Austrian Napoleonic IR 29 – The Undercoat Commences

I’ve had these Essex Austrians for some time.  The person who I got them from had thought they could be converted to be the Prussian IR 29 formed from the Berg regiment who were dressed in white uniforms with light blue facings.  It just so happened that the Austrian IR 29 also had light blue facings.

From the previous attempt to paint Austrian white uniforms I knew it could be a challenge.  This time I started to experiment with different basecoats.  However after just a few figures I decided it was best to paint the figure totally black and then use grey as the base for the uniform.  The reason was that grey was hard to see on the base metal. 

Prussian Napoleonic Cuirassiers – Part 3

Almost finished.  I love how figures come alive as the paint goes on.

Napoleon's Battles - Game 9 July

At over one thousand points each side, this fictitious battle with Austrians and Russians against the French in 1809 was perhaps a trifle too ambitious to be fully played out in the limited time available.

However the pleasure of deploying all the superb figures in Richard’s collection was a joy in itself.

This picture shows the French deployment from their right.  The French intention was to launch an attack from this position and then hit the centre while delaying on the left.

The second picture shows the Russians deployed against the French right.  The battle opened with a possibly hasty cavalry charge by the Russians and the French were only too happy to participate.  There was a bloody battle between French Carabineers and Russian Guard  Cavalry - a tie roll with each side having positive factors saw them both taking heavy losses and pulling back.  The French did have a successful charge by a brigade of Polish Hussars lead by Poniatowski , that roughed up a good deal of the Russians.

The third picture shows the French right after two hours of fighting.  The action had shifted to the centre where the French had slowly rolled forward to be suddenly hit by a Russian pre-emptive attack.  The Russians had been repulsed, but not without some help from the Old Guard.

The final picture is from the French left and shows the Austrians attacking.  There had been some deadly fire from the French artillery and their two brigades of light infantry that were holding the small woods, having deployed into line, had beaten off the first of what was to be expected to be many Austrian mass attacks.

Leipzig Preliminaries - Prussian I and II Corps

Make Prussian figures can bascially make any of the three Prussian Corps at the battle of Leipzig, but one at a time.

Here they are ready as the I Corps:

And here they are as the II Corps:

The gap in the II Corps is for the 16PrHC which are on their way.

Prussian Napoleonic Cuirassiers – Part 2

I normally paint production line (all the brown followed by all the blue etc), but this time decided to do four in one go.  It turned out to but much more motivating and allowed me to work out a couple of options as in just how much detail I was going to paint and the specific colours I was going to use.

The result in both time spent, pleasure of the activity and the finished product I am very happy with.  Twelve to go.

Prussian Napoleonic Cuirassiers – Part 1

I have had these 16 AB Prussian Napoleonic Cuirassiers for a few years and schedule to be a 16PrHC brigade for Napoleon’s Battles.  They have been cleaned up and ready for undercoating and today’s the day (partner’s requirements to go and look at lights and daughters demands for homework assistance not withstanding).

A bit of research and study has identified these figures as being in the dark blue Litevka campaign dress.  I had thought they were in white uniforms which I always find tricky painting, but blue, while rather pedestrian, is straightforward – black undercoat all around.

This site was a good source of information: 
http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Prussian_cavalry_Napoleon.htm#_cuirassiers

This picture comes from that site and is how my figures will be painted:

 But for now this is what they look like:

800 point Napoleon’s Battles game – Part 3

Sunday 1:00 to 6:00 real time, 13:00 to 14:30 (3 turns) game time.

The battle continued for the hill on the Austrian right.  The Grenadiers and the rallied troops drove off the French after a very tough fight, including a strange round in which a French infantry brigade in square was found to be attacking an Austrian artillery battery – what is the combat factor the French should use?

In this picture can be seen the fighting for the vineyard and farmhouse in the centre, but the true situation can be seen by the position of a French cavalry brigade in the plowed field after it had ridden down many of the routed Austrians as well as dispersing the Austrian heavy cavalry division.  Luckily for the Austrians, it soon dispersed as well.

The French then launched a massive attack on the Austrian left after the Austrians had shifted two cavalry brigades and one Grenadier brigade to their right flank.

The French attack was well coordinated.  The Austrians thought they were okay with their cavalry on react, but when the time came found they couldn’t attach to an artillery battery, thus creating rules question number two.  Is it only artillery (and generals and wagon trains) that can initiate an attachment?

There then came two disasters.  The French had a breakthrough with a cavalry brigade and the Austrians failed to react or bring fire on it.  Doh!  This was question number three, but turned out to be well covered under the recall sequence in the rules.

The Austrians started their riposte when they suddenly realised ... Nooooooooo!!! The general who they had entrusted the two brigades of cavalry that they hoped would finish off the French on their right turned out to be from the wrong Corps.  With that the Austrians conceded.