tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89320737482463151532024-03-05T01:18:06.811-08:00The Legatus' Napoleonic Wargames Armies: The Peninsula, Quatre Bras and Waterloolegatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-10608849104270481172015-06-18T13:43:00.000-07:002015-06-18T13:50:37.525-07:00Waterloo (1970) the souvenir programme<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Everyone else on the wargaming blogosphere seems to be celebrating the 200th anniversary of Waterloo today with quite a few posts featuring the poster for the 1970 film directed by Sergei Bondurchuk. I wonder how many people will be watching it tonight?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6YtEgTDPbngzSF6I0yI5FDG5VUmQnu_K7vK8kQ3dxaserbHHtb6nobYCOo5oZf5EagFMiLnr0KRrzz8xQqze6C04g9toZ2pU6rp1AA7yPDaOKS5gJC5X9jjUT5Sq7QbyAo4dx1IuwA/s1600/waterloo+sp0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6YtEgTDPbngzSF6I0yI5FDG5VUmQnu_K7vK8kQ3dxaserbHHtb6nobYCOo5oZf5EagFMiLnr0KRrzz8xQqze6C04g9toZ2pU6rp1AA7yPDaOKS5gJC5X9jjUT5Sq7QbyAo4dx1IuwA/s640/waterloo+sp0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I went to see it with my father, who was responsible for my interest in Napoleonic warfare, when it first came out, in Ashford cinema.</div>
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In those days, big films would have a souvenir programme you could buy at the cinema and my father bought me the one for Waterloo which, forty five years later, I still have. </div>
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The brochure told the story of the battle illustrated with some wonderful stills from the film, together with a few pages of behind the scenes information.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FSvYqYprKWOLbON-gbdORnPWuD4hCZTbLPUqr7moebQmZpi_RqEcD4xq_u14dC9yg8Q4EbAI5XoVgbIAdnai-q3lohyUM1gP1oIYR3D0dXteUPnDSNBtggMr4J08_LgK4wrnGR4RgQ/s1600/waterloo+sp3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FSvYqYprKWOLbON-gbdORnPWuD4hCZTbLPUqr7moebQmZpi_RqEcD4xq_u14dC9yg8Q4EbAI5XoVgbIAdnai-q3lohyUM1gP1oIYR3D0dXteUPnDSNBtggMr4J08_LgK4wrnGR4RgQ/s640/waterloo+sp3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I loved this booklet when I was younger and it encouraged me to collect Airfix Waterloo figures, even though I never painted any. Actually, that wasn't quite true I did paint some in 1995 at about the time my daughter was born. Her arrival left no time for painting soldiers and I didn't touch a paintbrush for five years.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qc9L13M9hr_SaM6HlDLr2Su4VILOl7Z1kjrMOCSJGGuQ6FXTyjo3Yq_9TxQ3IAjZRqzIr6rwUdPoHqx5HSWivbReti2F0kD_MMgJqtNPrdVhdTkHm5f9lX8xVSDMuE2c7EdTEgScLw/s1600/waterloo+sp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qc9L13M9hr_SaM6HlDLr2Su4VILOl7Z1kjrMOCSJGGuQ6FXTyjo3Yq_9TxQ3IAjZRqzIr6rwUdPoHqx5HSWivbReti2F0kD_MMgJqtNPrdVhdTkHm5f9lX8xVSDMuE2c7EdTEgScLw/s640/waterloo+sp4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Although there must be many people, like me, who kept this programme, there must be some younger fans of the film who haven't seen it, so I decided to scan it in its entirety today as my Waterloo commemoration.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_loG-Vqbb8EIqIRLX64XSX0H6FGnYRxHdDDPXCrZQduLgytic-OaXsbhAzBdthnsvhlwzy4qx547RKbtNFCYBy8moIZSW_iGlpMuSXksM-GeMXgmMOkyxZIPu-8j9bZk6FM2MkEeRdQ/s1600/waterloo+sp5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_loG-Vqbb8EIqIRLX64XSX0H6FGnYRxHdDDPXCrZQduLgytic-OaXsbhAzBdthnsvhlwzy4qx547RKbtNFCYBy8moIZSW_iGlpMuSXksM-GeMXgmMOkyxZIPu-8j9bZk6FM2MkEeRdQ/s640/waterloo+sp5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I particularly appreciated the map of the battlefield, at a time when I didn't have any other books on Waterloo at all and I used this to lay out my 20mm recreation on the 7' by 7' board which I used to put on the dining table. This had to be carefully covered with blankets to protect the surface of what was an expensive piece of furniture. I had to remove the dining room chairs from the room completely, as they actually dated from before the battle itself!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_UH2Xz0Cjs5gAZhSdzEvbg8lNaeQhHzVjsy4r7jB-ZAtUtlyWDUI0dHh85kyJ58FJxnMVuZuO1JWsADRCmbAM4w8MbYojTT08zl-Drpz33UE6GcesNqd2cc0AUoATsXCZkOivEXgvw/s1600/waterloo+sp6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_UH2Xz0Cjs5gAZhSdzEvbg8lNaeQhHzVjsy4r7jB-ZAtUtlyWDUI0dHh85kyJ58FJxnMVuZuO1JWsADRCmbAM4w8MbYojTT08zl-Drpz33UE6GcesNqd2cc0AUoATsXCZkOivEXgvw/s640/waterloo+sp6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There is much to find fault with in the film today: Such as all the troops wearing dress uniforms, the lack of any of Britain's allies in the arrayed forces, the very mountainous version of Belgium, some terrible dubbing of the multi-national cast and a miscast Rod Steiger's very mannered performance. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtS51BAE-dgaXWdZIDT5EXXYOeynxGkZvPN5FvSEJjp6MwnpdqL8N4sVwt7eEMJ6hPUKOuTF1IRlTBdLNxPvHX32jAPtU7aFVo1GS-BorUqTpTsZvpNhz7qFOptcuGViOF8grFd8KeQ/s1600/waterloo+sp7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtS51BAE-dgaXWdZIDT5EXXYOeynxGkZvPN5FvSEJjp6MwnpdqL8N4sVwt7eEMJ6hPUKOuTF1IRlTBdLNxPvHX32jAPtU7aFVo1GS-BorUqTpTsZvpNhz7qFOptcuGViOF8grFd8KeQ/s640/waterloo+sp7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are other issues which I am acutely aware of too, such as the fact that the venue for the Duchess of Richmond's ball was far from the splendid building shown in the film and was more akin to a barn. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUDu24Na7cIdwdEL8i_dlCfmXsBcIdBJqdSgedAiu0WqcHTGr1-mUTuvYRfARfJNmTnzVSI-VKtkQeLEXDR13lgIR3eKqFy-qCWMfLDLwBgYM5iKepZ0fQcI7L5-LmBI5dtNTzyfQKA/s1600/waterloo+sp8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUDu24Na7cIdwdEL8i_dlCfmXsBcIdBJqdSgedAiu0WqcHTGr1-mUTuvYRfARfJNmTnzVSI-VKtkQeLEXDR13lgIR3eKqFy-qCWMfLDLwBgYM5iKepZ0fQcI7L5-LmBI5dtNTzyfQKA/s640/waterloo+sp8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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However, the recreation of the buildings on the battlefield, Christopher Plummer's Wellington and the sheer number of extras make it a favourite. In these days of CGI we will never see its like again. </div>
