment of fair weather."

After the Hiatus

2010-03-02T13:29:00.002Z

Although this, as well as all my other, project has been very quiet it has not been forgotten. The thought of producing the de Saxe Legions has survived and is now moving on apace!
Poor Herr Gruns has finally admitted his inability to produce the uniforms for the Duchies army. Following discussions with many tailors of the highest quality, Herr Gruns is delighted to be able to inform Duchess Irma that the world famous and deeply respected tailor M. R. d'Ansell. M. d'Ansell is most well known here for the sterling work he has done with the Minden Clothing Consortium, but is also well known for many other projects.
Initially the uniform for the Legionary foot will be provided, with variations to cover Musketeers, Pikemen, N.C.O's, Officers and Musicians. Due to the heavy workload in his workshop, M d'Ansell envisages the work starting during the month of April. This does also allow us to finalise the appearance of the uniform as given by M. de Saxe.
With this in mind, Herr Gruns respectfully requests that any gentleman who has ideas on the uniform, or of the posing of the manikins used to display it, would post it here at their earliest opportunity.

A Quick Update

2009-01-31T10:21:00.002Z

I have not forgotten this project. However, the time needed to mold the putty is too long to get much done without interuption from the little one, hence not much further forward. Here are a couple of photos of the current figures, one of a member of the legion, the other a member of the forces of Uber Gruntshuffen (ie a more 'historical' figure).

The legionary needs his helmet decoration doing before being moulded, while the other one needs his jacket tails and tricorne completing.

Or at least they would have if I had taken the photo of the second figure!

10:1 Organisation

2009-01-02T22:40:00.005Z

Following on from yesterdays post;

The Century

Composed of six Musketeers, six Pikemen, one Officer, one Ensign, two NCOs and one Gunner with an Amusette.

The Regiment

Composed of four Centuries plus one Colonel, 2 or 3 Drummers, six Legere, one Legere Officer, one Legere NCO, six Mounted Troopers, one Mounted Officer and one mounted NCO.

Summary

The breakdown given above has the basic combat formations shown, in approximately the correct ratios. I have slightly increased the numbers of Legere and Mounted Troops (by one figure each) to give a more balanced split to the force and to get closer to the 'half' company size
A full Legion would have four of the above Regiments plus one General, one ADC, one Legion Standard Bearer, the Artillery and a few engineers etc.
How does this look as a scale version of the force listed yesterday?

The Legion - Organisation

2009-01-01T14:01:00.003Z

Gentle reader, your aid is most urgently sought. Following the Yuletide Festivities, Herr Gruns has recieved new stock of cloth etc from the Duchess Irma, enough to enable him to complete the majority of his uniform designs. The latest incarnation of the uniform is well under way and will be shown here very soon. However, we do need your help and advice on a quite urgent matter.
The goal of this project has always been to produce a wargaming force built around the ideas put forward by de Saxe. As I will be casting the figures then I can happily work to whatever ratio of troops that I wish. The favourite being 10:1 so 1 casting equals 10 men. Reading the 'original' version scanned by Google there is a complete breaskdown of a Legions composition.
Could you please have a read of the following and then suggest what I would need to make to build the model Legion.

The Legion

General x1

Major x1
Quatermaster x1
Engineers, Surgeons etc x12
Carpenters x10
Wagons x10 (with 20 drivers)
Cannon x2
Pontoons x2
Regiments (4) x3524*

The Regiment

Colonel x1
Lieutenant-colonel x1
Major x1
Drum Major x1
Surgeon x1
Centuries (4) x736*
Half Century Light Infantry x70
Half Century Cavalry x70

The Century

Centurion x1
Leuitenant x1
Second Leuitenant x4
Ensign x1
Sargeant Major(?) x1
Fourier x1
Captain of Arms(?) x1
Fifer x1
Drummers x3
Companies (10) x170

The Company

Sargeant x1
Corporal x1
Soldiers x15

The Light Infantry and Cavalry are drawn from amongst the normal troops of the companies, as are the crews for the Amusettes which are attached at the rate of one per Century.

