Having 10 Russian infantry battalions and 6 Austrian ones, wanted to supplement my French with a couple of boxes of Perry French. Although, I have about 12 battalions of French infantry already, wanted to try out the 1807-14 set. Also, even though I have several units of the 1812-15 set, hadn't painted one up as Line infantry, and also wanted to do up the unit without greatcoats. Of course, I have to add a few Russian and Austrian cavalry too.
Besides these having the earlier coat with long tails and open lapels, they carry their muskets in a higher position than the 1812-15 guys. I think the latter are in "attack march"? There are a few more figures left on sprues since I use only 24 for infantry battalions.
I had a couple of leftover figures from earlier boxes - but still needed one more figure without a greatcoat, so the guy behind the officer is from the 1807-14 set. Again, a few leftover figures - all in greatcoats.
Comparison between the 1807-14 and 1812-15 sets; the guys in lighter gray are from the 1812-15 set. The 1807-14 guys look slightly taller than the earlier produced 1812-15 set. That said, they still mix in well together.
Command figures from both sets. The six figures on the left are from the 1807-14 set, which include eagle guards and a sapper. I added carabinier helmeted heads to the eagle guards.
Skirmishers from the two sets. I managed to swap some of the arms from the 1807-14 set onto the 1812-15 set. Plan to base these on washers and use them in skirmish games (like One Hour Skirmish Wargames).
For record, the 1812-15 set is much simpler to put together, basically just backpacks need to be glued on. Skirmishers and command figures have a few more separate parts. The 1807-14 set have separate arms and backpacks (which include the coattails of the coat). Some would consider this a drawback, but if you stick with just the marching poses, like I did besides the skirmishers, they go together fairly quickly. They do have separate heads wearing shakos with enough uncovered for the entire unit. There are bearskins for grenadiers, which I chose not to use, and shakos with tall plumes and cords for elites, which I did use both the grenadiers and non-skirmishing voltigeurs. One other thing, the flags which come with the 1807-14 set are a bit undersized. They include some for a few foreign regiments (all in the earlier lozenge pattern). You could scan them and resize them, I suppose. Well, so much for now with my return to Napoleonics.
Great stuff Dean, I am going to enjoy watching you knock out twelve battalions of perry French in.....oh.....say a week?! 😂
ReplyDeleteLol! Actually, it's been awhile since I painted Napoleonics, so it'll be a sort of a relearning process. Looking forward to it though. Kindest regards, Dean
DeleteI shall look forward to seeing your Nappie shenanigans progress, Dean!
ReplyDeleteLol! Thanks, Ray! Kindest regards, Dean
DeleteWooooow! Looking great!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words again, Michal. Best regards, Dean
DeleteFor overcoats, speed paint and such by others are a great tool.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joe. Tes, I have several units in greatcoats already. They are indeed faster and easier to paint. Warmest regards, Dean
DeleteGreat project to tackle. My copy of Lawford is as dog eared as yours! Sobering to think I have had my copy for more than 45 years.
ReplyDeleteJonathan, I didn't want to mention it in the post, but appropriated" the Lawford book when I attended an NCO course years ago, the Sergeants Major course as a matter of fact 😀 it was sitting unloved and collecting dust on a shelf. Warmest regards, Dean
DeleteIn 1811 Major Bardin developed a reform of the uniforms of the French army. It concerns all troops, infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineers, train administration and medical corps. The main modification is the replacement of the French coat and the jacket with a unique clothe called the "habit-veste", the skirts of which are also shortened.
ReplyDeleteThis reform adopted in 1812 would only be implemented after the retreat from Russia. For the opening of the
campaign of Saxe in 1813, the new army raised by Napoleon was entirely equipped with this new uniform. Only the French armies fighting in the Iberian Peninsula still retain their old uniform. Only the rare reinforcements sent to Spain wear the Bardin uniform.
During the Battle of Leipzig the French were dressed in new clothes with the Bardin uniform. On the other hand, French flags are always the 1812 model with its three vertical bands and not the 1804 model or the 1815 model.
Thanks for the info. I have several units with 1804 pattern flags which I've used for Peninsula games. I plan to use tricolor for these units.
DeleteThat will represent quite an expansion to your Napoleonic collection. Of course, I am still adding new units after 50+ years and 8,000+ figures! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Peter. Yes, it's a period I cannot stay away from, and return to it from time to time. Warm regards, Dean
DeleteLooking forward to seeing your excellent brush work on those figures Dean.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot, Richard. Working on a few of my older stuff now to properly flesh them out, then onto these two. Kindest regards, Dean
DeleteWell this sounds entertaining, I picked up Let's fight Leipzig (wargaming scenarios from Leipzig) at my last Partizan, quite interesting and also got the spring 1813 campaign book from Helion, think I'll need lots more Imperial Guard and of course Prussians! It is a lovely plastic kit, most of mine were assembled in a car waiting for site to open!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks for the kind thoughts, Iain. The odd thing is I have no Prussians, and Leipzig is if course where it is. That said I really don't feel like painting any of them up right now. Warm regards, Dean
DeleteNice work Dean painting Napoleonics is pretty addictive
ReplyDelete