Basing Begins

As the title indicates, I have begun to clean up and put to base some 18mm Napoleonics.  So far this includes four guns, some hussars, and half a dozen command bases representing corps and divisional command.  I enjoy command bases, as I like the opportunity to combine and place the miniatures to create a mini-diorama.  Photos to follow.

Back to Basics

Almost two full years have passed since the last post on here.  Real life, as it does, intervened and it's incredible how time slips by.  But hopefully I'm now in a bit more of a stable place so I can finally get back to doing what I enjoy and paint some miniatures.  Hurrah!  So the mountain of 18mm Napoleonics I have waiting will finally get some attention.  Over the next few weeks I hope to post some photographs of my re-energised endeavours.

10mm AWI Project - Hessians (Pendraken)

A quick update showing the Hessian Musketeer Regiments Von Donop and Mirbach prior to getting based. The second photo shows more of the British force as a whole, with the Light and Grenadier battalions behind, as well as a battalion of Royal Marines. On the flank half of the British regular brigade can be seen, as well as the Light Dragoons that are waiting their turn to be painted.

10mm AWI Update (Pendraken Miniatures) - Mounted Command

Finally for today, a little update on my 10mm AWI project. This has been on the back-burner for the same reasons as everything else, and naturally competes with the 1809 project for precedence. However Clibinarium's excellent sculpts are not to be denied, so I broke out the paintbrush and finished off a grenadier and LI battalion for the British, and added some errant stands to the Hessian Regiment von Donop, the New Hampshire Line and the growing number of Militia battalions. However I thought I'd share the mounted command figures with you for the moment, fresh from the workbench (although lacking a few finishing touches).

1809 Project Update (AB Miniatures)

Real life intervened on this one I'm afraid, but I've finally got back to painting my waiting ranks of gorgeous 18mm AB, so here's a quick progress update. First of all, here is my regiment of Chasseurs. I'm rattling through the horses at the moment. Normally I hate painting horses, but for these sculpts, anything!

Another view of the same next, although you might notice I have a couple of individually based troopers to complete!

I haven't neglected the infantry side of things, with the 1er/6e Legere (or possibly 10e) making an appearance...

And the first of many, MANY Austrians. Here the first of three battalions of a IR No.46 Chasteler.

That's all for not, I hope to complete the French cavalry brigades, and Legere regiment, as well as the three Austrian battalions, an Austrian 6pdr FAB and a regiment of Kurassiers! And then base them. All in due course...

AB Miniatures; An 1809 Napoleonic Project

So it's been a while since my last post, but I must say that the weeks just seem to fly by these days. Perhaps it's my age? Anyway, since last I posted I have added some off the lovely Timecast buildings to my terrain collection. They were a pleasant change from churning out hundreds of 6mm figures, and now nicely augment my conflict-torn Saxon battlefields.

I have since decided to thin out some of my 6mm collection and begin work on (another) new project. Namely, a 15mm scale 1809 project using the AB Miniatures range. I love these 'large' 15mm sculpts and they have been a joy to work on.

Above, the first few of the 2nd Cuirassier Regiment. The horses have yet to be finished and there are certain extra details to be added, but apart from the basing they're basically there.

Next up are some of the 6th Chasseurs a Cheval - or they could be the 4th off the top of my head. A few fiddly horse details still to do. Socks, blazes, stripes, muzzles etc.

A couple of casualty markers. They don't show up so well against the patches of black they're lying on I'm afraid, but a nice bit of grass should lift them out of that! I don't know whether or not I found painting eyes onto the fallen steeds a bit unsettling once completed though.

Finally, the first of many infantry figures in the form of some skirmishing members of a Line Regiment's Voltigeur companies. The cockades to be done. I popped a rank stripe on one chap just for a bit of difference.

6mm Napoleonic - An 1813 AAR with Empire V.

Finally managed to get the troops into action last week. I assumed the role of General Reynier for this one, and my father gamely assumed the guise of the General der Kavallerie Erbprinz von Hessen-Homburg (below). 

Below is a quick update on the progress of Udom I's Russian 2nd Guard Infantry Division, the balance of which was present but never went into action. Foreground are the two battalions of the Lieb Garde Regiment. Also completed in time to participate was the 1/Semenovski Regiment. (As I have enough for 6 more battalions, I have elected to do the Preobrejanski and Semenovski Regiments from the 1st Guard Division and merge the two brigade under Udom I for now.

