Perry Life Guards - The Cheese Mongers

Well, here is the first completed project for 2013. A unit of Perry British Household Cavalry painted up as Life Guards. Alternatively, they could be painted as Blues, but red coats were chosen as they are unmistakably British.

Over a brown base coat, the horses were given a wash of black and then a healthy stain of Minwax Tudor Satin. It really gave them the look of "blacks" - as the Household Cavalry are known to have ridden, and indeed still do to this day.

I used a bit of Green Stuff to secure the riders more securely to their mounts. You may be able to see some of this in the photos. I'll paint those areas black after the super glue dries.

All in all a nice unit to paint up, but I wonder how the same unit produced by Renegade would look compared to them. I think they might be larger and possibly give the proper effect of these Heavies. I understand they had a fairly tall height requirement to enter the Guards. Something like 6 feet plus - and riding large horses must've made these guys pretty imposing on the battlefield. EDIT: this height requirement is not substantiated. :) Incidentally, the famous actor Ray Miland (The Man with the X-Ray Eyes) served in the Royal Horse Guards The Blues.

I also think their broadswords could've been sculpted a little larger or thicker - kind of the way Front Rank does theirs; pretty sturdy for gaming.

Anyway, please don't take these comments as complaints - I am very happy with the overall look of these figures. After a few other projects and commitments, I plan to host a Black Powder game with these along with the rest of the Napoleonics collecting dust on the shelf. I may also pick up a copy of Albion Triumphant - for the eye-candy if nothing else. Again, best wishes to all of you this year and hope you all have great days ahead painting and gaming - Dean.