Some Irregular artillery

Next stop on my journey through my latest order was some Bengal Horse Artillery.  Strictly speaking I don't need them for China, and ordered them by mistake. This isn't a problem for a couple of reasons:

1. I'm going to need them for my Sikh Wars project, so another order is going in soon for the balance of that army after I've finished my orbat research anyway to order the correct ones.
2. Who doesn't love the look of these guys.

Horse artillery have a history of elaborate and showy uniforms. It's almost like they're compensating for something. Like not being proper cavalry, or not having guns as big as the field batteries. Anyhow, the uniforms of the Bengal Horse Artillery are particularly fine examples of the type, with crested helmets like French Dragoons (only with red hair, not black) and gold frogging on the jackets. Add to that the tight fitting white breeches and glossy high knee boots and you have a look that you really must have in your army if you can justify it.

The figures are by Irregular, as are the guns. The gun captain has a rather smashing moustache, don't you think?

Not everyone is a fan of my gloss varnish finish, but it seems sort of right for these chaps.

Challenges with the uniform include the belt, which is actually five bands of alternating red and gold.  I went for three. And the leopard skin helmet band.

The frogging on the jackets is fairly well defined, and if I was undercoating in black I'd have dry brushed the yellow over the top. However for this project I've gone for white undercoat to make the colours brighter, so I did some blacklining, which I usually try to avoid.

I think they've come out okay, and will be an ornament to any table top army. Just need an excuse to get them out. I think I'm targeting COW in early July, so about five months to finish everything from the order off, order a load of Sikhs and finish them too.

Should be possible.