TEN YEARS SINCE A POST? and Syldavian Militia on Parade.

 TEN YEARS SINCE A POST?

How does one explain that?  It's pretty simple actually, a computer or two dies, one loses passwords, can't get access and the inexorably grinding glacier of life's demands stifle one's desire to hammer away at the problem.  I returned to this place a bit by chance a few days ago and I seem to have managed to recover access, against all odds. What have I done in the since my last post, other than be a dull boy?  Whatever became of this project while the blog slumbered?  Quite a bit in fact, Syldavia and Borduria have armies.  And while my painting mojo has ebbed and flowed,  I have worked on other SYW projects as well, Prussia, Austria and Russia, some terrain and scenery pieces, and played a game here and there.   

Perhaps it is time to put some figures on parade...  

The first are the  Syldavian Zeta Skutaro militia who have a rather dashing look in their pantaloons, vests and caps.  They comprise a unit of irregular, second-rate infantry and no doubt are typical of that kind of militia force in Syldavia.  There are six bases of four figures, 24 man units were the rule for my project when I start out. I built up unit size since for the sake of a denser look but 24 figures still works well for a militia unit.  

These are in fact AB ACW Zouaves, 15mm of course as is the rule for this project.  I picked figures that had a bit of a wild look to them and it worked out fairly well I think. They are beautifully sculpted figures and were fun to paint.  I did a bit of light conversion work with an x-acto knife removing some details that were clearly 19th century, and with paint and brush as well.  The banner is hand-painted on metal foil.  One can't see it well in these photos unfortunately, it is a freehand riff on Syldavia's heraldry in Hergé's book.  All the prep, painting, basing, etc  work is my own.

These proud fellows held rough ground on a flank in their first table-top battle, then charged and broke the weakened and disordered band of enemy infantry facing them.  A bunch of heroes and one of my favourite  units in the Syldavian army.  

There photos aren't ideal, I am out of practice!