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These days the battle scenes would be rendered in the now fashionable monochrome (see <i>The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies</i>) losing the effect of the uniforms, which for a young Legatus was the main appeal of the film.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVuLwrFi_LE7o3GT2P2ElLN91SznPbwoeMXDj8OnBQdKbA49b55gpKTAvaxEykVF_9K-1WtjAcV88MC7u7tOX6cQpZ4zxsMO2knf_JwDLvI67Uf_JLW4Z9MdffCjwC72SUanU_hz6zg/s1600/waterloo+sp10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVuLwrFi_LE7o3GT2P2ElLN91SznPbwoeMXDj8OnBQdKbA49b55gpKTAvaxEykVF_9K-1WtjAcV88MC7u7tOX6cQpZ4zxsMO2knf_JwDLvI67Uf_JLW4Z9MdffCjwC72SUanU_hz6zg/s640/waterloo+sp10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Looking at shots like this makes you realise how futile it is to try to recreate the feel of Napoleonic battles with units of a couple of dozen figures. At least my Charles Grant sized battalions of 48 in my Airfix days looked a bit better!</div>
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Waterloo really is a battle for small scale figures, much as I dislike their gnome -like proportions! Maybe something for 15mm? One day!</div>
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I had this shot as a poster on my wall for many years and even then noted the fact that all the troops were armed with bolt action rifles not muskets. Tragic.</div>
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The first metal figures I was given by my father were some Hinchcliffe Imperial Guard but I remember being disappointed that they were in campaign dress. This is what the Imperical Guard <i>should </i>look like!</div>
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For some reason I always got upset at this shot of the burning La Haye Sainte, probably because I spent so much time building and painting my Airfix model!</div>
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Even at the age of ten I was very struck by Virginia McKenna, as the Duchess of Richmond, and a couple of years ago I met her at a charity concert at the Yehudi Menuhin School, which is about two miles from where I live. She was still a very elegant lady.</div>
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The only others of these souvenir brochures I had were the ones for <i>Oliver</i> and <i>A Christmas Carol</i> but I didn't bother to keep those, of course!<br />
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Anyway, this brochure is still something of a treasured possession and is carefully kept in one of my filing drawers.</div>
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Of course, the choice of what music to listen to when writing this post was easy. One of the other positive things about the film was Nino Rota's evocative music. Even on one hearing at the cinema I could remember the tune of what I later found out to be the French march <i>La victoire est à nous. </i>It wasn't until the nineteen nineties that I came across the soundtrack CD in a record shop in Milan.</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-13714760912586130822015-06-16T03:23:00.000-07:002015-06-16T03:23:30.604-07:00Not quite Quatre Bras at the Shed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today, of course, is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Quatre Bras and yesterday at the <a href="http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/">Shed</a> we fought a celebratory re-enactment (sort of) using <i>Black Powder</i> and 10mm troops. There were six of us, seven at one point, and we played for three hours. I will let Eric describe the battle on his blog in due course.</div>
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<i>My British command yesterday: light cavalry, artillery, 95th Rifles, two units of line infantry and some Highlanders</i></div>
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This was the first Napoleonic wargame I have played since 1974 and confirms my view that this is <i>the</i> period for big battle wargaming. I have now come to realise that I will never be able to paint figures in 28mm for this period, sadly, as they just take too long. My sole completed unit, <a href="http://quatrebraswargame.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/dutch-27th-jager-completed.html">the Dutch 27th Jaegers</a>, took seven years to complete! I don't usually like smaller scale figures but these 10mm ones looked splendid. Sadly, some subsequent research has shown that no-one does a comprehensive range of Napoleonics in this scale. There is always 18mm, of course, but I paint these the same way I paint 28mm figures so, apart from using less paint, the time constraints would be the same. </div>
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<i>The Quatre Bras crossroads. I send my infantry forward to take possession of it right at the start</i></div>
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Quatre Bras is my favourite Napoleonic battle and I always thought it would be easier to replicate on the table top than Waterloo, so my acquisition of the Perry Dutch was supposed to be the first step towards this. Eric's version was modified geographically somewhat and he had no Dutch (or Brunswickers) but the aim of the game was for either side to capture and hold the crossroads. </div>
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<i>My British infantry deploy at the crossroads while my light cavalry try to catch up</i></div>
