Benno's Figures Forum

Posted by **Bill Slavin** on 28 Feb 2021, 16:00

It's been a while since I have posted but it doesn't mean I haven't been painting! Last fall I received a bunch of Napoleonic figures from a friend, and among those were the Emhar Portuguese. A few years ago I had opted to build my Portuguese army with the excellent Hagen metal figures, but this gift gave me the grenadiers those figures lacked as well as enough others to create a fifth battalion, the 9th (Viana).
I finally got around to photographing them yesterday, and decided to post the pictures on my blog along with a bit of history on the brigading of the Portuguese. If you are interested, you can read about that, along with the conversions I did to integrate the earlier uniform of the Emhar figures with that represented by the Hagen, here: https://tinywarsplayedindoors.blogspot.com/2021/02/portuguese-9th-viana-and-some-grenadiers.html

And here are a few photos of the results.

Posted by **PhilC** on 28 Feb 2021, 16:39

Very very nice. I had neved seen some painted Emhar Portuguese soldiers, yours are perfect. And the first scene - a fighting line, but not on the flat - looks very realistic.

Posted by **C M Dodson** on 28 Feb 2021, 16:56

Hi Bill, good to see you back in action with another nice unit.

Lovely pictures as always.

Just a small note.

Are those drum cords correct?

The sliders and tensioner are normally the other way around.

I was groomed by my good friend Mr Crynns you know.

The Emhar figures are great in my opinion and you have done them proud.

Best wishes,

Chris

Posted by **Bill Slavin** on 28 Feb 2021, 17:37

Well spotted, Chris! The drummer is a converted drummer from the Italeri British set which famously has its drum upside down! Other than that, it is a beautiful figure of a drummer boy, but I would just butcher the figure (a hardish platic) if I tried to turn it right side up.

Posted by **C M Dodson** on 28 Feb 2021, 21:24

Hi Bill.

Do not mess about with advanced chopping.

Just shave the cords off and paint them on.

Simples.

Best wishes,

Chris

Posted by **Santi Pérez** on 28 Feb 2021, 22:44

Congratulations, Bill, for this new unit for your ever growing Peninsular War armies, with your usual fantastic paintjob and historical research. :notworthy:

Santi.

Posted by **Graeme** on 01 Mar 2021, 12:47

Very nice, and good to see more Portuguese troops.

The Emhar figures have painted up very well. There's something about them I'm not fond of when I see pictures of them in the raw plastic of but you've got them looking very fine here.

Posted by **Bill Slavin** on 01 Mar 2021, 14:47

I would agree, Graeme. I felt the same way which is why I went with the Hagen figures. On closer inspection, the detailing is very good, if only lightly raised, but there is still a bit of the parade ground look to them. Putting some in trousers seemed to help!
Sadly, they are the only viable set in 1/72 plastic, strange when you think of the number of Portuguese under arms during the Napoleonic Wars - I think I read somewhere more than any other participant per capita!