Assuming 10:1 figure scale and with the Infantry deploying in 4 ranks what do you think is needed, how many of each and why. Of the soldiers forming the bulk of the Companies, two types are required as the rear two ranks are armed with both Pike and musket whilst the front two ranks only have the musket.

Diagrams

Here is the key for the diagrams

A Christmas gift For Little Irma

2008-12-23T01:49:00.002Z

My apologies for the poor photos but my usual place has been taken over by Santa's little helpers.
Again this is just one that I have finished to see how it looks. Still need to work on pose and detailing, but overall I am rather pleased with this one (obviously you do not get to see the ones that I am not happy with).
Quick overview of the little chap. He stands 27mm to th top of his head. The shoes and leggins are as I described in a previous post, i.e. that is done the wrong way round with the gaiter going over the top of the shoe. This will be changed on the next batch. The jackets are; a long under waistcoat with sleeves made of fabric; a short over waistcoat without sleeves made of leather.
It is quite hard to see some of the differences due to the poor lighting.
Other details added since the figure was last shown - the arms, musket, belts, cartridge box, sack, shoulder tabs for unit identification and the @@*%%$%$ stupid decoration on the top of the helmet.
Anyway let me know what you think.

Another Update

2008-12-16T23:56:00.002Z

I've been quiet on here and thought that I would take the opportunity of sitting up with an upset baby to rectify the situation.
Sculpting practice continues, if a little slowly. Thanks for all the encouragement and advice given after the last couple of posts. I will try to get time to post a few photos soon.
On the design of the uniform, I have been having some fun that I will share over the coming posts. This mainly consists of period and reproduction items that Ican use as templates. My theory being that de Saxe is describing how he would uniform the troops based on variations of existing outfits.
First up, the shoes and gaiters. From looking at the 'original' artwork (posted earlier) and reading Jean-Louis translation, this is what I have come up with. Look at the gaiters on the central figure in this picture and imagine the top of the gaiter extended further up the thigh. Then take the boots from the left side figure and shorten the to just above the ankle, but still over the bottom of the gaiter. Thi gives something that looks similar to the, sketchy, 'original'. Or do you think I have it wrong?

A Quick Update

2008-12-08T22:48:00.004Z

Having laid down the rather loose rules of how I was going to operate on this blog, I have now disregarded them but only short term. My main problem with this project is that I cannot sculpt at all well. So from now until the new year, my time on this project will be dedicated to pushing putty around. The results of this I will post please let me know what you think and what I need to do to improve.
First up, an infantry man. Legs are finished, torso is mostly finished and the arms are just being posed. The uniform is based on the picture of de Saxes' Legion as shown earlier in this blog. So we have a very high gaiter, long waistcoat under a shorter,sleeveless waistcoat and a lovely helmet!

The Front

The Rear

Head with Helmet

I can't wait to try making te funny wing decorations for the front of the helmet - Iv'e no idea where to start!

Comparison with RSM

Although the RSM figure looks much larger than mine, the completion of the torso will give the body the same height although it will still be narrower. The heads are almost identical in size. Adding a base will also make them look closer.
I still do not know which pose to go with. Currently it is posed so that the right arm is in pretty much the same position as that of the RSM figure. The left arm will be holding the musket with the hand supporting the end of the stock rather than the lock resting in the crook of the elbow. However that RSM pose is one that I really like, does anyone else prefer one pose over another?
Leave a note, let meknow what you think.

Poor Gruns

2008-12-06T23:52:00.003Z

Starting out again has proved a tiring time for Herr Gruns. However he is delighted when word reaches him that the Duchess is providing him with extra resources to enable him to complete his task. It is hoped that they will be recieved before the end of the year. Until then he spends his time working on the patterns for the new uniforms.