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The Old Bat has no concept of history whatsoever and I was trying to explain the importance of the Battle of Waterloo to her today, but it was fairly hopeless. "Why were the British fighting in Denmark anyway?" she asked, confused. Her grasp of European geography is loose, to say the least. </div>
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<i>My immediate opposition emerges form the wood: The Imperial Guard!</i></div>
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This was the first time I had played <i>Black Powder</i> (we converted all the movement distances and firing ranges from inches to centimetres) and. as Eric noted, was akin to <i>Warmaster</i>, not surprisingly given its progenitor. Personally, I found it odd having no casualty removal and I still can't get my head around stands but despite some oddities (allowing for some<i> huge </i>moves by cavalry, for example) it did actually work very well.</div>
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My old games in the seventies were played using the Charles Grant rules and Airfix plastics. None of these were painted, so both sides were basically cream coloured, except the British light cavalry (reddish brown) and the British horse artillery (grey). I also didn't base them, so if you bumped into the board they all fell over! I never owned the French Imperial Guard which didn't come out until 1975 and by then my friends and I were only doing World War 2. We used the American War of Independence British Grenadiers as a substitute. I had the Airfix Waterloo farm house and my friend Bean Kid had made a splendid Hougoumont from plans in <i>Military Modelling, </i>which I bought off him for £5. </div>
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<i>The thin red line prepares to see off Kellerman's heavy cavalry</i></div>
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For the game I, in the centre, had to hold the crossroads while Mark (on the right) and <a href="http://wargaminggallimaufry.blogspot.co.uk/">Alastair</a> (on the left) had to stop the French reinforcements arriving. The wings both saw quite a bit of manouevre while my infantry force basically stayed put in the centre. My light cavalry milled around ineffectually until one regiment decided to charge the battery of guns which was pounding my infantry. They were completely destroyed as a result but did take out one gun which, I think, relieved some pressure on my foot.</div>
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<i>I still hold the crossroads at the end of the game</i></div>
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Despite being harried by heavy cavalry, which necessitated forming square and assaulted by French infantry and artillery forces from the left, centre and right, my stubborn British held on to hold the crossroads. So, thanks again to Giles and a shed full of shedizens for another brilliant game. </div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-25418101789767678192014-02-13T10:37:00.000-08:002015-06-16T03:11:55.412-07:00Confederation of the Rhine: 6th Regiment, 2nd battalion Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>LtoR: Six companies of six: Waldeck Grenadiers, Waldeck fusiliers (campaign dress), Waldeck fusiliers (full dress), Reuss fusiliers (full dress), Reuss fusiliers (campaign dress) and Reuss fusiliers (campaign dress)</i></div>
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I now have all the figures for the 6th Regiment, 2nd Battalion as they were organised in Spain. In the end I have foolishly gone for a 36 man unit rather than my originally intended 24 man unit. This is mainly because my proposed action will feature relatively few units so I want the ability to break the battalion up into separate units.</div>
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I really needed six packs of regular troops and one pack of command but as I needed to buy another pack of command to get a suitable officer to lead the Waldeck grenadiers I used some of the sergeants and drummers to fill up the Reuss component, saving me the need to buy another Reuss fusilier pack. </div>
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The Perry chart posits all the Reuss fusiliers wearing plumes in full dress but another source I read said that only the elite company wore plumes so I have the other two companies without plumes, apart from one figure left over from the pack and some command. Doing this saved me buying another pack which would have left me with more than a dozen figures left over. Anyway, the unit was a bit of a hodgepodge so some slight irregularity in look won't be too bad.</div>
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I have made a good start on the Waldeck grenadiers (far left) and am actually enjoying painting them. I'm just putting down base colours with no shading, so I can do that at night. I got hardly any painting done last weekend as we had to prepare my parents in law's house for imminent flooding. They were evacuated by the Royal Engineers on Monday. the water's not in yet but I may have to go around there again this weekend.</div>
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<i>Detail from one of the Peter Bunde plates</i></div>
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I also ordered the Peter Bunde uniform plates recommended on the Perry website. Although quite expensive, they are really excellent and give lots of detail my other references do not provide.</div>
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So my next target is to finish the Waldeck grenadiers and then move left to right across the unit.</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-74625960782924591832014-02-05T01:13:00.001-08:002015-06-16T03:12:20.596-07:00Confederation of the Rhine: 6th Regiment, 2nd battalion Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Reuss Fusiliers</i><br />
