Tuesday 28 January 2020

Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 3

With a head that feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool I am certainly not operating at anything like peak efficiency. However I have continued the sorting out process of my Del Prado Napoleonic collection - in truth I do not feel much like doing anything else.


Prussian infantry along with Belgians and a small unit of Brunswickers


The British


British cavalry and artillery

As I work my way through the collection I have seen a number of possible paint conversions that will help to expand the available troops. These will be quite small jobs but they will give me a greater variety of troops to use.

By fat and away the largest job will be removing the bases which are for the most part MDF. I am thinking that overnight soaking will be the way to go so I intend making a start on this at the weekend, By then I would sorted out the French as well and they will feature in the next post.

6 comments:

Steve J. said...

It may not seem much but it's progress. I've been doing similar stuff sorting my 10mm forces out for the mid-19thC ImagiNations. Not much each night but I feel I've done something which is nice.

I think soaking in water overnight is the way to go. Messy but easy.

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

David,

Soaking the MDF bases for 24 to 48 hours should make then softer and more like cardboard. The figures SHOULD then be removable with a little pressure at the join between the base of the figure and the MDF. You might have to remove any residual glue and/or MDF afterwards.

I’ve had some experience with this sort of large-scale rebasing exercise, and this is the method I’ve used.

All the best,

Bob

David Crook said...

Hi Steve J,

I feel even worse today but sorting stuff out is curiously therapeutic. I will make a start on the French today which is by far the largest component of the collection.

The great base soak will commence shortly!

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Bob,

That pretty much describes how I was going to tackle it. Some of the bases have been flocked so a small toothbrush may be needed as well.

There are plenty of figures that could go straight on to their new bases but I want to tackle this in a systematic fashion.

All the best,

DC

'Lee. said...

I hope that you are starting to feel better David, I seem to be suffering the same affliction. Never had so much as a snuffle in Spain but we're all down with it now! Looking forward to seeing your Napoleonics come together, I think your planned figure per block concept will work very well for C&C games on the new mat.

David Crook said...

Hi ‘Lee,

I have been feeling properly wretched the last few days so sorting through the boxes was about as good as it got! I am pleased I have done it and now have a much better idea of what I am dealing with in terms of the units etc.

I shall be needing industrial quantities of gloss varnish for sure!

I am looking forward to christening the new mat but suspect it will be with the ACW collection first.

Sorry to hear you are poorly as well and so I hope we both make a speedy recovery.

All the best,

DC