Some photographs of units and terrain that I have completed recently:

From the 1670s, the French Regiment des Fusiliers du Roi. The unit was formed in 1671, the officers being drawn from the Regiment du Roi, the men from various garrisons and artillery companies, and it was equipped with fusil muskets, the first French regiment to be so armed in full. The king was colonel-in-chief of the regiment. Its role was to escort and guard the artillery park of the army. Some of the companies were also expected to act as sappers and artisans, as well as providing additional gunners if so required. It began as a two battalion regiment, each of 10 companies of fusiliers, 2 companies of sappers and artisans, and 1 company of grenadiers. As it so happened, the unit became just another infantry regiment owing to the demands of war, joining the line of battle as required. However, they did retain their role as guards for the artillery park.

Having close links with the Regiment du Roi at its origins, the Fusiliers du Roi used the same regimental standard, and had blue cuffs to their greatcoat, as was usual for a royal regiment. They also had red socks, trousers and jacket, as well as hat and shoulder decorations. I have varied the latter, trying to reflect the wear and tear of campaign life. Also the hats are varied I colour. Apparently, Louis XIV only liked black hats, so this unit would have been frowned upon! In 1677, the regiment was increased to six battalions.

A much older regiment in the French army, the Regiment de Turenne. This unit dates from 1630 and retained the title until 1675 when, following the death of the Viscount de Turenne, it became the Regiment de Maine, having been given to the Duke de Maine, one of the illegitimate sons of Louis XIV. The regimental standard in black with its towers is particular to this unit (on the family coat of arms), however I have not been able to find any evidence for the regiment's uniform up until 1675. After that date, it is recorded as having blue distinctions, which would be expected given its royal connection. I have painted it with blue cuffs, etc., but I have a feeling they may have been black as Turenne's cavalry regiment became the Colonel-General Regiment in 1657 and this had black facings well into the 18th Century. I am open to advice!

The figures for this unit and for the Fusiliers du Roi are all North Star 1672 (Copplestone Castings originally),with flags from Warfare Miniatures League of Augsburg range.

Some unusual terrain - the original material was the base for plastic aquatic plants (see below) and made from a rubbery black plastic, so I covered it in my usual sand and grit basing material, added flock around the edges and painted the holes in the mounds to look like vents for some underground natural gas. I intend to use if for my fantasy/medieval campaign.

A religious pillar, the original maker escapes me, painted as an unusual rock type, with rough paving slabs made form card stuck onto a wooden base (from an Epoisse cheese box!), with sand and grit basing material ad flock, plus some grasses for effect.

The plastic aquatic plants mentioned above - based for use in my Avrupan campaign, which is a desert world with exotic plant life.

Two lizard monsters of considerable wargame antiquity, I think they were Grenadier figures from many decades ago, now repainted and based for my fantasy/medieval campaign. They are not connected to any particular country in the campaign, just for random use as and when I please.

Another unit from my Fescennia Napoleonic imagination campaign - the Regimiento de la Guardia of the Kingdom of Erymanthia. Ordinary rank figures are from Warlord Games hard plastic Russian army box (which I cam by on the cheap!) and Essex Miniatures metal officer figures. It is the only unit in the Erymanthian army in very dark blue uniform, all the rest have normal dark blue, a decision based purely on a whim, nothing else! They join the other Erymanthian guard units (cavalry and artillery) which appeared in an earlier blog.

Another Erymanthian regiment, this time the Regimiento Granaderos No.1. Warlord Games hard plastic figures once more, with Essex Miniatures metal officer figures. Grenadier regiments have only sixteen figures, compared to the usual twenty-four figures of line and guard units. In my Fescennia campaign, all grenadier and light infantry figures are formed into individual battalions, rather than being companies attached to ordinary line or guard battalions.