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The piece below, from my main blog, kicks off my new Peninsular War project for the battle of La Bisbal. I am so enthused by these new Perry Miniatures figures that I did something I hardly ever do these days and started them under artificial light last night. With even just some of the base colours down I can see that they are going to be very striking. While doing them I had a revelation about why my Napoleonic projects never progress. I don't like painting French Infantry! I don't know why! I just don't. Something of a fundamental issue for Napoleonics! </div>
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<i>My latest Perry Miniatures based and undercoated</i></div>
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I have always had a hankering to paint some units for the Peninsula War and, thanks to Sharpe, initially was looking at doing Talavera, which featured in both the book and the TV adaption <i>Sharpe's Eagle</i>. Later I became interested in the battle of Barossa where Sergeant Patrick Masterson of the 87th foot took the first French Eagle of the Napoleonic Wars for the British (and was promoted to ensign as a result). Indeed, I actually started to paint quite a lot of 20mm plastic figures, so I could reenact this battle, about 15 years ago. More recently, I bought quite a lot of Victrix plastics but just couldn't face putting them together. There were no instructions and I couldn't work out what pose they would eventually be in from looking at the parts. I also didn't like the anatomy on them (particularly the French). I bought Sharp Practice thinking I might do some skirmishes but that never happened.</div>
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More recently, I finished my first full Napoleonic unit,the <a href="http://quatrebraswargame.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/dutch-27th-jager-completed.html">27th Dutch Jaegers</a> and started to paint some Perry Prussians, having now got over my fear of painting Napoleonics. They were slow and tedious work but I wasn't frightened of them any more. My biggest problem has been that I try to paint forces only for historical battles. I can't bring myself to line up random units for a fictional encounter. As Steve the Wargamer said in a recent <a href="http://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/dreich.html">post</a> it's because I also come at wargaming through an interest in history. Therefore trying to paint figures for a specific Napoleonic battle (even a small one) is patently insane when you are doing both sides.</div>
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Anyway, I was thinking about all this again when I saw the first of the Perry's Confederation of the Rhine figures. Now I have always only ever been interested in the 100 Days and the Peninsula. I dismissed all the people who bang on about Austerlitz, Lützen and Leipzig and wanted Austrian and Russian armies. I had no interest in these parts of the Napoleonic Wars at all. I have to confess that I didn't even know whose side the Confederation of the Rhine was on! So I ignored the first Perry figures in this range. Recently, however, they have brought out some troops for Reuss and Waldeck and I am lost!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkcXH0jAwiFhniZsnpedlJceM-Y9WPTZiLrc8PNpKz7TNVkGdJWMRp96FC7607EU4desAB3cW86DFNqb6Mx8AOTwHxbmTmNtzBV4BO16I4SDLJAQxLqaRVStjwNcgEebXpmIctFFQXKo/s1600/scan730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkcXH0jAwiFhniZsnpedlJceM-Y9WPTZiLrc8PNpKz7TNVkGdJWMRp96FC7607EU4desAB3cW86DFNqb6Mx8AOTwHxbmTmNtzBV4BO16I4SDLJAQxLqaRVStjwNcgEebXpmIctFFQXKo/s1600/scan730.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
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For no reason I can logically explain I fell in love with the uniforms of these principalities because of my Blandford <i>Military Uniforms of the World</i> book by Preben Kannik. I must have been given this book just a few years after it came out in 1967. My favourite part of the book, when I was little, were the twenty pages of Napoleonic uniforms and my favourites of these were the Reuss and Waldeck uniforms. They were not even the flashiest Napoleonic uniforms in the book but their striking blue and white colours appealed to me. I even painted some of my Airfix French (the soldiers from the French artillery set with the big shakos) in the colours of Waldeck. I never imagined that figures for these forces would ever be released in 28mm. Once I saw them I knew I had to have them but what would I do with them? Then I discovered that they fought in the Peninsula in a composite battalion. I could have both the Reuss and Waldeck figures in the same unit: the 6th Confederation of the Rhine regiment. The Perry Miniatures site even has a helpful organisation chart for the battalion in Spain.<br />
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So I will need six companies altogether in the French manner. One company of Waldeck grenadiers, two of Waldeck fusiliers and three companies of Reuss fusiliers. I will aim at 6 companies of four to start with, with the option to expand to companies of six if I get along with them. I need to buy a command pack and can include one figure in each company. <br />
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Even more interesting they fought in the battle of La Bisbal. It wasn't much of a battle and the outnumbered Confederation troops soon surrendered having been pinned down in a small castle in the town centre. It all took place, however, in a part of Spain where I used to go on holiday when I was young. So names like Palamós and Girona resonate with me. The only source I can find on the battle mentions 2 battalions of the 6th Confederation of the Rhine and two battalions of the 5th, the figures for which the Perries also do. <br />
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<i>The very promising looking Eagle Figures</i></div>
