New Project for the New Year

In my earlier post on project planning I mentioned the possiblity of the French Revolutionary army as a possible project. Since then I have looked into this in more depth and made the decision to make up a sample unit.

I had decided that the army at the time of the War of the Second Coalition was where I wanted to be so that sensible opponents could be the Russians, Austrians, British or Ottomans, fighting in Italy, Switzerland, along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, or in Egypt and Syria. The thought of fighting battles in Swiss terrain is mouthwatering...those alpine meadows and pretty chalets...

The decision on figures was simple. The only complete range is by Eureka, but I had never seen any Eureka figures in the flesh. So I placed a small order for a single battalion. Eureka were great to deal with. First they sell by the single figure, a concept long gone amongst most mainstream suppliers, but something I like. The order was despatched the next day, but still took the better part of two weeks to come through the Australian and New Zealand postal services.

I like the figures. They are clean castings and the variety presented meant that pretty much that every figure in the unit is different.  I chose to make a unit in ragged dress that seems more typical of the time. The result was a unit with torn and patched clothing and a variety of footwear from boots to clogs, shoes bandaged feet and bare feet. I chose to do this unit a little bit differently to those I have done recently. Once again I have used the three stand structure for the battalion, with six figures to the stand, although the stand in this first battalion of the 43e Demi Brigade de Ligne the inclusion of a mounted colonel on the command base reduces the foot figures on that stand to four. Of the two rank and file stands one has two grenadier figures, on the right of the line of course, and a foot officer inthe  front rank.

I am pleased with the results and the project will proceed further. I am not sure how large the armies will get. The plan is around 12 units of foot a side, but I have no doubt that some scope creep will occur.

Left Overs

It has been exceptionally busy at work this week with overseas visitors taking up a fair chunk of my evenings. Production has suffered as a result.

This week's output has been limited to a single battalion of French line infantry made up from left over figures from the French 1812-13 project.

The only thing that differentiates this battalion from the others that I have is that completed is that I have done head swaps on all but two of the 24 figures, utilising some of the many heads in pokalem or bonnet de police that were left over. The result is a rather motley bunch made more so by giving them a mix of trouser colours.

Meanwhile on the painting table is a test unit for a new project that should be ready for presentation on Monday or Tuesday

Carlist War Expansion Concludes

With these two units the Carlist War expansion is completed.

The first unit is a Valencian outfit.

The second is a Castillian unit, the 4th battalion, the Grabaderos del Ejército. Below the battalion officer is unimpressed as the new recruits enter the local uniform store...

...but watches them with pride as they march out so smartly outfitted...

...and onto the drillground.

Then in a brief parade, the whole expansion - the cavalry followed by the infantry - march in review under the admiring eyes of Don Carlos, Cabrera and Zumalacarregui, while the artillery fires a final salute.

The parade finished these new units have been marched to their new barracks where they will await thier first action.

More Carlist Infantry

This week sees the completion of two more Carlist infantry units.

A Navarre unit...

...and a Guipuzcoan unit in summer dress (in white trousers).

There are only two Carlist units to go in this expansion project.

Project Planning

As we bask in the heat of our summer evenings and with an abundance of BBQs, beer and wine thoughts are turning to projects for 2019.

 

Still on the plan are existing projects like the fortress guns, the Carlist War expansion, phase two of the Spanish Napoleonics and the remaining 18 figures of the Crimean heavy brigade. Those projects (supply permitting) should be completed by the middle of March.

 

I do have firm plans for the addition of some early British for the Peninsular, something to augment the British in Egypt with stovepipe, maybe half a dozen units with the possibility of two of those superb Perry flatboats for coastal operations.

 

But beyond that I am at a bit of a loss for figure painting projects. What I am determined to do is that wherever possible I want ranges to overlap with existing ranges.

 

I have been seriously attracted to three or four POSSIBLE projects:

 

First is the French Revolutionary campaigns – I have been inspired here after following games on Colin Ashton’s “Carryings on up the Dale” blog. This would add forces for France, Austria and Russia, but would overlap with the British in Egypt that could be used in Holland with the Russians against the French. The French could also be used in the early phases of the Egyptian campaign, against the Turks, before the Kléber uniform was introduced. The Russians may also be able to be used against the Turks, although the Turks would need to have a few more Jannisaries and artillery added.

 

Second is the campaigns in Scandinavia during the Napoleonic era that would involve the Swedes, Danes, Norwegians and Russians. Overlaps here could be Danes vs British; the Russians would have to be a new force since the uniforms in 1807-8 were significantly different to 1812-13, but they could be used against the Turks.

 

Another area of interest is the Seven Years War (again I have taken some inspiration from Colin). My interest here would be on the eastern campaigns Prussia vs Russia and Austria rather than the conflict in the west involving Britain and France. The only logical overlap here would be the Russians against the Turks again.

 

The Great Northern War also interests me. While there is some overlap with Prussian, Saxon and Danish units fighting in both the GNW and WSS that linkage is rather tenuous.

 

One project I really do want to settle on this year is sorting out a gaming area at home. At present all my games are played away from home, but the plan is to be able to set up in the garage. This will have a three phase approach.

 

First will be a table and it will be in the form of a fold up table tennis table.

Second will be to rework the storage facilities in the garage by building some purpose built cupboards that will allow for a figure expansion!

Third will be terrain boards that will store within the reworked storage facilities

 

The first phase is simple and will probably happen in February, but the second and third phases require the removal of a number of items from their existing location and then the storage being constructed. The storage may not happen until June and then the terrain boards can be constructed.

 

It is all food for thought on these sunny evenings.

Napoleonic Fortress Guns, part two

Over the weekend I finished the first of the Spanish fortress guns.

The figures are from Brigade Games and for this set, intended to be ready to fire, three of the gunners are bracing for the gun's blast while the officer watches calmly.

Ready for the next couple of guns are another eight gunners.

Finally there is one more Spanish figure, again from Brigade Games - the general on foot, twisting his mousatche. I'm not quite sure how I am going to use him yet, but I'm sure I will find a way.

First Units for the Year

Although I have billed this as the first unit of the year, I actually painted this Carlist cavalry unit on the last two days before we went away.

It is the last cavalry unit that I am doing for the First Carlist War expansion - unit number six for the Carlists.

This time it is a Castillian unit. Almost as soon as I completed the first three figures I regretted making it a Castillian unit. The uniform seems a little dull. White belts would have lifted the unit, but the guide book shows them with black belts and that is what I have given them.

Actually completed in the New Year, although started in late-December, are the last two sets of the six Victrix British artillery for use in the War of 1812 and the Peninsula.