Captain Miles Keogh

Another brush bristle carbine gets issued to this trooper. Although irregular miniatures 20mm infantry seems to fit with Newline Design, their cavalry troopers seem a bit small. It's a shame because the actual horses are a good match. These guys will end up on the mule train bases.

Sculpting with gel super glue. 

Two companies down, I now come to Company I, led by Captain Keogh. Keogh is another big name in the battle for he was in charge of three of Custer's five companies. 

I had always thought of him in a blue fireman's shirt, like Custer. However, after googling illustrations of him, a number show him in a buckskin. This should make him stand out and a major character like Miles Keogh needs to stand out.

Rather than break out the time consuming green stuff, I thought I would try the gel super glue. It's a lot more crude but it does have it's place. My thinking is I just need a small ridge to paint on a fringe. 

Well, the results were a lot better than I thought, this was done by teasing the drying glue with a pointed file. The glue could be stretched and shaped slightly, more than enough in 20mm to look like a fringed coat.

To mix things up on this new Company, I tried twisting off a couple of heads. These were glued back on looking in different angles.

I also tried using a bit of card to act as a neckachef. This could be placed sticking out away from the body, something you couldn't do with just super glue. The card also absorbed the glue and became rock solid and tough.

This ACW officer gets turned into a stand bearer with a fluttery scarf.

Newline Design, Irregular Miniatures 20mm, the last one is from irregular's ACW collection so maybe that is smaller. The plains war Indians were quite a good match with those from Newline.

 Captain Keogh shows off his new snazzy buckskin.

Keogh's companies get worn down and overrun. Surviving troopers scramble on foot to reach Custer and his two remaining companies. Only a few made it to Custer, the grave stones on the battlefield show the route, each one being placed where the bodies were found.

This last image is the one that I'm going to go with. I think the figure I've chosen is a good match for this guy. I can also use the other irregular miniatures officer in his buckskin for the dismounted version.

Well, here he is, a quick head swop and gun replacement and he's good to go.

UPDATE: A real breakthrough, to help the effect of the tassels, I went back when the glue was dry and scored them with a scalpel. I had planned to paint on the detail but this technique is much more effective.

The glue actually looks like tassels now and it's definitely a trick I will use again on these 20mm figures. I love it when a plan comes together!