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For the Spanish it was in the period before they were issued with the British-made uniforms so would have been still resplendent in their bicornes. I have found a company I have never heard of before called Eagle Figures which does figures of a similar build to the Perry ones (the Front Rank ones are far too chunky, for example). They even do a figure representing one of the Swiss regiments which was present at La Bisbal plus artillery and cavalry. They only sell figures individually (no choice of poses but then the Perry ones are all in the marching position too - very old school) so I have ordered one to see what it looks like compared with the Perry ones.<br />
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One thing I have discovered as regards searching on the internet is that it pays to search in the language of, in this case, the location of the battle you are looking for, so I managed to find some pictures of a 200th anniversary reenactment of the battle which has given me at least one interpretation of the uniforms of the Spanish. Fortunately, this does match with at least one written source I have found. Interestingly, the Spanish also had basically light blue and white uniforms ,so the two sides will compliment each other most artistically! Having started off saying that I am not interested in fictional battles this one will be a slightly "what if" conflict given that a bunch of Germans holed up in a castle who surrender as soon as the Spanish started massing outside doesn't make for a very interesting wargame. Anyway my wargames projects are all only really an excuse to paint figures. The gaming bit almost never happens!<br />
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So, another Napoleonic project begins but I am very aware that the only unit of Napoleonics I have finished took seven years to complete! Still, you're not a proper wargamer if you don't have some part-painted Napoleonics under way!<br />
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-46702385664235378712013-01-05T15:18:00.001-08:002015-06-16T03:08:28.894-07:00Dutch 27th Jäger completed!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, I have finished my first Napoleonic unit: the Dutch 27th Jäger. I chose this unit as they were pretty much the first allied unit engaged at Quatre Bras.</div>
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They hadn't been the 27th Jäger for very long when they fought in the Waterloo campaign. Until January 1815 they were known as Bataillon Jäger number 6. The January 1815 re-organisation was the third in a year for the Dutch army as it re-established itself following independence being regained in 1813, after nearly twenty years of French domination.</div>
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On 15th June, the day before Quatre Bras, the unit had 739 NCOs and men and 23 officers. Most of the men were Dutch although there were also 43 Germans, 26 Belgians and 15 men from other countries. As with all Dutch units they followed the French organisation of six companies, including two flank companies..</div>
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The commander of the battalion at Waterloo was Luitenant-kolonel Jan Willem Grunebosch who had been appointed in April that year. He was an experienced officer who has served in senior positions under both the Dutch and French regimes; having been either commander or number two of two Dutch line battalions before this.<br />
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Uniforms consisted of a British style jacket in green with yellow cuffs and collar and red turnbacks. The shako plume was green and yellow over green for the flank companies (white for senior officers). They had a blue British issue canteen but French hide packs.</div>
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The Netherlands army hadn't had time to issue standards to its troops by the time of the Waterloo campaign but several units went into battle with unofficial flags and the 27th seems to have been one of these. The original of the orange flag depicted in my unit is now in the Royal Netherlands Arms and Army Museum in Delft and it seems quite likely that it was carried at Waterloo, as it wasn't a colour as such but a battalion flag. </div>
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In the Waterloo campaign they formed part of the I Corps under the Prince of Orange's 2nd Netherlands Division commanded by Lt Gen Baron de Perponcher Sedlnitsky in Major General Count van Bylandt's 1st Brigade. Once messages arrived that Napoleon had crossed the River Sambre into Belgium Perponcher, on his own initiative, ordered Bylandt to take part of his brigade to Quatre Bras where the 2nd Brigade was already concentrated. The 27th were one of the first units on the road.<br />
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By the early morning of 16th June they were stretched out in a mile long picket line south of Quatre Bras and the Grand Pierrepoint farm. Two companies actually skirmished forward driving some French infantry back. They took the brunt of the fire from the 22 French cannon that opened fire that afternoon. They were then advanced upon by columns of French infantry, lancers and Chasseurs à cheval. In order to avoid being cut off they retreated to Gemioncourt farm, firing constantly at the much greater numbers of Frenchmen. During the ensuing attack on the farm (only the two flank company were actually inside the buildings) the 27th were caught by the 6e Chasseurs à cheval before they had time to form a square and suffered casualties of nearly one third. Luitenant-kolonel Jan Willem Grunebosch had his horse shot from under him and was so badly wounded by sabre cuts as he fought on foot that Captain de Crassier had to assume command of the battalion. The 547 survivors managed to regroup further north. The flank companies of the 27th, together with several companies of the 5th Militia (the next Dutch unit I am going to paint!) held