La Haye Sainte - Set Up And Staged Shots

I went ahead and set up the La Haye Sainte table - just to see how things would look and fit. As I don't expect any in-person gaming anytime soon, figured this is one way I can let folks see what we could be doing once things get better again. Without further ado, here's some pictures I took with appropriate captions below each of them.

View from the east of looking at the Main Gate of the Farmhouse and the Brussels Highroad. In the bottom right corner of the picture is the Sandpit with a unit 95th Rifles.

French Engineers attempting to break down the barricades at the Main Gate. French Legere supporting them in their endeavor. Major Barring directing his KGL Light troops from the gateway. Light Company men of the 5th KGL Line have arrived to support their Light brethren.

North of the Farmhouse KGL Hussars speed down the roadway to assist; 79th Highlanders also advancing in support. 95th Rifles occupying the Sandpit, with an RA battery covering.

View from the south, with the Orchard and Barn in the foreground. The pond is just in view in the lower center of the photo. The Nassau troops had large cooking pots with them and these were used to help put out the fire in the Farmhouse.

A bit blurry, in the center, within the Orchard KGL Lights are exchanging musketry with French Voltigeurs. Another French battalion is approaching. In the actual battle, the Orchard was lost to the French early on.

Scene west of the Farmhouse. Another French battalion is advancing towards the rear door of the Barn. The night before, during a heavy rainstorm, the KGL troops occupying the farm had torn down the Barn doors and used them for firewood to keep warm. A makeshift barricade was made and this area was heavily contested throughout the battle. French Horse Artillery supporting an attack by a French Heavy Cavalry Brigade.

I'm not sure if the Red Lancers were part of this particular part of the battle, they are here for this game - as well as more French Horse Artillery, this one being a Guard unit.

5th KGL Line Battalion in square to meet the charge of French Cuirassiers. The 8th KGL Line wasn't so lucky and were cut down. Scots Greys charging the the flank of the Cuirassiers.

French Carabiniers being fired upon by RHA and Nassau troops.

Looking northeast of the battle with the Kitchen Garden being defended by Nassauers. Scots Greys rushing to save the KGL Line troops. Hanoverian Verden Field Battalion, in line in the distance.

View from the north - this is approximately the side of the battlefield where Wellington and his troops were staged.

Well so much for now. Hope you enjoyed the images and maybe someday it'll be actually wargamed. Until next time best of health to you all!

King's German Legion Line Infantry - Warlord Games Waterloo British Line Infantry

These will be used in the La Haye Sainte game - soon to be appearing in a safe environment  near you.

The 5th and 8th Battalions of the Legion were ordered to support their Light troops comrades holed up in La Haye Sainte. They were attacked by French cavalry enroute and the 8th Battalion was virtually annihilated. The 5th Battalion managed to form square and were saved by units of the Household Brigade. Sadly, their commander, Colonel Umpteda was killed in the engagement.

Although this set comes with a KGL flag, I had a Victrix one and used it instead. It's a little bigger than the Warlord one, but the details look nicer, IMO.

These are really nice figures for what they are - that is rank and file in marching poses. One thing to remember when painting these is not to paint them up as you may Victrix or Perry figures. That is, they aren't molded with separate arms, so when painting them you will want to leave areas like the areas between their arm and body/musket black. This way the arm won't look so wide or over sized. Leaving black lining around other areas, like their hands will also help in the overall look.

Thanks for stopping by and wishing you all good health and happiest hobby endeavors during these trying times.

Warlord Games Waterloo British Line Infantry - WIP

Started on these the other day; almost finished. Just some highlighting and a few other things left to do. Wanted to paint these up as a unit of KGL Line for the La Haye Sainte game.

As with the French Infantry set, these are really quick to build - just heads and backpacks. I'm not using the Minwax stain method as they seem to paint up nicely with a black undercoat.

Speaking of the La Haye Sainte project - seems I may be diving into this sooner than later. I was holding off on this game until wrapping up the Franco-Prussian War Bolt Action game I was to host next month at our big annual convention, Enfilade. However, with the current "hang fire" order in our area (as elsewhere), the convention was cancelled. Now I can concentrate on Black Powder and not confuse myself with Bolt Action rules. Until next time, wishing you all the best of health and safety!

Swiss 4th Infantry Regiment - Warlord Games French Infantry

These are the figures that came with the Vistula Legion set. They are the same sprues as their normal French set, including the shako/bearskin heads. Really nice figures with minimal parts - body, head and backpack.

The Vistula set doesn't come with a flag or standard bearer, so I used a spare Victrix one with the number 4 repainted on the flag.

Plan to add some Brigade Games Voltiguers as they have full gaiters which will match the rest of the unit.

I really like this set from Warlord Games. Very nice details and in full-dress, which I like the look of for Napoleonics. Although, the ones from Victrix and now Perry in campaign dress (trousers) look cool too.

A comparison shot; left to right: Perry, Warlord Games, Victrix. Close enough for the battlefield.

Now that these are done, I can give my back, neck and left arm some rest. In fact, I think painting is what's causing a lot of my neck and back/arm pain. In any case, wishing you all the very best and hope you all are healthy and safe!

Vistula Legion - Perry French With A Few Warlord Games Headswaps

Managed to power through and get these guys done. My left arm is hurting, but a few rum and cokes and ibuprofen should ease the pain.

The head swaps worked out nicely. I think the Vistula Legion, as well as other Polish troops, should be in the closed lapel jackets rather than the older style open lapel and long tailed type.

I found the flag on the internet, but not from an actual miniatures flag site so the detail is kind of grainy. Still good enough for the gaming table.

The flag pole is painted with red, white and blue spirals - as in the Uniforms of the Retreat from Moscow book I used as a reference.

