Austrian Infantry #1

This is my first attempt at tackling the white uniform of the Austrians. The figures are old glory road march and the flag is from Maverick Models. I gave them a white coat which was then given  a black wash and then highlighted white. I wasn't too sure how they would turn out and may try another technique. I think the black wash is a bit too harsh and may try a grey. I cut off the original flag pole and used a brass 28mm spear cut down to size. the faces were a bit of a problem to do as there wasn't much detail and what I could make out was pretty small!

I took the pictures with my painting light on and then off.

Bavarian Artillery

These are Warmodelling figures and are foot artillery, I didn't use the cornflower blue for these guys. I saw on Paul's blog (NapoleonicsinMiniature) a battery of Bavarians and the darker blue looks pretty good. anyway I'm sure Paul has done his research and the artillery wore a darker blue!

Troops painted since Sept 2013

Once a year I take a count of the troops I've painted, so in no particular order are:

1 x Young guard  unit @24 men
1 x Empress dragoons @18 men
3 x Prussian Dragoon units @ 36 men
11 x Russian generals
8 x Russian infantry units @ 192 men
4 x Prussian supply wagons
4 x French supply wagons
1 x French Pontoon wagon
1 x French command @ 5 men
1 x Bavarian light cavalry @ 12 men
2 x Russian Cuirassier units @ 24 men
3 x Russian hussar units @ 36 men
4 x Bavarian infantry units @ 96 men
1 x Russian Lancers units @ 12 men
2 x Russian Dragoon units @ 24 men
4 x Russian HA with 12 crew
6 x Russian FA with 24 crew
2 x French Old Guard units @ 48 men
2 x Russian Cossacks units @ 24 men
3 x Bavarian Generals (painted by Paul)

Total = 601
added to 15mm figures already painted, 2742 +601 = 3343

I haven't counted the 28mm figures I painted for the big Ayton game in May 2014.

Bavarian Chevaulegers

Here we have the 1st regiment, these are warmodeling figures and are full of action. Although there only two trooper poses, I added two command and trumpeter figures for variety. Next will be a couple of Bavarian foot artillery cannons and six crew, again warmodelling. I guess I should have two more Chevauleger cavalry units to get something like the forces available for the 1814 campaign. The Bavarians were of course were among Napoleons loyal allies until the 1813 crises.

Russian Cuirassiers

These are CGM figures and were simple to paint up, they lack the detail of AB and Fantassin figures (WarModelling a.k.a Kapitan games no longer sell them). The flag is from Maverick Models. I now have two units of Russian Cuirassiers with two units of AB Cuirassiers to paint up.

Russian Irkutsk Hussars

It's been ages since I last painted up some figures. I guess I completely lost my mojo for a while. I hardly frequented the blogs and only checked into LAW and TMP now and again. I have a huge backlog of primed figures to paint up, mainly Prussian cavalry with some french currassiers and two units of British guards. Now I'm guilt tripping because these are not for 1814 so will have to wait while I concentrate instead on Russians and Austrians.

The below figures are AB's but I didn't really do them justice. But on the wargames table they'll look ok I'm sure.

Pontoon Wagon

In order to spice up the Champaubert scenario I'm allowing the French to use a pontoon bridge if they can find a favourable crossing point (using dice) should the Russians have blown the only bridge. The wagon is by Museum Miniatures and came with a 17th century type character pulling the two horses. As you see I have added two old glory horses and two spare riders. I also had to add four plastic posts to allow the boat to be fitted as per the French style, Museum Miniatures intended the boat would just have fitted on top of the wood obscuring most of it - I used the artwork from the Hat 1/72 kit to give me an idea. I think I made the posts a bit too long but conversion is not my strong point.

Bavarian Infantry

I've painted up these guys while I'm deliberating on the Champaubert scenario - as it stands its rather one sided, especially if the Russians do not blow the bridge at the beginning! I'm still not too convinced of which rule set to use, regiment versus brigade.

The figures are Old Glory and aint too bad. The flags are from maverick models, I probably should have removed the flag poles and given then new ones that are longer 9since the flags were a bit too big for the poles). Instead I just put a cut in the corner of the flag. There are four, 24man-units, that is to say two bags of figures (they came with command). They have red and yellow facings.

Preparations for Champaubert

Here we have a few photos of the table setup for the very small skirmish at Champaubert - this was the first of Napoleons four victories against the allies. Although it looks small it is 5' x 6 ' foot.

I have missed the next battle in the campaign (La Rotheire) because I dont have any Austrians, Bavarians or Wurrtemburg troops painted! I will go back to it once these troops are ready.

As I say this is only a skirmish really compared with the other battles - the Russian commander Olsufiev had only around 4,000 infantry,  24 cannon and no cavalry to speak of. He should really have withdrawn, blowing up bridge to gain time. As it turns out he disobeyed orders during the battle of Brienne and nearly got Blucher captured! So rather than face another dressing down he followed his orders to the letter to hold Champaubert despite the fact he was really outnumbered.

The rules will be Snappy Nappy by Russ Lockwood - cuts down on the 'buckets of dice'

Grand view of the battlefield

The river Morin and the St Gond Marshes - impassible except over the little bridge. As you can see its just a big piece of cardboard with scatter and grass.

The two villages of Bannay and Baye that formed the Russian defence.

Brienne 1814

We've just finished the battle of Brienne, the first of the series of battles that were fought in France during the 1814 campaign. I was field Marshal Blucher leading the Russian forces and my son was Napoleon leading the French forces. We used the simplest of the available rules which was Grande Armee, I had come close to choosing between Snappy Nappy and DBN but as we've already used GA before we went with the safest option. The rules will need modifying as the higher rated units tend to steamroller everything around them; it was impossible for the French to evict my men from Brienne and infantry able to attack cavalry just doesn't seem right. Otherwise we had a really fun time of it.

The French could win by severing the line of communications (represented by the long convoy of vehicles.) and shooting the hell out of my units . They achieved both these objects but failed to take Brienne - it's entirely possible that I misread the rules but the saving roll with 4 added to it for hard cover seemed excessive. It is my understanding that villages changed sides frequently in these conflicts. 

Here are some pictures, the game took 2.5 hours to complete and Blucher sort of lost, I think.

The rules...

The Russian right flank.

The Russian left flank and rear ....just the loooong supply column that must escape!

The Russian center - Brienne garrison by an infantry brigade and the chateau on the hill.

Everything was going ok until this guy appeared.

French right, their dragoons menace Brienne

French left - Marshal Victor deploys his brigades (sorry for fuzzy pictures)

Count Pahlens cavalry make heroic charges and take out two batteries.

The dragoons sweep the brigade away - I should really have had the men inside the chateau! :(

Close up of the dragoons....

Close up of French infantry..never ending hordes...

Nobody can take Brienne...French infantry take hits.

Routed units - nearly all Bluchers Russians.

End of turn three and Ney with the four Young Guard brigades arrive. Guard cavalry as well...end in sight for Blucher.

Russian reinforcements also arrive on turn three - Sherbaotovs corps, four brigades of infantry and two batteries.But the convoy is still not safe. I remove one wagon every turn

Mihaud the commander of the cavalry corps is killed and so napoleon takes over the Dragoons. The ride down the infantry and start to move towards the convoy.

Guard cavalry steam roller whats left of Bluchers right wing. Sherbatov is too late.

Close up of Ney and the Young Guard

Blucher throws in the towel....most of the wagons escaped bar three that were captured by the emperor and the dragoons.

Instead of languishing in the study these take pride of place in the lounge...well the bit where we now wargame.