Gemioncourt farm long enough to help delay the French advance and give reinforcements under Wellington time to reach the battle. Eventually they had to leave the French to the farm and were attacked by French cavalry as they withdrew but their job had been done. The 27th had been in action the whole day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaG7rzcH0vUxeGMwbxYTQFgV0cHqgAwXMsyqCDacRWjbqLpni_XivJfoGvkviItzN8Ex9gztPJBkyRfD92aqXf5uZ3xAzAdHkUhGiqs0eJFQYL7CPIDwjhcr32ndTShEAKV0fWgYUSpA/s1600/27th+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="521" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaG7rzcH0vUxeGMwbxYTQFgV0cHqgAwXMsyqCDacRWjbqLpni_XivJfoGvkviItzN8Ex9gztPJBkyRfD92aqXf5uZ3xAzAdHkUhGiqs0eJFQYL7CPIDwjhcr32ndTShEAKV0fWgYUSpA/s640/27th+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At Waterloo, Bylandt's brigade, which had taken a hammering at Quatre Bras, fought alongside Picton's men to drive off D'Erlon's massed columns. They also took a lot of cannon fire at Waterloo early on when they were placed as a picket line in front of the British left flank and by the end of the two battles the 27th's losses were 44%.<br />
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Anyway, I am delighted to have finished my first unit for the small portions of Quatre Bras I intend to refight. Next it will have to be a French battalion!</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-39551919761139848542012-11-11T08:14:00.001-08:002015-06-16T03:12:31.237-07:008 more Jaegers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZl9tOgllnn4yH1BrA6aWEmF0rf7o4rPQwjVUalWc-0SRL9243TQykHT4-E4bLjrtUXb3nZuLVXJobX_IB5FkAGHpIC8vGnsAn5a24J-8V6y5Pf93rb7P7WLMNXtmT9LnlunEbWYBxA/s1600/P1080344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZl9tOgllnn4yH1BrA6aWEmF0rf7o4rPQwjVUalWc-0SRL9243TQykHT4-E4bLjrtUXb3nZuLVXJobX_IB5FkAGHpIC8vGnsAn5a24J-8V6y5Pf93rb7P7WLMNXtmT9LnlunEbWYBxA/s640/P1080344.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I finished eight more Jaegers today including the commander of the unit at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, Luitenant-colonel WJ Grunebosch. I now only need three to finish them so will zap off an order to the Perries today. I can't believe I have nearly finished a Napoleonic unit! On with the Prussians now!<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.75px; text-align: center;"></i></div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-17677288645616353722012-09-25T01:34:00.000-07:002015-06-16T03:12:38.720-07:00Dutch Jaegers - Progress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMBnMK3-LKpc-vzFOvb8Hkfh8LHPCvHGrbtalEfb6bkiv6FVorTOkgKLKnROibJ_o_IkHkt0wMJmask8tx9LlLkoQ_J49JYgBQxOisxIMpY0-szTEiK9dL2uZ9WwLdIrEbeXXxv7ifw/s1600/IMG_3286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMBnMK3-LKpc-vzFOvb8Hkfh8LHPCvHGrbtalEfb6bkiv6FVorTOkgKLKnROibJ_o_IkHkt0wMJmask8tx9LlLkoQ_J49JYgBQxOisxIMpY0-szTEiK9dL2uZ9WwLdIrEbeXXxv7ifw/s640/IMG_3286.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are my Dutch Jaegers to date and I have just started another seven figures. Having decided to go with the Black Powder rules rather than Charles Grant's old school rules the unit size can be reduced from my originally proposed 36 figures to 24 figures (six companies of four). In reality the 27th Jaegers had 800 men on the field which makes them bigger than most British battalions by about 1/3rd. French battalions were even smaller but I am going to put them into regimental units; combing three small units of twelve into one 36 man unit which will keep the proportions about right.</div>
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I have all the flankers I need and just need to paint ten more centre company figures and give them a mounted Colonel. I have just started the next seven figures so just need one more pack to finish them.</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-81641544256811755702009-07-13T13:11:00.000-07:002015-06-16T03:12:52.237-07:00Hougoumont: The Farmer's House<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-o0xP7DU-LgSfirITBGSXIYmMOMNWvA-6QfJqmJniEJNCzPpmDExtNmjE5Wqnwwo8aKxGipPEHQEc7CQCZohUAqoEsz7Ygu6NWkMgIq9m9pNsYgNpRwEjY7lfKOtJwyFdOBUulJVdA/s1600-h/P1000552.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="427" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358043600757753730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-o0xP7DU-LgSfirITBGSXIYmMOMNWvA-6QfJqmJniEJNCzPpmDExtNmjE5Wqnwwo8aKxGipPEHQEc7CQCZohUAqoEsz7Ygu6NWkMgIq9m9pNsYgNpRwEjY7lfKOtJwyFdOBUulJVdA/s640/P1000552.JPG" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="640" /></a><br />
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I took delivery of my first piece of the Hovel's Hougoumont today. It is, as they state, really scaled for 25mm figures (in fact it would work well with my old Airfix figures) and looks a bit small next to my Perry Miniatures 28s but I'm not too worried as I'm sure it won't be too noticeable when the whole thing is put together. One thing that is a bit disappointing is the very poor fit of the roof on the main body of the house. It is, quite simply not long enough for the base unit and makes you realise how very good the Grand Manner offerings are by comparison. Never mind I am sure it will look better painted. I'm not allowing myself to buy another bit of the Chateau until this is fully painted (probably about 2012!)</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-91889496474880091682009-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:002015-06-16T03:13:20.464-07:00Hougoumont<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD_-WLGVTYrtE6piFATFEFMfW5HL2G8K8nO0ycV-FJpCQlvP0RrNeRhN8nq80KDycAa7USDESwOOTvRFzkBylz1b53CbcfeCKYw5FW6BAbRO_uFB79SNvKzS19aYpLNptDBo6o-75pg/s1600-h/hougoumont1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355747249984160818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD_-WLGVTYrtE6piFATFEFMfW5HL2G8K8nO0ycV-FJpCQlvP0RrNeRhN8nq80KDycAa7USDESwOOTvRFzkBylz1b53CbcfeCKYw5FW6BAbRO_uFB79SNvKzS19aYpLNptDBo6o-75pg/s400/hougoumont1.jpg" style="display: block; height: 299px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="400" /></a><br />
