Monday 29 September 2008

Accumulating Companies


The first two companies of IR12


I have to admit to having trouble dealing with even that most simple of inventions: the paper flag. I cut the thing up using sufficient care to impress a brain surgeon. When I glue it to its pole I am aware of all the nasty tricks that a paper flag likes to play on the unsuspecting wargamer and take care to circumvent them all. And yet, when all is done, I end up with nasty white strips along the edges where the two halves of the thing have not been lined up properly. I have no explanation for this: I suspect its an inevitability, rather like that law of physics that says that toast always falls buttered-side down. I have given up trying to find a cure for it other than reaching for the paint pot and painting them out.


As the photo above shows progress on IR12 is continuing albeit at a slower pace than I would like. My plan is to fight Action! with Jim around Christmas time, and there are still quite a few units to do: two companies of line infantry, four companies of light, and two squadrons of cavalry. Hopefully I'll pick up some speed once the weather turns bad and I'm stuck indoors: the current Indian summer, although splendid in many ways, is not doing the painting schedule any favours.

9 comments:

CWT said...

I've fallen pley to the white flag edge thing myself. On the subject of the 'Physical Laws of Wargaming', could I add - 'it's always your best detailing paintbrush that splays disastrously, while the others keep a point perfectly' Hmpf.

C

Snickering Corpses said...

Am I correct in identifying those as Minden figures?

Fitz-Badger said...

I know what you mean about the flags! I also end up getting glue all over the place and fingerprints on the flags. I don't know how some people do it.
Still, paper flags printed off with a printer work out better for me than trying to handpaint foil flags or similar.

Andy Mitchell said...

I failed to identify the figures, which are Staddens.

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

We must consider starting a Yahoo group for wargamers who have problems with paper flags - I'd join for sure, and by the sound of it, it wouldn't be a very niche group! :o))

Der Alte Fritz said...

It happens to me all the time. The only thing worse is if you applied the flag to the pole upside down, as I did with the Hesse Seewald Garde (Surens). It was too late before I noticed my error. I usually have to dab a little bit of paint around the edges of the flag to finish it off.

Those Staddens look mighty fine. I did the same regiment about a year ago and also decked them out in white gaitors. This is the Alt-Darmstadt regiment, whose inhaber was the landgraf or whatever of Hesse Darmstadt. He was also an inhaber in the Austrian and Russian armies during the SYW.

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Hi there Andy,

Ah, I needed my Frivolous Fusiliers fix! Feeling much more relaxed now, thank you. They're lovely by the way.

A flag suggestion, which helps with the white edges.


Once you have the paper flag attached to the pole, and the glue has dried, ise a #1 round brush with a good point and carefully repaint over the colors. Takes care with the central designs, as you'll need only a dab or two of black for the eagles, crowns, septeres, orbs, and so forth.


Time consuming, yes, but you will accomplish two things doing this. First, you'll disguise those annoying white edges. Second, the paint colors will not fade over time like the inks used on adhesive backed (or computer printed) flags will. It works for me at any rate. You might be pleased with the results too.


Very eager to see the rest of your figures for Action take shape. Happy Painting!

Best Regards,

Stokes

A J said...

I have the same flag trouble! Usually I can rectify any white by painting over it. My unit flags are designed and printed off my computer then hand-painted in most broad areas of color for durability. I sandwich a square of tin foil between the two halves, cut slightly smaller than the face, as this helps me to bend the flag into a wind-blown shape.

Keith Flint said...

Just my own process - maybe it might work for you.

Fold the flag around the pole without glue and get the crease in the right place. Then take the flag away from the pole and apply glue. Match up and tack together the 2 'free' corners (those furthest from the pole), leaving the rest of the flag like an open tube. Then position onto pole and carefully bring the whole thing together, working in towards the pole from the already matched corners.

Excellent blog, cheers, Keith.