Friday 8 February 2019

Poor Johnny Cope.


I've decided to model my Jacobite armies on the Battle of Prestonpans 1745 , so for my Government general I will need a model for Sir John Cope , pictured above about twenty years earlier than the fateful day . (seemingly the only portrait Google has of him).


Poor Johnny Cope remembered for just this one disaster , prior to this his military career had been rather successful , he was made a Knight of the Bath (KB) for his service at the battle of Dettingen but at Prestonpans was badly let down by his rather lacklustre army . I've always been one for the underdog so I thought I would have to have him as my commander.


The next problem was to find a suitable figure , nobody does any mounted figures for this conflict and for the Government Dragoons I am going to use Zvezda Dragoons of Peter the Great from their Great Northern War range . Looking through their box I came across a mounted Guidon bearer - a figure which will not be of any use in British employment so cutting the standard away and carving the attached belt away I left enough to be a marshal's baton to represent General Cope . I am also going to use another mounted Officer as an Aide De Camp - he was firing a pistol to one side which was not useful so I trimmed it away so that he looks like he's pointing ( "OMG ! look at all those Highlanders !" ) . I'm also cleaning up my first regiment of Government Foot and seeing it's stopped raining will get them sprayed with an undercoat of black .



8 comments:

  1. Well cut!

    For wargaming, simple conversions are often the best and sturdiest.

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    1. Yes was a bit of an inspiration as I was struggling to find a suitable figure.

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  2. Nice work... I had that song "Poor Johnny Cope" on a record years ago, can't remember which one though (possibly Tannahill Weavers).

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    1. Yes sadly he is only remembered by this scurrilous though tuneful song ! .

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  3. Well worked out Conversion- nicely done- will be good to see the painted finish.

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  4. Great figure in the making. A question from one who will try and paint tartan on forty mm figures - any advice greatly received and should all figures in the same unit wear the same tartan.?
    Alan

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    1. Keep it simple only a base colour and then one for the stripes . It seems clan tartans are a thing of the Victorian revival there may have been reginal trends and when plaids were bought on-mass for fitting out units they may have been the same colour .

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