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I asked on my main blog whether anyone made a model of Hougoumont suitable for 28mm figures and someone kindly pointed out that Hovels do. I've never been a big fan of Hovels as some of their buildings are a bit caricatured; like some of those miniature villages that people collect (compared with, say, Grand Manner).</div>
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I have to say, though, that the Hougoumont looks pretty good and for around £200 isn't that expensive (I paid that for my Weathertop piece from Forge World). Whilst I will continue to aim to do bits of Quatre Bras for 2015 I am quite tempted to start getting bits of this, as a game set around the chateau would be quite limited in the troops you would need (no cavalry or artillery). I could also use some of the individual buildings to represent some of the farms on the Quatre Bras battlefield.</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-90801597200478295312009-06-14T13:53:00.000-07:002015-06-16T03:14:02.852-07:00Waterloo: the film programme<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIX_NKybxL0lcrd_D-M3Z38wwOaEiffDflzFEvpKVuIZH21dx9cc2-Qz-DU0GP57Rjq60PuuyIYJb-s15MAP5VE0kaCsBHnuiTeI0SfyY7RyrCF2Mnr-UcdwSWE4Z_ZOq3FE31bTSZmw/s1600-h/eng406.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347297192196857698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIX_NKybxL0lcrd_D-M3Z38wwOaEiffDflzFEvpKVuIZH21dx9cc2-Qz-DU0GP57Rjq60PuuyIYJb-s15MAP5VE0kaCsBHnuiTeI0SfyY7RyrCF2Mnr-UcdwSWE4Z_ZOq3FE31bTSZmw/s640/eng406.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 309px;" width="494" /></a><em> The programme cover</em></div>
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The recent purchase of a number of new books for my military library this week has meant I have had to have a radical re-organisation of my bookshelves. In addition, I brought a number of books back from my mother's house this weekend. Whilst looking for these in the loft I found my copy of the programme for the film <em>Waterloo </em>(1970). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJf_dByHi-tviYIf2tTRtFICwBENSOFHGTSbBTsTnrGrjH0t5fUAjSQci2G1UX5pC3UkAINoqEFA_TriuYXtqtIbitm5iPA-i1Uo99AeAfpTbM2dufmUVbfcwYqQdG_AdAFBjldmMkg/s1600-h/walton3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347300433935137474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJf_dByHi-tviYIf2tTRtFICwBENSOFHGTSbBTsTnrGrjH0t5fUAjSQci2G1UX5pC3UkAINoqEFA_TriuYXtqtIbitm5iPA-i1Uo99AeAfpTbM2dufmUVbfcwYqQdG_AdAFBjldmMkg/s400/walton3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 298px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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It's a long time since you could buy a souvenir programme of a film at the cinema! I went to see <em>Waterloo </em>in the Odeon Cinema, Walton, which is no longer there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVEwlqnvvja2vFM6NL5BTqJkpV74-vBLfzBHhWAKrujMAvv4LFYqMjHux3VwJC-_OCWXGXVdObbyjJY-3gUYd_sEXU2d11jUMf8vga59kq7mZPNeus4bT45T9KX3ep-Ds3u8AmuKsIQ/s1600-h/eng409.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347299063495618466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVEwlqnvvja2vFM6NL5BTqJkpV74-vBLfzBHhWAKrujMAvv4LFYqMjHux3VwJC-_OCWXGXVdObbyjJY-3gUYd_sEXU2d11jUMf8vga59kq7mZPNeus4bT45T9KX3ep-Ds3u8AmuKsIQ/s400/eng409.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 303px;" /></a><br />
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The 32 page programme is full of great photos from this massive Italian/Russian production. It tells the story of the 100 Days and also has a little about the making of the film. Nowadays, of course, they would turn this into a £19.99 paberback book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ErJEHvj54PjlzDi0HJvgHT5JV03kOt7H8ss6BkXyvziJDbsvG6A1ZDX64jJ-56fnIN3gcUiIrJakTOxa-o4dldFnj-u1aD59uRNK1w-lWSAy2PdX3uWcVU0ZykKNAH5LuCtugsp4Lg/s1600-h/eng408.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347298374789946162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ErJEHvj54PjlzDi0HJvgHT5JV03kOt7H8ss6BkXyvziJDbsvG6A1ZDX64jJ-56fnIN3gcUiIrJakTOxa-o4dldFnj-u1aD59uRNK1w-lWSAy2PdX3uWcVU0ZykKNAH5LuCtugsp4Lg/s400/eng408.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 304px;" /></a><em> Proper squares!</em></div>
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As a film it has dated somewhat and suffers from Italian dubbing syndrome but you cannot fault the way that the battle scenes are done. We will never see the like of these again. No-one will employ 20,000 extras when they can computer generate lots of little people for a fraction of the price but the effect just isn't the same. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiVShsPl7YwgMpdLN96n4kY3_c2UVe6nHGnx3yXWHTdlrpRU-p-LBGXKUfrEmH3KZiZhIxX5RMucmlm1gzaOUK7stj_Lcf4q3B1U_L-SEildOwahC-7CDdjXzhQm46IZAGMk7kCDS8g/s1600-h/eng407.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347297878244459234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiVShsPl7YwgMpdLN96n4kY3_c2UVe6nHGnx3yXWHTdlrpRU-p-LBGXKUfrEmH3KZiZhIxX5RMucmlm1gzaOUK7stj_Lcf4q3B1U_L-SEildOwahC-7CDdjXzhQm46IZAGMk7kCDS8g/s400/eng407.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 303px;" /> </a><br />
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<em>Box loads of Highlanders! A bit mountainous for Belgium (actually the Ukraine)</em><em></em><br />
