For all those that have kindly been following the Nappy Cavalry Project, here’s the end-of-year "Grand Parade" I promised. In reality it's just a bit of eccentric silliness played out on the dining room table.
I’ve uploaded the 6-minute video of it to YouTube and embedded it below for your “entertainment”. There is a narrative (of sorts) and I’ve added a soundtrack of Napoleonic-era military tunes, both French and British tunes.
It’s a busy time of the year with Christmas but a week away (and presents still to buy for the family…), so I’ve had to rush this video a little but it’s all been good fun. Some stills of the 'event' are also below:
Some of the troops arriving on the parade ground...
Napoleon sees the Cossacks arrive and panics!
All the regiments gathered together for Napoleon's inspection.
Of course, it was all televised!
The winning regiment announced, Napoleon leads his French cavalry away.
The British cavalry follow in an orderly fashion at first...
...but then predictably give in to hopeless indiscipline and charge wildly after the departing French.
General Lefebvre-Desnouettes of the Chasseurs a Cheval was right to have misgivings, it seems!
Well done Marvin, I have been following your progress with this challenge all year, & the final result is wonderful, the standard of painting is quite superb & this final gathering is the icing on the cake.
That's a lot of cavalry. My regards - I really envy you people who paint loads of horseback figures in order to set up huge armies. Personally, I don't like to paint cavalry that much because I find these figures much more time-consuming then infantry.
Great post. I wonder...in 2016 will Robert E. Lee review his men of the Army of Northern Virginia? Or Trajan hold an inspection of his legions? Can't wait to see!
vellek wrote:Great post. I wonder...in 2016 will Robert E. Lee review his men of the Army of Northern Virginia? Or Trajan hold an inspection of his legions? Can't wait to see!
Absolutely spiffing show of strength Marvin! I have my own paricular favourite regiment! Do you have a favourite of your own and if so which regiment did you enjoy painting the most? Without going back through them all I think there were 2 regiments that you didn't paint ...... if my memory serves me rightly! Russian Kuirassiers and their Saxon counterparts! Please correct me if I'm wrong!?! Apart from these figures I think you painted every other box of Napoleonic cavalry worth painting (at least in my opinion)! Bravo bravo your determination is surely an inspiration to all!
k.b. wrote:Absolutely spiffing show of strength Marvin! I have my own paricular favourite regiment! Do you have a favourite of your own and if so which regiment did you enjoy painting the most?
My favourite regiment? Tough one - but I think I'm happiest with the way the Red Lancers turned out Zvezda, but the Waterloo 1815 Leib Hussars were the most rewarding to paint, I think. Lovely sculpted figures and they gave me confidence to do more cavalry.
k.b. wrote:Without going back through them all I think there were 2 regiments that you didn't paint ...... if my memory serves me rightly! Russian Kuirassiers and their Saxon counterparts! Please correct me if I'm wrong!?! Apart from these figures I think you painted every other box of Napoleonic cavalry worth painting (at least in my opinion)!
Yes, I'd agree! I do have a box of the Russian Cuirassiers but just ran out of time to do them. I might also add to the list Zvezda's Russian Hussars as well. And Waterloo 1815 also have some decent looking French Lancers released...
I am back to Lome' after almost two relaxing internet-free weeks in Italy, and I am absolutely happy for this Xmas gift. An amazing massive stampede! Finally! Fantastically based! Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously painted! I am going to buy a good bottle and toast to it! A great job, Marvin.
Mr. Andrea wrote:I am back to Lome' after almost two relaxing internet-free weeks in Italy, and I am absolutely happy for this Xmas gift. An amazing massive stampede! Finally! Fantastically based! Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously painted! I am going to buy a good bottle and toast to it! A great job, Marvin.
Thank you Mr. Andrea! And thanks for all your wonderful support throughout the project!