For his own amusement he makes up his initial attempt into a completed outfit.

Onto the Reveries

2008-11-18T22:11:00.004Z

First up we have the shoes and legwear. This one should prove fairly simple, but who knows.
Unfortunately I am writing while suffering from lack of sleep, one hand usable and no chance of picking up my copy of the book - are babies not wonderful (of course they are, but....)

The picture above shows the clogs recommended for when in camp. I cannot really make out the leg wear, it is either a very high gaiter (there is a change in the shading under the jacket on the right leg) or a tight fitting full length trouser, similar to that worn by grenzers.
This photo shows the alternative footwear of low shoes, as recommended for duty in the field. Again the leg wear could be either of the options given above. From behind the overall look is very much that of a Grenz from slightly later in the century (I have a drawing of one circa 1790 that this combination of shoe and trouser is shown).

Any suggestions? I can't quote from Dover at the moment but one of the earlier posts (on gaiters) does have the quote about the legwear.

Tying up the loose ends.

2008-11-17T14:43:00.003Z

As promised, the original figure based on how I viewed the uniform described by de Saxe. In this example the 'Turkish Coat' has been rolled and strapped to the bag on the figures left hip.

The coat is loose fitting and has full tails/skirts, folded back to the maximum, worn with a mid length waistcoat/veste underneath.
The musket is based on one desribed in Reveries and being about 60 inches long.
Two comparison shots against an RSM95 Austrian Grenadier.
Problems encountered - the figure has grown by 2mm during the making. All of this extra height is in the body of the figure. The chest seems to have expanded out of all proportion to the rest of the body. Some detail is way too thick i.e. belts. However I hope I can work around all of these things when the 'real' figures are started. Yes I know the hands are not finished and that the musket is far too chunky.
All in all I was quite pleased with the result overall. Obviously more practice is needed, mostly on scaling, and more patience is needed as I want to be changing things constantly. For the new figures I will have several on the go at once which should keep me from tampering too much.
Next up is to get him painted while I work on a few basic armatures for the next batch.

The Way Forward

2008-11-14T13:53:00.002Z

I have spent the last couple of nights thinking a lot about this project and getting quite excited about it. The hard decision has been about how to proceed. When I started thinking about doing this (nearly two years ago), I wanted to get to an end point that gave me some miniatures that reflected de Saxes writings.
Thanks to Google (and Jean-Louis for finding it), we now have uniform plates from as near the original as we can get, along with the original text. My plan is, unless someone has a better suggestion, to discuss each part of the uniform in turn. Using the plates from the book, the translation of the text that I have (2007 Dover Publications reprint of the 1944 M.S.P.Co edition) and the translation of the original text that Jean-Louis has kindly offered to provide. This should enable us to start off in the right direction.
Then I only need to learn how to sculpt to areasonable level and we are there!

A Change of Direction

2008-11-13T13:11:00.002Z

Since the delivery yestereve of an original copy of Reveries, Herr Gruns has been thinking and planning all night long.
His intention now is to first complete his original idea for the commission given to him by the Duchess and then to produce the more accurate version as portrayed in the original book. To aid him in this he respectfully requests that Jean-Louis join him here in Strackenz to provide help and assistance in the translation of the book.

Jean-Louis - My Thanks

2008-11-12T22:10:00.002Z

Fassbinder the Steward finds a Gunsmith

2008-11-12T19:42:00.005Z

Picture heavy, but this is a beautiful piece designed by Herr Wardlaw, originally of Connecticut, but now resident here in Strackenz. Following the recent successful trials of the breech mechanism it is to be adapted to the use of the Legions in their muskets.
This original piece was offered to the Duchess, who graciously returned it along with the honour of recieving a Ducal warrant as Gunsmith for Strackenz.

Back in the Workshop of Herr Gruns

2008-11-11T19:22:00.004Z

Work continues on outfitting his many illustrious clients. But during it all his mind is comparing the options available for what could be his largest commission.

