As suggested in my last post, Russian artillery did, indeed, make it off the painting desk and into the photo booth next. Man of my word, you know. The latest concentration on SYW (can two units be considered a concentration?) likely ends for now. I have Hittites queuing up at the photo booth. At last count, seven units are finished in my new Hittite army.
Back to the Russian guns. The guns and crew are from Eureka Miniatures. Besides a stand of Russian commanders, these represent the first Russians painted from their SYW range of figures. I have many, many Austrians and Prussians in the collection but have always been underwhelmed by the sculpting of the Russians. The faces mostly seem deformed and many only a mother could love.
What do I think of these figures after having seen them firsthand? Well, Eureka's guns are always first rate in sculpting. The artillerymen are ok. Painted and on the table these fellows look much better than in the raw. Will I paint more of the Eureka Russians? I don't know. I really enjoyed painting the Old Glory Russian infantry (sold by 19th Century Miniatures and not the Blue Moon Russians sold by Old Glory). The Blue Moon Russian infantry and artillery look quite good. I may pick up some artillerymen and another pair of Eureka artillery pieces and make a comparison.
Hi Johnathan- Your EUREKA 18mm Russian Artillery look excellent - nice job of painting - well done. Blue Moon figures are very nice too- perhaps an expansion of Russian Forces in the breeze. Cheers. KEV.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kev! Not much of an expansion to the Russians for me. My gaming buddy has a huge Russian collection. I am simply adding a few bits and pieces.
DeleteThey look good to me Jonathan but sadly don’t have enough knowledge of the figures in that scale to give you a proper critical comparison, at the scale of your battles I m not sure a couple of figures will bring down the whole spectacle🙂
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right, Matt! When the table is awash in multi-colored troops, most of the individuality disappears.
DeleteIt's interesting that you needed more Russian artillery after your Kunersdorf and Zorndorf refights, although I don't know a bigger battle for the Russians for the entire war. Will you Play Groß-Jägersdorf and Kay too?
ReplyDeleteBoth of them are unlikely to win for the Prussians and I believe that you will need reasonable Prussian victory conditions facing a very much outnumbering enemy.
Yes, a few Austrian guns were pressed into service for those two large battles. The other Russian battles will almost certainly see the table one day.
DeleteThe Prussians found the Russians a difficult nut to crack!
Splendid looking Russian artillery to me,the intricacies of 18mm figures is beyond my ken!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thank you! You would have no trouble painting them, Iain.
DeleteThey look fine to me. I've not seen the sculpts first hand, so couldn't comment, but when on the table they are perefectly acceptable. I'm sure when used in a game, you will forget any issues you had with the look of the sculpts.
ReplyDeletePainted and on the table, they look great! Misshapen faces disappear when viewed from the table.
DeleteArtillery does look good, do you find it overpowering in HoW Jonathan, I know there are differing takes on this. Having fought only one battle it seemed OK to me?
ReplyDeleteThank you, George! When massed, artillery can be very deadly. If you strictly stick to the TARGET PRIORITIES rule, that impact is lessened since multiple hits are distributed to nearby units.
DeleteI like the guns which seem like good meaty pieces. The chaps are fine to my eyes. I am somewhat in a bit of a quandary over some 15mm sculpts. There are some gorgeous ones out there, but they seem to have the detail of 28mm and the temptation is to paint them like 28mm, which somewhat loses the point of going to having smaller but more 15mm.
ReplyDeleteI have just taken possession of some older 15mm napoleonic sculpts from Warrior Miniatures. They are softer on the detail, but my purchase was deliberate, so that they could be painted more easily with the 2 - 3 foot rule in mind - even acknowledging this, I am still somewhat torn on the matter.
Nowadays I go with the 2-3 foot rule as I simply cannot see the extra detail a figure may have at this distance. So I concentrate on the unit rather than the figure, except for command stands where I take a bit more care.
DeleteNorm, the guns are superb. Many of today's 15/18mm figures have as much detail as 28s. If the detail is there AND I can see it, I paint the 15s like 28s.
DeleteHaving not seen Warrior figures, I cannot comment except that when painted for the 2-3 foot rule when viewed from the table, it is the mass and color that impresses the eye.
Steve, as my eyesight fades, I resort to the same approach.
DeleteI like these and you have painted them well. I have a small number of Eureka German and Hungarians that I plan to use as an Imagination army for Bavarians that I hope to start on later in the summer.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Ross
Thank you, Ross and good to hear from you again! Your painting has been vigorous of late.
DeleteI look forward to seeing Eureka figures in your Imaginations Army. The Eureka Germans are really nice!
Good looking artillery unit. I like to topdown photo.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I like the topdown photo too!
DeleteThey look very nice to me Jonathon and I have yet to see a poor sculpt from Eureka to be honest.
ReplyDeleteGlad yo like them Keith. The faces are a little rough on the SYW Russians...
DeleteNice work Jonathan, looking forwards to seeing some Hittites next.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Paul! Hittites next.
DeleteBeautiful work Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michal!
DeleteLovely work Jonathan. I have been eyeing the new Eureka 15mm ECW range, which look good. It's always difficult to judge when companies use several different sculptors.
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated, Lawrence! Most of the eureka ranges are excellent. Their Napoleonic Saxons are very versatile and SYW range great. Mex-American War figures are excellent too!
DeleteIf I was to do ECW all over again, I would be very tempted by either 15mm or 10mm. With a large ECW collection in 30mm, I doubt I will tackle another size.
Well done, great looking guns and gunners...as already mentionned, I do like the top down picture as well...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phil! Perhaps, I ought to include a top down view more often?
DeleteA decent paint job can help a poor sculpt, though it’s more work for the painter.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at the ‘deformed facings only a mother could love’. Is the red bit on the cannon part of the model or a bead and part of your unit identification scheme?
But nicely painted in all accounts. 😀
Thanks, Stew! The red bit on the gun carriage in the overhead photo is part of the gun carriage, itself. Looks like I glued the barrel onto the carriage slightly askew.
DeleteNice work on them both.
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated, Simon! Good to see you stopping in!
DeleteFaces, what faces? :-)
ReplyDeleteAs long as the *facings* are correct, the faces don't matter much at 15 mm and below...
Seriously, they look very nice, and you play with the Russians, you always seem to need more artillery!
Thanks, Peter! You are correct. The Russians ALWAYS seem to require more artillery.
DeleteVery nice as always Jonathan...
ReplyDeleteI do get tempted to paint 15mm or smaller from time to time... and then I realise that I will indeed spent exactly the same amount of time that I do on 28’s... so I stop myself 😂
I always think that it was very kind of the Russians to give their artillery one of the nicest looking uniforms...
All the best. Aly
Thanks, Aly! Perhaps you will turn your attention to 15mm one day? I am sure they will be brilliant. The Russian artillery uniform is a smart one.
DeleteMore beauties. I particularly like the black facings.
ReplyDeleteRussian artillerymen in their orangish coats is quite unusual.
DeleteGreat looking Russian artillery, despite some sculpting issues.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them, Dean!
DeleteFine looking artillery Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Thanks!
Delete