Lace Wars: The 1st Guards

Two regiments (and 1 box) already completed in my War of the Spanish Succession project, I’m still happily painting the lovely Strelets British infantry. For the latest figures, I’m making use of Strelets other very newly released WSS sets;

• British Infantry in Attack
• British Infantry Firing line

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After a couple of line regiments, I felt it was time to include an elite formation and so I’ve started work on the most prestigious infantry in the British Army; the 1st Foot Guards.

The 1st Foot Guards at Blenheim, crossing the River Nebel.

My C.S. Grant book on the uniforms of the WSS informs me that the 1st Guards wore a red coat with facings of “Royal blue” and breeches of blue. Depictions of the regiment from this time seem to show a mid-light coloured blue, including this 1st Foot Guards re-enactor wearing a grenadier’s uniform:

I have Vallejo paint called “Royal Blue” but I’ve instead opted for their “Flat Blue” which seemed a more satisfactory shade.

Impatient for Strelets to produce other sets (presuming of course that they do), at the wise suggestion of John at Just Needs Varnish blog, I’ve been exploring other potential sources of 20mm scale WSS troops. As a first toe in the water some figures have arrived today from metal 20mm manufacturer Irregular Miniatures. These are some infantry officers to make up my shortfall from the Strelets boxes and a regiment of British Horse consisting of an officer, a trumpeter, a flag bearer and five troopers:

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I think they’re very impressive! 🙂 Size comparison shows the figures to be slightly smaller than the Strelets figures. This is because these Irregular Miniatures figures are ‘true’ 20mm which is to say 1/76 scale rather than 1/72.

Anyway, there’s an awful lot going on on the Suburban Militarism painting desk at the moment, and those Foot Guards won’t paint themselves!