Progress so far - Comte de Tescaux' Regiment

 Hello again! It's been a few days since the last blog, so I thought I would give people an update on the Mauritzanian project 'rebirth'. I've set my self targets for each week's painting, and this week it's time to get my second standard bearer, drummer and 2 rank and file figures completed.

Here are a few pictures of the progress so far - some of you may have seen these chaps already, in previous posts, and they are chaps I painted a while ago. Already done are my first 'rank and file' figure - varnished and based, and two command figures - the Colonel and 'Drapeaux d'Ordonnance' or Regimental colours. I often paint up a test figure, just to get a sense of what the regiment or unit will look like, and this is the case with the chap below. Given the name of the regiment, and (coincidental) link to many High Street UK shopping consortiums for this Mauritzanian project and the units involved, it seems as though the 'records' show the Comte de Tescaux' Regiment has a colour scheme of (off) white, red and blue.....unsurprisingly! Having said that though, they do look suitably French and early 18th C. ish.

I've got to do the Colonel's Colours yet, and there is a picture of work so far on the ensign carrying these plain white colours - well, white cross on a white background! I love the way that the Perry- designed Wargames Foundry figures have 'multipose' arm choices for many of the command figures - this Ensign originally has an arm with a sword, but I have cut this off, and drilled out the hand to take a standard pole. By next week, hopefully all these chaps will be done, along with a drummer. I won't be basing them up yet, as this will be the last part of the exercise with this particular unit. Next week will see the start of the 'rank and file' proper, first three figures, then two weeks of four figures each! Fingers crossed I can stay on track! Until next time - tatty bye!!!!

So it begins......Mauritzania!

Greetings again!

It's been a mad week, and real life and work have got in the way, but back to blog land we go!

One of the aims of Fall on Pell Mell!, apart from sharing my work and thoughts, inspiration and eye candy, was to drive forward my wargaming projects - the thinking being that if I started a blog, I'd need pictures to go on it, and that would keep me focussed on one project (maybe!) at a time.

So we come to Mauritzania. Some time before last Christmas, inspired to start a late 17th/early 18th century project, but knowing nothing about the Marlburian period, I created.......ahem..........discovered archives and documents relating to the small nation of Mauritzania. This kingdom - sadly now disappeared from history - lay close to the French border, in what is modern day Germany. Possibly.......

The documents 'discovered' tell of the events of the early 18th century, when the rulers of Mauritzania, the Royal house of Mauritzans, were undergoing something of a succession crisis. To describe briefly, Heinrich Rudolf XXIII (the previous ruler) has recently passed away, and left the throne to his legimate son, Heinrich Rudolf XXIV (the 24 H.R. Mauritzans of that name.....). This ascension has been challenged by the Count von Azder - the previous king's illegitimate son by an earlier ill-advised marriage, which was hastily annulled by the Mauritzanian Government. As a lasting quest to avenge his maligned and dear-departed mother, who died shortly after his birth, and in an effort to claim the throne he (wrongly) believes is his, Von Azder has rallied a rag-tag bunch of central European princes and dukes to his shady cause, with the promise of financial rewards from the lucrative coffers of Mauritzania should he be triumphant. An attack on Mauritzania is imminent!

Providing much experienced backbone to the invading forces, are two 'unofficial' French Regiments. Unofficial as Louis XIV couldn't possibly have anything to do with such a despicable cause........however the Sun King has an eye to the long game, and may have possibly nudged two malcontent colonels, the Comte de N'Etteau, and the Comte de Tescaux in the direction of Von Azder, backed by large purses. After all, every little helps......

So the scene is set. The Mauritzanian Border is on a state of alert. The whole of Europe is........er, completely unaware....... and the Comte de N'Etteau is on the march with his Regiment of Foot, moving steadily towards the time of invasion.

(Any similarity to the names of British high street supermarkets and food outlets, is purely co-incidental by the way.........)

The Comte de N'Etteau's Regiment practising field tactics. Even the Comte's dog, the unusually named 'Dai' (it's a Highland terrier) accompanies the Regiment on the march.

Mean while, over the border..... the Ensign of the Mauritzanian National Regiment boldly flies the flag, waiting, waiting.........'Green and Gold Forever!'..........

Until next time.......