In Sight of the Finish Line...

...but I'm not breaking out the box of cigars just yet.  

However, I did have a productive evening last night working on the last two chasseur companies of the 1/28e Légère.  All the faces, straps and equipment have been done.  That just leaves the highlighting and the final details; the cuff piping, shako details like the pom-poms and cockades, and finally all the metallics such as shako plates, musket ironwork and buttons which I always leave for last.  

I also worked on the final two skirmishers and a couple of artillery crewmen- although I'm still hesitant on how best to base the skirmishers, but more on that later.

I've been running on a bit of a motivational "high" right now as far as Napoleonics go, so all things considered I feel that I am making reasonably good progress (by my standards anyway!).  

Here are a few- as can be seen there really isn't that much far to go, and the remaining figures are all at or very near this stage. 

 

It's nasty what a Cossack sabre stroke can do...

The artilleryman below will be modelled sponging out the piece, so the rammer itself isn't broken- it's supposed to look that way!  Aside from a pre-1812 forage cap, I gave him heavy wool trousers and a rather natty red waistcoat.

The final touches are always the most demanding in terms of time and concentration, but are the most enjoyable aspect of painting for me as I see the miniatures begin to look a lot more like the soldiers they are supposed to represent, at least in my mind's eye!