Progress on the Centralista Army of Operations: Fusileros, Dragoons, Perry Carlists, Buildings and Conquest Sauk y Fox



Mexican Regular Dragoons (Regimental Honours)



      Finally making some progress on the Centralista Army of Operations...and some other distractions.  The Cavalry (Batalion Tampico) is done, except for flocking and a squadron base.  I had to repaint the shabraques to the correct green bound in white (that I found to be appropriate after further research-which as it turns out these dragoons should be in French-made Dragoon helmets, probably not bear-crested Tarletons...oh well)




Jimenez, Matamoros, Toluca, and Tres Villas Bns (Converted Austrians)



      These soldados still require flocking, but are the Fusileros of what will be the Jimenez, Matamoros, Toluca, and Tres Villas Battalions.   I converted some for the command (the Color Sergeant and Drummer)...but need more, so I have been waiting on an order from The War Store...which arrived last week.

Perry Bros Carlist Wars Royalist Command and British Riflemen...excellente!

      What I ordered were Perry Bros Carlist Wars Loyalist Command and British Riflemen, which you may wonder what these have to do with the Army of Operations.  Well, the Perry figures are amazingly detailed and well cast-little cleanup required.  With the exception of two figures, the poses are very dynamic and will fit well with the Fusileros advancing.  The Royalists, with a little blade and putty work, look very similar to the Mexican Permanente and Activo uniforms of 1835-36. The same goes for the Riflemen, who with additional work are very close to their Baker wielding counterparts, the Mexican Cazadores (Flank Companies).  So all I really need to purchase to complete the Army is Artillery and a Command/Staff unit.

Adobe building, primed and ready for painting

      This building I started to add to the current adobes I've built either for the battle of Bexar or another unnamed action south of the Colorado River. The walls are foam board covered with sand and the columns, stairs and balcony are blue styrofoam insulation.  Floors are flagstone (mat board) It still needs paint and interior accents (I've made shutters, paintings, etc.)

What have the Sauk to do with Santa Anna...absolutely nothing. 
Mission Creep!

      While waiting for the sand and priming to dry on the Royalists-Come-Centralistas, I started working on some Sauk by Conquest.  Why?  A.  They're incredible.  Highly recommend their figures, which makes me want to build up a warband now.  Mission creep!  B.  My six-year-old is painting a section of Roger's Rangers.  So much for staying in the 1830's...

On the Painting Table...

The garage workbench...its been below 20 deg F out there...

      So right now on the bench I have the remainder of my Mexican Infantry (converted from Austrian Infantry).  I shaved off the tall hackle plume and replaced with a small lead projectile from a dove shot load-perfect pom-pom.  There are also mounted Texas Rangers, the rest of the Mexican Lancers (Regulars), and a mule train that I bought at a small shop in Honolulu while on a business trip last spring.

Texas Rangers and Mexican Infantry

Texas Rangers

       I am also trying to complete the mule train (back) and the Mexican Light Cavalry Lancers (Front).
Slowly, but surely.

The Unfinished Tavern

        This building has been on the bench for a while now.  I'm going to use Plastic Wood for the chinking between the logs, as I have for the other log structures I've made (cabin, dogtrot, blockhouse). I plan on modeling some other details for this as well (barrels, food, etc).  The stone is just styrofoam insulation panels-the blue sheets from the hardware store.  Floor stones are just painted matboard.  This one will have a second level, just a loft with some beds.  The finished tavern is going to be the terrain for a "Barfight" scenario between James Bowie's Volunteers and a rival gang.