Well, I'm glad I finished them up as I'll likely have to take a break before working on the Warlord guys as Swiss 4th Regiment. So much for now. Wishing you all the very best during the universal Clamp Down.

Perry French Infantry (Vistula Legion) - WIP+1

Managed to get most of the work on the Perry guys painted up as Vistula Legion. Just a few more things to paint, but I had to take a break due to my left shoulder blade and lower back giving me trouble.

The Warlord Games Vistula heads seem to fit the Perry figures quite nicely. Anyway, hope to get them done in a couple of days - after resting my back and shoulder. In fact, painting increases the pain, particularly in my left arm and shoulder blade area. Well, enough of my sniveling. Wishing you all the very best during these trying times!

Perry and Warlord Games Napoleonic French Infantry - WIP

Just a quick post of my new project; picked up a box each of Perry (not the new one) and Warlord Games French infantry. Actually, the Warlord set is their Vistula Legion set and I swapped their heads with the Perry figures. As the Warlord set comes with regular French heads (shakos and bearskins), I am using them as the 4th Swiss.

I used the czapka heads for Voltigeurs - although they may have worn regular shakos in actuality. I didn't want them lost in the rank and file on the Grenadiers. The Warlord set also comes with a few shakos with the Vistula sunburst crest. I must say, I quite like the Warlord set - the ammo pouches have grenades and hunting horns, and "N's" sculpted onto them for Grenadiers, Voltigeurs and Fusiliers, respectively. They size quite well with Perry; and Victrix for that matter.

So much for now. Stay safe and healthy everyone. Until the next post, happy painting and solo-gaming - or games that don't require players to be closer than 6 feet from each other.

Victrix KGL and Bremen Light Infantry Skirmishers

These are skirmishers for the La Haye Sainte project. Probably the last skirmishers for the Anglo-allied side. Along with the earlier completed Warlord KGL Lights, and Perry 95th Rifles, these will be more than enough skirmish troops.

The Bremen guys in blue trouser and black leather equipment have metal Light Infantry heads. The heads seem a bit smaller in proportion to the bodies. If I were to build more Lights with stovepipe shakos, I'll probably use the plastic ones and modify them by scalpeling off the brass plates and painting on the hunting horn emblem.

I have to say, British elite wings are harder to paint than French epaulettes - the latter only needed drybrushing.

British cuffs with their lacing and buttons are about equally hard to paint as French cuffs - particularly the squared ones with piping around the cuff flaps.

Black straps on black backpacks also present a bit of a challenge. I found it easiest to just give the areas a light drybrush of highlighting.

Well, so much for now. I actually painted these today while "teleworking" from home - 10 hour shift. I have to go in to the office tomorrow though. We normally have about 70 folks in building, but it appears besides me, only about five other folks are supposed to be in. This all due to the clear and present danger we're all living through. In fact, our State Governor issued the "Code Red" yesterday; ordering folks to "stay home" except those who have certain jobs requiring them to go to work. I don't think I need to, but our agency Director said the program I work in, payees for disabled veterans, needed to go in every other day. I mean I can do my job from home and we closed the office to the public. Wishing you all good health and happy hobby endeavors.

Perry French Horse Artillery - Based

Just a quick update with the French Horse Artillery based with guns completed.

I'll have to read up on the rules for the howitzer - never used them in Black Powder before.

For the La Haye Sainte scenario, I plan to have them come on board after turn 3. In the actual battle, they didn't fire into the farm house. A battery was brought up after the farm was taken, but the 95th Rifles in the sandpit took out the crew.

Well, these was the last of my most-recent Perry order. I may have to peruse their catalog for more stuff as it looks like I'll be staying close to home a lot until the current pestilence is over.

Thank you all very much for your continued interest in the blog posts, and wishing you all healthy and happy gaming and painting.

Perry French Horse Artillery - WIP

A pair of French Horse artillery crew - one each Guard and Line. Vallejo Prussian Blue was used for the basic uniform color, and highlighted with a mixture of the same color and white.

They were painted with the usual black undercoat process, but without the use of Minwax staining. Only their faces and hands were given a wash of a combination Vallejo ink/stain and Future/Pledge floor wax. EDIT: I see that I haven't painted cannon in a while and forgot that I usually paint the barrels separately from the carriage. I may try to pry the barrels off before painting them.

Thanks for stopping by and healthy gaming and painting to you all!

Perry Nassau Napoleonic Infantry

Just a few additions for the La Haye Sainte scenario. These guys came to the assistance of the KGL troops in the farm house.

If you overlook their minor uniform changes, like the grenadier wings instead of epaulettes, they could be used for Peninsular as French troops.

They're based in pairs as they'll be used as skirmishers.

For the Peninsular, you could say they're using captured British canteens.

Lovely uniform and the grenadiers' colpacks are just too cool. Thank you very much for your interest and stopping by. Good gaming and painting to you all! Stay healthy and virus-free!

Warlord Games Late Hanoverian Infantry - Completed

Here is a 24-man unit representing the Field Battalion Verden who were present at Waterloo.

Very nice figures; both the plastic rank and file and the metal command. They would blend in well with either Perry or Victrix, IMO.

Word of caution on the flags; when I was working them into a wavy shape the coloring started to crack and flake off. I thought I had sprayed the flags with Dullcote prior to, but may not have (or maybe I did and that's what did the flaking?). In any case, I managed to salvage them by painting the flaked off areas.

There are five marching poses of rank and file; so with varied head positioning, you can get some unique poses. Also, there is a head with a bandage over the right eye.

For backpacks, there are three variations - one with a small tin can on top, one with a mess pan strapped to the pack itself, and a plain pack.

Plan to work on some Perry metal Nassauers next. Thanks for dropping by and best wishes to you all in your hobby endeavors!