Below is a shot taken at what might have been the height of the fighting, the 3rd and 4th hours, as the Coalition attacks reached their high-water marks and the Franco-Allied divisions countered hard to decisively drive them back. In the bottom right hand corner can be seen the Prussian Dragoons, routed attacking a square in the 1st hour, and a Regiment of Austrian Cuirassiers, broken by flanking artillery fire. Nearby, the Russian reserves stand in columns. At the very top of the picture can be seen all three battalions of the 6th Ligne, and 1 battalion of the 14th Polish Line. The Austrians are pressing hard at the hill on the left, and the Prussians and Saxons are locked in combat over the heights in the centre.

The Saxons reorganise whilst skirmishers keep the Prussians occupied on the far side of the crest.

The Polish infantry retires behind skirmishers to the new defensive line, as massed Hungarian battalions loom out of the smoke!

Gerard moves his one battery (of 12pdrs) into the centre.

Where it proceeds to mow down the attacking Austrians time and time again, before running out of ammunition and being withdrawn from the line of battle to replenish.

Nevertheless, the Austrians manage to overrun the positions of the 1/12th Line Regiment. This Austrian battalion would occupy that ground for almost an hour before being swept away by the Saxon Garde du Corps before it could form square.

 Lessing's brigade moves up past General Reynier in preparation to counter-attack in support of Gerard's hard-pressed division. The Zastrow Cuirassiers didn't get into action before the battle ended.

The two regiments double-out, although they had to attack one behind the other due to a lack of available ground to employ the brigade in line abreast.

At the same time, Gerard leads three Polish battalions forward in a fierce attack that shatters the Hungarian Regiment, and in combination with the attack of the heavy cavalry, seals the fate of Liechtenstein's Division of Austrians.

The Prussian attack never fully develops, being checked at the crest of the central heights, and stymied by fierce resistance in the copse to the left. Both sides inflict heavy losses on each other nevertheless. 

With the Prussian momentum stalled, and the threat of the marauding Allied cavalry to the flank removed by the retreat of the Austrian Cuirassiers and Russian Hussars, the Saxons go forwards all along the line. the Fus and 2/7th Reserve Regiment break, as does the 2/1st West Prussian, despite the very low chance of the 1/Anton prevailing against them.

Indeed, the 1/Anton goes 'battle mad' and breaks through the Prussian line, but it's line of attack carries it past the battery (un)fortunately. The 2/Anton is not so lucky, and is routed by the 1/1st West Prussian.

The battlefield at the close of play in the evening. Broken battalions can be seen lined up on the far and near table edges. The Austrians on the left had just been issued break-off orders, but failed their ME Determination test and fled en masse, abandoning their guns.

Despite the repulse of all the infantry attacks, the Allied Light Cavalry puts up a good showing (the Russians that is). The Prussian Dragoons rally to follow in their wake late in the day, as the Russian Grodno Hussars break the Saxon Hussars and Polish Chasseurs. Pictured: having just carried away a Saxon FAB, the Hussars get 13" of breakthrough movement, which Hessen-Homburg took in full (with a shrugged "why not"). The massed battalion squares of the 24th Division repelled the Russian horsemen, ending their wildly successful charge, but inflicting no losses.

The Prussians fall back on their remaining formed regiment, the 6th Silesian Landwehr, as a general withdrawal is ordered. The isolated 1/Anton and 1/1 West Prussian are conspicuous on the right hand side.

The aftermath of the carnage around the French right flank, after the successful attack of the Saxon Heavy Cavalry Brigade. Gerard's command comprised 4,300 French and 2,000 Polish infantry, and one 12pdr FAB. It suffered 1,200 French and 480 Polish losses, against 1,740 Austrian (from 7,000 men).

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable game, and not at all a foregone conclusion at any stage, as indicated by the heavy losses to both commands. Allied losses were only higher due to the last, determined attempt by the Austrians to carry the Franco-Polish positions.

French = 20,000 deployed, 14,500 engaged.
2,940 losses, with 1 gun. A further 6 guns carried off by the Russian Hussars.

Allied = 22,500 deployed, 17,500 engaged.
3,360 losses, with 1 gun. A further 12 guns captured when the Austrian Line Division fled and the gunners abandoned the two Brigade Batteries.