Sunday 18 October 2009

The End, Old Chap.

My Napoleonics project is done.

Well actually not quite, as I'm still awaiting a unit of light infantry for the French, but seeing as the Brits were done and I had the camera gear out I couldn't resist taking shots of both armies.

So here they are.




Ive really enjoyed painting them and researching uniforms and orders of battle. I wont pretend they are 100% historically accurate, or even close, but its near enough for me! Thanks to all the guys at Angel Barracks
forums for their support and motivation.

The last of my Brits (for now)

Well the project is done (for now- an army can never be too big can it?).

This is the last of the individual photos of completed models, and in the next couple of days I will take a picture of the whole army together.

First off here's the artillery- cannons, howitzers and horse artillery. Think I went a little too blue on the woodwork colour, but I cant be bothered to go back and change it now, plus it looks OK at arms length.



Next are the command stands.

The Duke of Wellington, old Big Nose himself, with some ADC's.




And last of all Sir Thomas Picton and his umbrella

Saturday 10 October 2009

Showing off some of Firezone Studios work (and mine!)



Life Guards





Scots Greys





Here's the commission I sent out to Phil at Firezone Studios.

I had some spare slush funds in my Paypal account and at the time I was feeling snowed under with my Napoleonics project and had just painted my first batch of French cavalry and decided that I hated painting them. So I sent out all my British cavalry to Firezone, as I knew Phil from a couple of forums I hang out on and he seems a decent sort who paints in a style similar to mine.

So was it worth it? In a word yes.

Ironically after I sent them out I discovered that I did actually enjoy painting cavalry after all, but I just paint them a lot slower than my infantry, so having someone else do them for me at a very reasonable rate was worth it. Hes done a good, neat, basic job on them. Cant find any real criticism of them. One thing I may go back and do is add a highlight or two to them if I find the time, as hes pretty much base coloured them, and I like a nifty highlight or two on my 6mm, but its not a problem, I can definitely live with them as they are.

Phil's communication was excellent, lots of emails and works in progress shots sent to me. His price was pretty good too at 35p a cavalry figure, so all in all I am very pleased. He also got them all done and back to me within 2 weeks if I recall. I based them myself, but Phil will do that for you at a price.



Last of all, some of my own work. These are the 95th Rifles. and sorry Dave, if you are reading, I couldnt find one that looked just like Sean Bean!

Friday 2 October 2009

Some local lads










My local(ish) lads.

The 1st Battalion 28th North Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot.

Quite proud of how these turned out. Also I think Ive nailed using the lightbox- for any camera nerds, the solution is setting the exposire compensation to over expose by 2 stops.

Thursday 24 September 2009

First British Batallions finished















First up is the 32nd Cornwall Regiment of Foot, 1st Battalion and the 79th Cameron Highlanders, 1st Battalion, both of the 8th Brigade.


Im pleased with how these turned out, despite all the worry I had over the tartan on the Highlanders. Saying that its hard to notice the tartan, and I think the kilt effect is shown better by their bare legs and their sporrans than my attempt at showing a tartan in 6mm!

Now on to the 28th North Glos- my local regiment. They will be fun because unlike other foot regiments they retained their stovepipe shakos and the shakos had a unique back badge to symbolise their bravery in fighting back to back in Egypt.

Friday 11 September 2009

Napoleons Legacy Battle Report.

Here's a game report from yesterdays game of Napoleons Legacy. Pics aren't up to much, particularly seeing as only one side was painted! It was a fun battle anyway and showcased the game for me and my friend.

I took Austrians.

I fielded 2 regiments of Fusiliers, 1 of Grenadiers, 2 of Jagers, 2 squadrons of Uhlans and 2 of Dragoons. I also had 3 batteries of howitzers. One Good commander and 1 average subordinate were the HQ choices.

My friend took French. He had 2 regiments of line, 1 light and 1 Old Guard. He then had 1 squadron of Hussars, 2 of light dragoons, 2 of cuirassers and 4 batteries of canons.


This is how we deployed




















Austrians and French concentrated the majority of their line/fusiliers in the valley area along the road, pretty much in the centre of the board. Some sneaky Austrian Grenadiers reinforced the centre. The French found a sneaky hill top to set up 3 canons, and the remaining canon joined the Old Guard and light infantry on the right flank, hoping to rush to the small village and set up defences there. The cavalry were deployed on both flanks, apart from the Hussars who set up as a screen out front of the line infantry in the centre


The Austrians used their light infantry (jagers) and the majority of their cavalry opposite the French right flank to hope to contest the village and woods. The Austrians also put some uhlans on the left flank in order to fend off any flank attacks from the French dragoons. The Austrian howitzers were limbered up and deployed behind the hill that overlooked the road.

