Neuchatel Battalion - WIP

Pulled a marathon paint job today - about five hours non-stop. Started in the early afternoon, after I mowed the backyard, and just finished the basic blocking of some Perry French plastics as Neuchatel Battalion. They'll get a Minwax stain tomorrow.

The eye-catching uniform, as well as a good combat reputation, makes this unit a favorite of most Napoleonic gamers; myself included. The center voltigeur in the last row wearing a greatcoat is a spare Victrix figure from the Middle Guard kit. The rest are Perry plastics from a command sprue. The bearskin heads and plumed shakos of the voltigeurs are also Victrix spares.

I used a black undercoat as I wanted to use the black-lining technique which speeds up the process a bit. Once these guys are done, I'll finally get back to the cavalry sets which are already glued together - the British Light Dragoons and Chasseur a Cheval sets.

Victrix British Artillery Completed

Greetings all. Just finished up the Victrix British Artillery set. Still need to base the limbers, but the main pieces are done.

From left to right: 5.5 inch Howitzer, 6 Pounder and 9 Pounder.

Apparently, the 9 Pounder wasn't in use in the Peninsular. The crew for this gun is in the post 1812 uniform with "Belgic" shako.

The bases are 85x55mm, so the crew fit around the guns quite snugly. I wanted them to have minimal fooprints for gaming.

The French batteries are now also on 85x55mm bases.

I may get a French Horse Artillery battery later. The British already have a couple of RHA.

Still have the British Light Dragoons and French Chasseurs a Cheval to work on - but I may start on a set of Perry French foot first. Thank you very  much for visiting, and wishing you all the best!

Victrix French Foot Artillery Completed

Well, actually still need to get them based, but the painting is done.

These are from the 1804-1812 set with the earlier style uniforms. The center battery has a 12 pounder manned by Guardsmen. The other two are Line artillery with 8 pounders.

The battery on the left are in campaign dress and the other two in full dress - less full gaiters.

This is a great plastic kit which goes together quite easily. The guns have far less parts than the British set. Grab handles and chains are molded onto the main pieces, unlike the British set.

As mentioned in a previous post, the set comes with enough figures for 5 crewmen per gun, but I opted to use only 4 figures so the bases won't be too large.

The heads with covered shakos are from the Middle Guard set. They seemed a bit nicer than the ones in the artillery set.

With the various separate pieces, there are many options for poses.

I used Vallejo Game Color Goblin Green for the gun carriages - seemed to look okay after an ink wash.

Here's a comparison shot of the Victrix batteries along with a couple of Sash and Saber 12 pounders. The gun tube itself is almost exactly the same size as the Victrix 12 pounder, but the carriages and wheels are massive compared to the Victrix ones.

Next up are the British batteries. Thanks again for stopping by, and best wishes to you all.

Perry French Chasseurs a Cheval and British Light Dragoons - Work Bench Update

No painting, just a bit of snipping and gluing together of plastic parts of Perry French Chasseurs a Cheval and British Light Dragoons. A command sprue of each are also added to complete four units of 8-figures each.

These are quite exquisitely detailed and sculpted sets, and very easy to assemble.

One unit of chasseurs are in full dress, while the other one in more campaign dress. They'll be painted up in two different regimental colors.

Both units of British light dragoons are wearing the Tarleton helmets. However, one unit is in the earlier braided dolman and the other in the 1812 Polish style jacket. They will also be representing two different regiments.

Although there are now more than enough cavalry units for the games I intend to host, I still would like a lancer unit. I may get a box of the Warlord Games Polish Lancers, but the horses aren't as nice as these Perry ones. Well, thanks for stopping by and I do need to back to the Victrix artillery sets.

Victrix French and British Artillery - WIP

Got a box each of Victrix French and British Artillery from Hobby Bunker. The British box was missing a sprue and am awaiting it's arrival. Each kit comes with three cannon and 15 crewmen (or is supposed to). I plan to use only 4 crewmen staged around each gun. The British kit also comes with 3 limbers. These will be based separately from the cannon, and have the "extra" crewman next to it - maybe with some other stuff for a mini-diorama.

Starting with the French - these will be with two 8 pounders manned by line artillery and a 12 pounder manned by Guardsmen. I have to say the French was easier to build than the British set. Most of the details like drag chains and grab handles are molded onto the gun chassis for the French - whereas the British set are separate pieces.The British set being older than the French, Victrix appears to improves their kit design.

I'm painting the smaller details like piping and buttons first; then the main clothing areas will be painted leaving a bit of the undercoat showing for blacklining.

The "extra" French crewmen bodies have been converted to Imperial Guard Engineers using arms from the Victrix Middle Guard set and carabinier heads from the Perry heavy cavalry set. Not sure what they'll be used for, but I like their uniform.

So much for now. I have to report for jury duty tomorrow. First time in my life - hopefully I'll be kicked off the panel by the defense when they hear I was in the JAG Corps for 28 years and a firm believer in maxing out sentences --- not really, but I don't want to be stuck in court for a week. It would be harder than work for me. :)

Spanish Cuirassiers - Coraceros Españoles

Completed a unit of Spanish Cuirassiers - using Perry plastic French Cuirassiers.

Extract from a website about this unit:
"In January 1808, the French formed the 3rd Provisional Cuirassiers (3eme Régiment Provisoire de Grosse Cavalerie) in Perpignan for service in Spain. It entered Barcelona the following month and served in Catalonia until January 1810. At Mollet del Vallès on 21 January 1810 the 2nd squadron was completely defeated by the Spanish Numancia Dragoon regiment. The Spanish used the equipment taken from the casualties and the prisoners to form their own unit of cuirassiers. El Regimiento de Coraceros Españoles (The Spanish Cuirassier regiment) was formed on 24th May 1810 in Reus (near Tarragona) under the command of Coronel don Juan Malats from parts of the Húsares de Granada and the Cazadores de Olivenza.The regiment had 360 men divided into 2 squadrons each of 3 companies. One squadron was equipped with the cuirass, helmet and sword captured at Mollet del Vallès.The Coraceros Españoles took part in many different actions in Catalonia until the end of the war."

