Festive Mobilising

Here is my promised update, the (nearly) finished Baden Brigade from Legrand's 1er Division of Massena's IV Corps d'Armée.  IR Nr 1 'Grossherzog' and IR Nr 2 'Erbgrossherzog', aided and abetted by the Lingg Jaeger Battalion and a Baden Foot Artillery Battery.  Casualty markers and accompanying officer as standard.  Oh and a couple of extra regiments of Cuirassiers.  Sadly I don't have my paints on me to do the edges of the bases at the moment, and I could have sworn that I had Baden infantry flags ready to go but it appears I can't find them or I am mistaken.  I beg your indulgence on these points.  I'm quite fond of the Baden contingent and they have the privilege of being the first infantry figures from my entire collection to ever be based.  I hope you enjoy them, and a Merry Christmas to you all.

 The Baden Brigade. 

Lingg Jaeger Battalion. 

Line Infantry.

 IR Nr 2 'Erbgrossherzog'.

IR Nr 1 'Grossherzog'. 

Foot Artillery. 

Yet more French heavies join the ranks.  Carabiniers to come.  

AB Napoleonics - Another Basing Spree

Mostly Austrians, but a few other odds and ends as well.  I noticed that none of the Austrian cavalry had had their horses painted, which was fairly demoralising.  For the purposes of basing them up I have at least put their base colours on. 

Rear L - R: 6pdr Position, 12pdr Position, Front L - R: 3pdr Brigade, 6pdr Brigade

Saxon Foot Artillery 

 One of the two supporting vignettes to the main Napoleon & Staff command base that is in the pipeline.  The only thing not completed here is the officer's mount. 

Various Austrian mounted officers and casualties.  

More Austrian casualties.  Alongside some French Chasseurs and Cuirassiers these are some of the first ABs I painted, for some reason they have ended up based on pennies.  

 Some Austrian commanders.  The horses in the middle have at least been started, the outer one haven't even got their base colours on.

Another Austrian commander.  Nothing doing on the horses!  Also photographed in such a way as to obscure much of the other base details. 

Austrian Chevaulegers finally get lifted out of their dull black bases after years of waiting.  The horses have also had a begrudging start made on them.

Another unit that has waited years to get based, this time the Erzherzog Ferdinand Hussars.

Finally a couple of units of Austrian Kurassiers.  Again, horses to be finished at some unknown future date.  Like most of the Austrians painted before this year they have been painted with proper shades of white as opposed to the current generation with their adjusted uniform shade. 

AB Napoleonics - From the Workbench

Some more French Line Infantry in greatcoats.  This time I elected to do all of them in brown shades, no grey this time.  I've now moved on to the Baden Brigade.

 You'd think plain coats would take less time than their full uniforms to paint - not so. 

To speed the process up I sacrificed the top layer of highlights, they still look fine. 

Just finished - Lingg Jaeger Battalion, alongside WIP casualty marker and mounted officer.  Four line battalions to come, IRs 1 & 3.

WIP skirmishers for 1st and 3rd Baden Infantry Regiments

1809 AB Napoleonic Austrians

Some casualty markers and six units of Austrian German infantry.  Moved on to three more units of French line infantry in greatcoats.  My speed painting techniques are working, these didn't take as long as previous units, and I'm now happy with the shade I'm using for the uniforms.  Not painting everything bright white makes it less of a slog too.  On a totally separate note, I've finally got a copy of Carnage & Glory II and I absolutely love it. 

 Casualty markers.

All together now, one each for Czatorisky and Reuss-Greitz at the front, two each from Chasteler and Bellegarde to the rear. 

18mm Napoleonics - WIPs

A few things that are on the desk at the moment.  In fact the Austrian infantry has been completed since these were taken, and I will be using the duller uniform shade for Austrian uniforms from now on, it looks much better than head to toe flat white. 

L to R - Czatorisky, Erzherzog Ludwig, Reuss-Greitz 

Mini-diorama of French troops cheering Napoleon's arrival/presence.  

Another mini-diorama of Guard Chasseurs a Pied acting as a guard detachment for Napoleon and staff.

Austrian Cavalry

Finished two Austrian Dragoon Regiments, Nr. 3 'Knesevich' and Nr. 6 'Riesch.'  For Aspern-Essling I should have done Nr. 1 and Nr. 6 brigaded together but I didn't fancy doing black facings.  I also painted a small group of Carneville Freikorps Hussars.  I realise that I've put too much on the bases again but I wanted to use some new MinNatur bits and pieces.  I apologise of the quality of the photos also, I really did bother to highlight the horses, not that it shows.  Next I'm going to do some Austrian casualty markers, before rotating back on to units.  I've got French heavy cavalry, Guard light cavalry, Saxon heavy cavalry, Baden, French and Austrian infantry as well as assorted gun batteries and command bases waiting to go.  If anyone has any preferences as to what they'd like me to paint next let me know!

'Riesch' Dragoons on the left, 'Knesevich' on the right. 

 Nr. 3 'Knesevich' Dragoons

Nr. 6 'Riesch' Dragoons 

Carneville Freikorps Hussars

Austrian Dragoons 2

Just a quick progress update.  I thought I'd include the other unit for contrast, showing how they start off with blocked in base colours next to how they end up.  The next time I post these will be when they're all finished and based. 

Austrian Dragoons

A little progress shot of Dragoon Regiment Nr. 6 'Riesch.'  I've used them as a way to experiment with doing Austrian uniforms a different shade, as all pristine white is a look I'm not so fond off, and even the white-greys etc that I have don't really provide enough contrast, particularly on the infantry.  Pleased with these, but I think the top highlight actually ended up almost being another layer not a highlight, thus nearly defeating the purpose of the exercise!

Working on the horses next, my least favourite thing.

Getting Back in the Swing… Again.

Yet another break, so to get myself back in the frame of mind I spent a little time speedily painting up some French Line Infantry in greatcoats.  Next up will be Austrian Dragoons. 

18mm Napoleonics - Command Vignettes

I ordered a mixture of French command packs and a few others in order to begin the creation of something I've wanted to do for a long time - Napoleon himself.  It'll take the form of a very large command base, normally anything larger than a division commander's base gets a slight diorama treatment, but this one will be an all singing all dancing diorama.  Unfortunately, the base I ordered for it hasn't arrived, so here are a few of the other personalities in the meantime; ending with a teaser for the main event. 

Lannes

Ney

Davout 

 Lasalle

Generic Corps Commander

 Austrian 'Battle Mad'/Breakthrough marker and a couple more casualty markers

 Dorsenne and some Guard Sappers

Baden casualty markers 

 French Cuirassier and Dragoon casualty markers

French infantry 'Battle Mad'/Breakthrough marker and casualty markers

l'Empereur!  Not all the places are quite finalised yet, and won't be until they're arranged on the base.  The pickets are slightly out of shot.  There will be a supporting vignette to the rear composed of Guard Chasseurs a Pied (as you can just about make out).  Then out of shot to one side, there will be another…

…and I'm fairly pleased with this arrangement, will hopefully be alright when it's done (in 2017)