Currently the issue is of gaiters. Should they be higher or lower?

The First Helmet Mock-Up

2008-11-07T20:49:00.003Z

"Ah Schmied, you have the package Herr Landwirt?"

'Yes Master, he apologises for the rough finish, but you did request it as soon as was possible.'

'The finish is of no import, this will just be the initial idea for Fassbinder to show the Duchess. Come along boy, get it out of the box!'

'Not too bad Schmied, as Landwirt says the finish is not ideal but the effect is pleasing. Let us hope the Duchess also thinks so. All it needs now is some colour before it is presented. That can be your job for today, keep it simple and to the point. And while you are at work upon that, I will start on the clothing.'

At Breakfast

2008-11-05T19:40:00.004Z

"Good Morning Master, I trust you slept well? Your breakfast awaits."

'A good morning to you Schmied, it is well that you keep to your duties. Today you will progress with your studies in what I hope to be a most useful manner.'

'As always Master Gruns, I am at your service and eager to learn.'

'Come, join me at table and let us discuss the day ahead.

When I retired yestereve, I took to my room the copy of Reveries by M. de Saxe. Having read it through several times, I believe that we have the opportunity to use our imagination to a very large extent. Here, let me give you an example -

"In place of hats, I should prefer helmets.
They do not weigh more than hats, are not at all
uncomfortable, protect from a saber blow,
and are sufficiently ornamental."

That is it, there is no further description. Do you not think that we can design these new uniforms using our ideas based upon these writings? We only have to ensure that it meets the three points shown above.'

'Master, should it not also be easy to produce and not cost more than is needed?'

'Schmied, you have been paying attention during these past months, well done. Today, we shall work upon our design for the helmet and then you may take it to Herr Landwirt who has his workshop on Schlauehandwerker Strasse.

In his writings de Saxe takes every opportunity of praising the Ancient Romans in all things martial, so I propose that we base our design upon theirs. In its simplest form their helmet was akin to a shallow bowl, with straps fastening around the face and sometimes with a peak at the front and the rear. Something like this:

Now how can we make this our own?'

'What will the helmet be made of Master, will it be metal or leather?'

'Leather, it must be leather. It is lighter, easier to look after and we have it in abundance here in the Duchy. The trick will be to give it the best ornemantation that we can and for that we will use metal, probably Brass. I thought a comb and maybe a plate at the front, similar to that worn by some fusiliers and grenadiers.'

'That would work well Master. Could we not also adorn the comb with feathers or horsehair?'

'You have me thinking again Schmied. But wool would be better, it lasts well and is easy to look after. A roll of it attached to the comb would look imposing and maybe a sheepskin tri around the helmet. Quick Schmied, let us get this drawn up and then off to Landwirts with you. He may be able to have something for us to look at by tomorrow.'

In the Workshop of Gruns theTailor

2008-11-04T22:56:00.004Z

"Master, this is a great honour that has been given you by our beloved Duchess. However I do not know how we will fulfill this task, the instructions are so vague."

'Do not worry Schmeid, as the apprentice no blame will attach to you if we do not please our little Irma. Tonight I will, again, read the document which Fassbinder the Steward gave us and, again, pray for inspiration.

But I have also had copies of the description made and they will be sent with all haste to anyone who may help us.'

'Master, where did the Duchess get this design for the new uniforms from?'

'Ah Schmeid, it is not just the uniforms. I hear that the whole organisation of the army is to be changed and all because of this little book. Fassbinder did say that the Duchess recived it from one of her cousins in Albion where it was printed last year. I believe that it is called "Reveries on the Art of War" and was written more than twenty years ago by Marshal Maurice de Saxe. It is said that he wrote it while being in an ill humour, and, judjing by what we have been given, I would have to agree! Now Schmeid off to bed, tomorrow will be a busy day.'