Baccus New French Dragoons Get Tested

I know it's been awhile since I looked at the Hussars that Baccus released just a few weeks back but here I finally get round to painting up the Dragoons. Or to be more precise the 2nd Regiment of Dragoons who will see action in our Project Waterloo. Yes a unit I am painting that I will be commanding, imagine that!

Facing The Challenge

As I mentioned last time Peter has a soft spot for the Hussars but me, well I REALLY like the detail that have been teased out of these guys. Take a look above and yes they are chinstraps bronzed. Not just painted on but actually sculpted. Just like the Hussars though, painting all the detail is optional rather that required. Yet the detail is not thin, you really have a bag full of options as so much of the detail can be painted or left off based on personal preferences and that goes way beyond the faces.

As you can see table top view supplies a nice looking unit, though even well painted Irregular don't look at all bad from this distance but with these you can pick out a fair bit of detail. I like the solid look of the cavalry, these are functional but still look good for it. Seeing the legs not stiff sticks made the wait well worth it for the results.

We still have the typical Baccus sword to helmet look. It works and it's tried and tested but I have to be honest and admit I would have liked a more active pose but I also know it means a few more challenges to moulding and casting and I know plenty of Baccus fans may well be disappointed with such changes but it will be interesting how they deal with the Lancers, I can at least hope.

All the detail you would expect are in play and I think Baccus again score high in melding function and art, Adler still have the most handsome cavalry on the block but I am thinking Baccus have the BEST. Start to finish you can get a base of these done in a night if you have a mind for it. I actually painted the horses all four bases worth that Peter gave me in one session then went on to paint the rest of this base in about an hour the other night. I also finished the Chasseurs the following night between work on my Spanish Village but that's for another post. 

I hope the picture above gives you an idea of the detail that can be teased out if you have a mind for it. Thank you chestnut brown ink is all I am going to say ;-)

The bugler has a bit of a conk on him though. So obviously I have nothing but praise to heap on these then? Hell no, I am a cantankerous sod even on a good day.

Mindful that when Peter handed over the loot saying he wanted my full and honest opinion as I grinned back at him thinking good job I have ONE issue. One I have struggled with from the moment I took a good luck at them when it came to the minor clean up time. That is the rather strange decision to arm one of the boor buggers with a telegraph poll with a tent on the end of it! It seems such a backward step into Irregular territory. I don't mind the idea of having a pole for the standard but I really don't like the idea of having to keep the one I have been issued with. Adler do poles that you can attach flags to which I accept gladly, not that I am impressed when that pole is fixed to the helmet so you can't wrap a flag round it. But having a flag actually in place is a sin. I just am not good enough a painter to do it justice and further more it being so thick it's a right pain to have in place. Given the detail that has gone into the figures it's a shame. However I have not yet decided if I will simply miss the standard bearer out on future bases and sub in another figure or live with the flag. I think I will see how it looks on the table before I decide.

So not a major issue and given I may well live with it, I have to agree that it's not a deal breaker and it's very much a point of personal taste. However I would love to know how the decision came to be made. Not for any other purpose than just to know. Methinks it will be a question I will put to Sir Berry next I see him.

At the moment I think I like these that bit more than the Hussars, somewhat faster to paint up, nice and colourful and the faces are quite a bit nicer on these guys. Sorry Peter I know you like the Hussars but these have more striking power and somehow that comes across in the figures. I will be adding plenty more Dragoons to the ranks post Waterloo and they better be Baccus!