Author Topic: 18th Century British and French (light customs)  (Read 10748 times)

Offline BlackPearl2006

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18th Century British and French (light customs)
« on: September 22, 2011, 03:42:28 »
Loosely based off of Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company (from Pirates of the Caribbean), I made this custom using the torso of the black-suited pirate from the US version 3050 ship mixed with the legs of a knights blister pack special(?), using the cape from redbeard pirate, and an amber-crested staff made from a ship's docking pole where I removed the hook and cut off the end and glued an amber bead on top of).  He's a "gentleman" (despite being devious and ruthlessly cunning), but I did give him a belt so he can arm himself with an elegant and discreet dagger:




Playmobil already has a "Redcoats Leader," but I made a custom new and improved one!  The only thing original on this redcoat leader is his head and hat.  I dressed him up quite a bit to make him a bit more interesting to look at:





And here is my custom French pirate, made from a pirate special combined with british admiral regalia.  He's a pirate, but he's working closely with the French Navy in common efforts against their British adversaries.


stand by for more pics....



« Last Edit: September 22, 2011, 20:26:46 by BlackPearl2006 »
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Offline BlackPearl2006

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2011, 04:25:08 »
British Officers, including an admiral, a captain, and Leftenant.  I gave away their stock blue tricorns to the French officers and replaced them with black bicorns and tricorns.




French Senior Officers:




French regiment, including their soldiers (rear line):



« Last Edit: September 22, 2011, 04:51:20 by BlackPearl2006 »
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Offline BlackPearl2006

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2011, 04:30:04 »
English Lord Beckett with British Officers:



Lord Beckett, Senior Officers, cartographer, sailing master, bosun:



Redcoat's Leader with Redcoat soldiers.  The soldiers now have yellow-trimmed tricorns (instead of 19th century caps).


Redcoats falling in for inspection:
« Last Edit: September 22, 2011, 06:20:49 by BlackPearl2006 »
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Offline BlackPearl2006

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2011, 04:49:54 »
"Hi mom!"  (one of the soldiers being a goofball, lol)


That's it for now!  I hope to make some British midshipmen and some sailors and deckhands for both the British and the French (since these are for my ships).  Also not pictured is one of the youngest midshipmen, who happens to also be the captain's son (bonus points if you know what movie I borrowed that from, hehe).

Hope you like!
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2011, 07:29:34 »
Atto these are really great customs!!! A bit loaded, but looking good.

I am not too thriled with the readcoat leader, sorry but I must be honest, but perhaps you can try the white belt from the victorian cavalry, the old hussars? 5580 - Soldiers On Parade

Your Lord Becket is an excellent custom  :wow: but I've always thought the klicky you used for his officers to be a french admiral... The blue suit fits the Royal Navy officer, but somehow it also says french... can you try changing the heads with plain faces? no mustaches I mean... Maybe that will make them less french and more english? I was watching the movie Waterloo last night and all of Napoleon's Marshalls were wearing that exact uniform, blue coat, white trousers, so that might have affected me  :-\  I am not looking for historical accuracy, rather, for a way to place that klicky somewhere... but I guess its personal choise how to use him...

Finally, i always had trouble with overlaping belts, I tried to use a gunbelt and a sword belt over it in my Union cavalry but it was not coming out the way I wanted... but that seems to work for you :)

And yes, those yellow-trimmed tricorns work very well for the readcoats!!!

Hope I did not give you a headache, just my  :2c:  :)

Offline BlackPearl2006

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2011, 16:31:29 »
thanks for your honest critique :)

Currently I am unaware of any real life 18th century British uniforms that have blue lapels like the Plamobil ones;  to my knowledge the lapells should be gold laced complimented by off-white trim, and part in the middle to reveal the inner off-white waistcoat and matching breeches.  But these will have to do for now I suppose :/ .  

As far as the mustaches go, hehe, I guess a man with a mustache has become associated with known stereotypes of being "French," and I suppose it may have been less common in depictions of English servicemen.  I know what you mean about those clickies seeming more "French" than anything.  But playmobil did intend them as British!  (I'm kinda confused on this, actually, as I thought they were trying to keep their toys neutral without specifically depicting any actual nations, ergo the inaccurate uniforms, but it seems they have included actual flags, including British ones, assigned to certain sets.)  If I find a way, I will redo the lapels on the British officers to be white instead of blue :)

The redcoat leader:  hmmmm......I rather like him, actually :p   However I agree perhaps the overlapping belts aren't exactly reconciled well aesthetically, especially since the yellow baldric kinda "hovers" out of place due to the fact that it was designed to sit flush against the clicky's torso but cannot since the cross straps are in the way.   However, real redcoats did have lots of overlapping straps, including  the crossbelts, straps for knapsacks, a baldric for their sidearm/sword, and a strap for their cartridge box.  But I see what you mean about them overlapping on a clicky. 

And the fact that it is an unrealistic yellow colour sort of makes it stand out.  Real redcoats did have some yellow trim and piping here and there, depending on the regiment, but whille a yellow baldric is stretching it, I just seemed to like it.  I also gave him white gloves and shoulder epaulets to denote his higher rank as leader of the redcoats.  On top of all that I was able to sandwich in a black cape between the overlapping shoulder straps and his wig/neck area.  So yeah, it's a lot!  Perhaps I went overboard, but I was having fun playing dressup with my doll, um, er, I mean, my ACTION FIGURE!  lol
« Last Edit: September 22, 2011, 16:37:07 by BlackPearl2006 »
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Offline WarriorOfToys

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2011, 16:37:17 »
"Hi mom!"  (one of the soldiers being a goofball, lol)
...

30 lashes! :evilplan:

Very nice troops of Redcoats! :wow:
I agree with Wolf Knight though,
I think you should try the white Hussar belt on your English officer. :)9
Still, the soldiers are great, they look very period.
(Those torsos always looked to be for 1700s redcoats instead of Napoleonic soldiers. :) )
And your Lieutenant/Sergeant Is very cool!

Your French look all very French. ;)
And your English Navel officers look English to me. (Maybe it was the movie Wolf Knight.)

Excellent Lord Beckett by the way! :wow:
Steck is BACK! <:>

Offline tonguello

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2011, 17:38:10 »
I love them all!

I want an army like that! Next year will be the Armies year in my playmoworld.  :love:
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2011, 17:51:00 »
...but I was having fun playing dressup with my doll, um, er, I mean, my ACTION FIGURE!  lol

 :lol: :lol: :lol:

well, all and all, i think they do look great. I dont dare put so much on my klickies so its good to see someone who dares take that step.  ;)

Offline BlackPearl2006

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Re: 18th Century British and French (light customs)
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2011, 20:29:28 »
Thanks for the comments :)

I updated Lord Beckett's staff with an amber jewel adorning the end of it:


much better now  :)
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