From MartijnN: QCWk2 - More small matters

For my second weekly hobby task I give you two tiny brigades of 6mm Prussian infantry.

As I said, I have been experimenting with the Citadel Contrast paints. I used Talassar Blue for the coats, and they definitely turned out lighter than my other units. I don't think that really is a problem, it is usually said that it is better to user lighter shader for 6mm figures anyway. I find the contrast paints a bit of a mixed blessing; the effects are nice and the paint flows very smoothly, but you have to undercoat in white. That means that you have to be very careful in your painting because you don't have a dark undercoat to hide your little mistakes, while on the other hand it is very difficult to paint very carefully with them as you cannot allow the colours to overlap. Still, a wash with Agrax Earthshade works wonders and I am pretty pleased how they turned out. Figures are once again from the Baccus range, as are the flags.

They are for my 1866 project, but that should roll over smoothly (ahem) into an 1870 project, and therefore I also did some French 6mm houses. These are resin TimeCast models. The models are nice enough (although the details are not very crisp, which in hindsight makes them perhaps less suitable for the contrast paints). I still gave them a wash with Agrax Earthshade and a light drybrush.They are very large models, unfortunately (this little row is six inches wide and two deep), so a small village quickly becomes a town on the table, but they definitely represent the houses in Lorraine very well.

I'm perhaps not entirely happy with these, as the contrast has left some staining, but from a distance of two feet they are decent enough.

Thanks for looking and stay safe!

From MartijnN: A Small Affair

Hello everyone,

As this is my first contribution a little introduction might be in order. Like so many I took up wargaming in my teens, but eventually life got in the way. Since some time I have sort of returned, although I have always kept buying and collecting so my lead/ plastic mountain is sizeable enough. I haved followed the Challenges from Challenge Ate on. I took up the brushes again some time ago but never found the courage to join in.  I have always been a slow painter and not a very good one, but find painting helps me unwind and nowadays I have more time for it. Now I should just find some opportunities to actually get some games in, but in the present circumstances that obviously will have to wait.

As I have always dreamed of being able to recreate complete historical battles these days I tend to paint smaller scale stuff: 6mm WWII for Rommel, 10mm ACW for Age of Freedom, and I am now working on 6mm armies for 1859/ 1866/ 1871.

Here I present the provisional brigade formed from the corps cavalry of III and IV Prussian corps during the 1866 battle of Königrätz, consisting of 3rd Uhlans and 2nd Dragoons. The figures are from the excellent Baccus range and I have been experimenting with the Citadel Contrast paints, as well as using the trusted Vallejo acrylics.

Then there are two artillery batteries. The guns are more suited for the Franco-Prussian War, but at this scale who really cares? In the 1866 war the performance of the Prussian artillery was less than satisfactory, would you believe it, it being often outclassed by their Austrian counterparts.

Of course, being Prussians, they took steps to correct this and 1870 would be another game entirely.

As long as you don't look too closely (which you would not, normally; the darn things are tiny!) they more or less look the part I think.