The Bremen Volunteers, Part One

Links to Part Two and Part Three

A teaser for a more lengthy post when the 6th Uhlans are done:

The 6th Uhlans created special issues as there were no figures available for Lutzow's Legion cavalry or the Bremen Volunteers (part of the Hanseatic Legion).   The Bremen Volunteers were especially troublesome as they don't even wear standard Prussian kit... and thus my first steps at conversions....

First a shot of the base metal.  The two figures in the middle are Front Rank...French Lancers (its been so long I dont remember if they are from the French or Russian lines) which will become the Bremen Volunteers.  The outside two are Calpe Landwehr Cavalry which will be used for the two squadrons of Lutzow's Legion Uhlans.

And what I am trying to create:

And without further ado... the Green Stuff.

The Calpe Landwehr get built up shoulder boards and pickers and chains.

The Front Rank figures have had their bardin-habit veste-thing sliced off and buttons removed.  Some green stuff to smooth out and added in a Prussian cut double breasted coat-line. 

(In the background can see the Calpe Hussar, waiting for their picker and chain and join the unit as Lutzow's Hussar Squadron.  The 3rd [Brandenberg] Uhlans are also on the painting table in the background.)

Note, I cant take much credit for the success/failure of these troops, the live-in Painting Assistant and Artist Extraordinaire took over when I threw down the sculpting tool in frustration... 

The horse hair tassel/poms on the Bremeners was absolutely 0% of my work/imagination... I was thinking of just cutting the bottle brush of entirely.

Better angle to see the pants alterations.  The Front Rank figures are in a waist coat, so we gave them green stuff down to their knees to model a proper Prussian Litewka.  

The Front Rank saddles/shabraque are completely smooth and plain (correctly or incorrectly, I claim no knowledge of French/Russian cavalry), and are a stark contrast with Calpe's models.  It was difficult even getting the green stuff to stick to the metal was so smooth (figures were washed prior to alteration of course).  Added in a border to give us something to paint red and hopefully break-up the otherwise smooth metal. 

Calpe Squadron Officer having his kollet filled in to become a Litewka

Stay tuned for future installments, the figures are base coated now.  I've been hinting to the live-in Painting Assistant and Artist Extraordinaire that the Bremen Volunteer conversions could be considered her Masterwork, as there isn't anything left in the Corps that can really compare in difficulty.  

Click Here for Part Two