And again from the same website:
"The uniform was provided by the British. It consisted of a red coatee without lapels with green collar and cuffs, white piping and turnbacks and white metal buttons. White epaulettes were worn. White pantaloons and black high boots were worn but could be replaced by grey overalls with a red stipe when on campaign. They had a white cape."

These will be the heavy cavalry for the British until some Household Cavalry or Heavy Dragoons are acquired. Incidentally, I just ordered a box each of British Light Dragoons and French Chasseur a Cheval from Perry.

Here are some images of Spanish Cuirassiers. I wish the plastic set came with plumes.

So much for now. Thanks for stopping by best wishes to you all.

Napoleonic Cavalry Roll Call

So, with the additional figures completed, here are the 8-figure cavalry units on parade. There are 5 French units: two units of 9th Hussars; a unit each of dragoons, cuirassiers and carabiniers. Only two British 1st KGL Hussar units at the moment. A Spanish heavy cavalry unit will be added soon.

Except for the recently painted 7 figures, the rest of the figures were painted some years ago.

All of the figures are Perry plastics.

Some Spanish style buildings in the background. Except for the later-styled carabiniers, all of these cavalry units participated in the Peninsular War.

The image below includes the 7 newly painted figures - along with earlier painted ones.

I am looking forward to a game day in September to see how these cavalry units will perform using Black Powder. I plan to limit movement to 12 inches per move. Thank you again for stopping by and checking out the blog.

7 Horsemen - WIP - Horses Stained

Managed to slap some paint onto the horses; followed by a Minwax stain.

This is what they looked like prior to the staining.

After shot of Testors Dullcote, they'll get some touching up and highlighting.

After these are done, I have some Perry French Infantry and Cuirassiers to work on. I'm sort of back into Napoleonics at the moment.

7 Horsemen - Riders Completed

Still need to do the horses, but that shouldn't take too long as I will just block paint them followed by Minwax staining. So, here are one each French carabiner, dragoon officer and cuirassier. In the rear of them are the earlier completed French 9th Hussars and 1st KGL Hussars  officers and trumpeter.

Once mounted, the saddles will cover up most of the seat of the riders.

I was able to match the colors pretty closely to the existing figures in the units these will accompany. However, I couldn't get the pink facings for the dragoon right. I can't remember how I got the sort of magenta color on the earlier figures. Guess the officer used more expensive cloth or something.

Thanks again for stopping by; the next post should have all of these guys joined with their respective units.

7 Horsemen - WIP - Hussars Completed

Well, the riders anyway - still need to do the horses. But, nevertheless, here are the command figures for a unit each of French 9th Hussars and 1st KGL Hussars.

With these additional command figures, there will be two units each of these regiments - all with 8 figures.

I was glad to find that I had kept the pre-printed sabretaches which I used for the original box of French Hussars.

The sabretache images for all French regiments were kindly posted on a now dead link by TMP Aldo - this was back in 2010, so no idea if these exists in cyberspace anymore.

Thankfully, the British, including the KGL, used plain black leather sabretaches for the field. Next up will be one each: carabinier, cuirassier and dragoon.

Errata: I now see I forgot to paint the 9th Hussar officer's collar, and the dolman braiding on the KGL trumpeter.

7 Horsemen - WIP

Started work on 7 cavalry figures that will be used to round-up existing units to flesh them out to 8-figures each. These 7 consist of a trumpeter and officer each for the French 9th Hussars and 1st KGL Hussars; one each cuirassier and carabinier trooper; and finally a French dragoon officer.

With all the lacing on some of the figures (hussars), I decided to use the black undercoat technique where a bit of black is left between colors for a black lining effect. I learned of this method some years ago from NHMGS buddy Doug H (Dots of Paint blog). It's very effective and a bit counter intuitive from other painting methods - especially when I use the Minwax stain. For the stain method, I usually use a white undercoat and colors that are a shade or two lighter than what the result is expected to be. I also paint colors right up to each other with no gaps between colors.

Anyway, it's been a while since I've used this black undercoat method, but it is very suitable to Napoleonics - with all the lacing and piping.

Incidentally, the horses will be painted using the Minwax staining method.

It's ways out, but I've already volunteered to run a Black Powder game in September at the annual Fix Bayonet game day at historic Fort Steilacoom. It'll be a playtest of sorts for a larger Black Powder game I hope to host at next year's Enfilade! Thanks again for stopping by and best wishes on your hobby projects and gaming.

"Wellington's on the run! I caught him at Quatre Bras! He's retreating!"

"If Wellington is retreating, what are you doing here?!" Just a little Napoleonic teaser while I await more reinforcements from the Perry's.

As you may know, these are figures that I painted some years ago, but only gamed a few time in the past. I started out with Sharp Practice, but ended up with enough figures for Black Powder games. The Highlanders are Victrix and the French heavy cavalry are Perry's. In the background is a metal Perry RHA gun and crew - they took too long to get into the square.

The mat was a gift from Chris Hughes of Cigar Box Battle Mats. He played in two of my WotR Lion Rampant games a couple of months ago. Anyway, I'll be pulling the rest of the Napoleonics out of the cabinet to see how they fit on the gaming table in their newly "downsized" unit configuration. I hope to have enough manuever space for 6 players with about 5-6 units each on an 8X5' table.