Turn 1

Both sides raced for the prize of the small village area, with the French making faster progress as their fighting columns proved quicker on the move than the Austrian light infantry.
The French line regiments were more cautious and decided to sit and wait to see what the Austrians would do. The Austrians keen to seize the initiative began a slow but steady march down through the valley and up the road hoping to find a good position to attack the main body of the French army. Unfortunately the Grenadiers mistook the Uhlans on their left flank for incoming French horses and panicked (I rolled a blunder on the command table!) forming square to receive a charge that was never to come!


















Turn 2


The French main body started their steady and determined march to meet with the Austrians



















The French cannons boomed shattering a squadron of Uhlans who in their panic fell back broken. Still the Austrians marched on, with the Grenadiers realising their earlier mistake and after slowly reforming they began to advance. The Jagers had managed to make it to the road in front of the village but found they had been beaten there by the Old Guard and the Light Infantry. They formed a firing line but it was futile as the well dug in French opened fire driving the hapless Jagers back in disarray and panic, leaving behind scores of dead. They also found the French had snuck a small battery of cannons onto the main road by the village and fell victim to some excellent French gunnery.



















Turn 3


Things took a turn for the bloody for the poor Austrians. A regiment of Line infantry was decimated as 3 French artillery batteries opened up over and over again, leaving bloody furrows amongst its ranks. Overcome at so many dead the regiment dissolved in chaos and fled (at this point we had misread the artillery rules and they were the equivalent of tac nukes!- we realised after this turn but carried on with the board as it was, it was just a test game after all).

The Austrians main thrust was looking weak as the second fusilier regiment was forced to fall back under French fire. Only the Grenadiers were stalwart and continued their advance.

The Austrian howitzers now in position opened fire and decimated a French line regiment (again we over powered them!) , but the valley area was looking increasingly like it would see a French victory.

The village was still convincingly held by the French and the Jagers could do little more than fall back and reconsider. To their right opposing cavalry skirmished about to little effect, feinting and counter charging in a fine display of horsemanship for very little real result. A squadron of French hussars seeing a break in the field threaded down the road to pounce on the demoralised Jagers.


















Turn 4 and 5



















The increasingly confident French line in the centre of the valley threw themselves forward sure they could smash the lone regiment of Grenadiers , and their confidence proved correct. Excited by their victory as the broken Grenadiers fled over the bodies of their comrades, the French continued their advance towards the final Fusilier regiment at the mouth of the valley.

Their confidence was their undoing.



















Suddenly the cliff tops and hillsides bordering the roads were thronged with Jagers and howitzers. Musket fire and case shot rained down onto the furthest forward regiment, causing utter carnage. As they fled, new targets came into sight and they too took a beating.

The Fusiliers sensing their moment surged forward with a roar and in a cloud of musket fire, charged into the disordered French smashing them apart. A unit of Jagers holding back in reserve behind the hillside joined them in their fight, and the central valley area was now well and truly Austrian.




















Turn 6


The Jagers on the cliff top were short lived in their jubilation. The screen of Dragoons that were protecting their rear from any attacks by the squadron of French Hussars who were lurking around the village area decided that they had better things to do, and before the Jagers knew it the Hussars were on them hacking and slashing. Caught between the frenzy of the Hussars blades and the edge of the cliff there was only one outcome likely. The Jagers were cut to ribbons, and those who tried to flee tumbled to their doom down the rocky slopes and drops.




















Not content with their slaughter the Hussars with a blood lust that overcame any sense, turned their attention to the howitzer batteries. Their first attack was repelled by a cloud of smoke and case shot tearing threw them, but their danders were up and they rallied and turned again on the artillery crew, and were soon among them. The guns were spiked and the Hussars again victorious.

Sensing the tide on the right flank turning, 2 squadrons of Cuirassers, who had been doing little decided to join the fray, charging the luckless Austrian dragoons, who seeing the sun glinting on the french breastplates thought better of it and fled.



Turn 7

With the right flank dissolving, the village securely held, and the central area held by the tattered remains of 2 regiments, the Austrians withdrew, leaving Napoleon once more the victor.



Monday 31 August 2009

Le Fin. Peut-ĂȘtre.

Well the French are finished.

Well sort of.

I stupidly did not buy enough Light infantry figures to finish my regiment of light infantry and I wont be able to buy any more until Colours at Newbury racecourse in 2 weeks time. So the French are finished apart from that. Its a bit of an anti climax as I wanted to do some huge pics of all of them laid out in their glory, as I have done for my other armies, but I knew I couldnt live with myself if I left the Lights out.

So instead have a couple of pics of the finished command stands. Im not that happy with the pics of them to be honest- they look superb in the flesh (even if I do say so myself) but the pics make them look a bit of a big old mess. I guess its like taking a macro lens to a Monet (hark at he!).




Napoleons and a couple of Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde escorts















Marshal Ney and a officer from the 1st Cuirasser regiment.

















Now on to the Brits!