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<br />Talking of little people it was the photos in this book that made me go out and buy boxes of Airfix Highlanders. Here is half of a full page spread where you can count 300 men in the Highland regiment in the forground. A bit of a contrast to <em>Sharpe</em>!</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-41454014328242244242009-06-14T11:32:00.000-07:002015-06-16T03:14:26.629-07:00Dutch 27th Jaegers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, I continue to try to clear some of the part-finished backlog on my painting table. Today I finished four more Jaegers. The two Flank company ones complete my first company of six. The two centre company ones start off my next company. I really like the uniform of this regiment which is why I started my Napoleonics with this rather than French or British line. <br />
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I'd really like to get a few more on the go but as I am trying to clear myself some space I will work on some French line which have been sitting on the table for months.</div>
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legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-66815235936582975902009-06-02T06:35:00.000-07:002009-06-02T06:53:44.741-07:00British Napoleonic Uniforms by Carl Franklin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_zH9aatbekfcjTewPGwJfq1z8TnN58Tg7C38WSiRqcN9Taw-OmyVUPLXOejdnikHdrskp3DNZtce2Ghk_hNKeYkhFFDpyDeGWpXT8KThkJP5rHETaVdTvjbI72L38Os_IfPPe9T_7w/s1600-h/51LTeXm1BtL__SS500_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342726205377434738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_zH9aatbekfcjTewPGwJfq1z8TnN58Tg7C38WSiRqcN9Taw-OmyVUPLXOejdnikHdrskp3DNZtce2Ghk_hNKeYkhFFDpyDeGWpXT8KThkJP5rHETaVdTvjbI72L38Os_IfPPe9T_7w/s400/51LTeXm1BtL__SS500_.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">I have just started painting some Perry plastic Napoleonic British Infantry and I was in Foyles today when I spotted this book. It's just come out (about ten days ago) after some delay, I gather. It's subtitled The First Complete Illustrated guide to uniforms, facings and lace and that is exactly what it is. Every numbered British cavalry and infantry regiment gets a full page colour plate detailing uniforms and lace covering both the earlier periods and the Waterloo period. So on a typical page there will be about ten pictures of jackets (officers, men and musicians) with details of lace, officers' breast plates and buttons. The Cavalry section gives all the shabraques and harness details as well. This is just a tremendous resource for the figure painter and I know that I will be using it for years to come. </div><br /><div align="justify">There are no artillery uniforms presumably because these have been covered by the same author's companion book British Napolenic Field Artillery, which I have just ordered. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">I am at the point where I have to decide which regiment to model first (one from Picton's Division no doubt) and this will help a lot. The only thing which would have made it really complete would have been illustrations of the regiments' drums and flags but then it is really a uniform book so that can't really be expected.</div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-12605597620019329092009-01-20T04:14:00.001-08:002009-01-20T04:14:54.422-08:00Perry plastic v metal Napoleonic French<div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg81xqVkff6eXN0Ug7bkbTAJjqMybQFizi6Ci_lN2wyqwABeVKsrPKVc1z0nO4dF1XNzngMgdJ6fvnKfzrzzyjmp64uzbXCSDsnNPWsGcUkdTgDoffMTcRBIRfXWuTgujCJWg6tZh2zA/s1600-h/French+greatcoats+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266744672678061554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 382px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg81xqVkff6eXN0Ug7bkbTAJjqMybQFizi6Ci_lN2wyqwABeVKsrPKVc1z0nO4dF1XNzngMgdJ6fvnKfzrzzyjmp64uzbXCSDsnNPWsGcUkdTgDoffMTcRBIRfXWuTgujCJWg6tZh2zA/s400/French+greatcoats+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><em> Plastic on the left, metal on the right</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4Sr6zT-VQhKM8IS_kGg71ELLia4EYECJ5tzWbKa9eXgbqPUkbis_jEvQRxtd3U8nxoYbMKK-MOTUjYysi2aUciC_wXkgLi1tOucfs7uLUQTk9nk-Ex-07uOIrN_ZRnNWaQrbL4ZC2g/s1600-h/great+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266747698532339362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 370px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4Sr6zT-VQhKM8IS_kGg71ELLia4EYECJ5tzWbKa9eXgbqPUkbis_jEvQRxtd3U8nxoYbMKK-MOTUjYysi2aUciC_wXkgLi1tOucfs7uLUQTk9nk-Ex-07uOIrN_ZRnNWaQrbL4ZC2g/s400/great+1.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><em>Metal on the left, plastic on the right</em><br /><br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="justify">Well, I have started work on my first French unit (100th Line) and have actually completed two figures this weekend, which is not bad as I had to go around a possible school for my little boy and attended the Barry Gray 100th anniversary concert at the Festival Hall.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I did two figures in greatcoats so I could get them done quickly. A few observations. The plastic figures have better faces, more inscale rifles and bayonets but less fur detail on their packs (I had to paint a fur effect rather than dry brushing). There is only one small bit on the left coat turnback where the figure is indistinct because of the moulding process (not visible on the greatcoat figure). The detail on the rifle is not as crisp as the metal figure but then it doesn't bend either!</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The main difference is that the plastics have the round pom poms of the first battalion whereas the metals have the flat discs of the subsequent battalions. This only applies to fusiliers, of course, the flank companies had the same shako plumes.</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb42kc66M5E7pxWTLfjz2O8vYsJ0sJB6Jhn-sha70DkUkPEy8oRVbMdjTApxhGPShhbFpH5_gga_T7XMgInq6Fw9eHitaW2ncK6XDV-GqCttNxXYS4NWWgck6NaXCquDTdUEjIWZegQ/s1600-h/100th+Line+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266747868224625650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb42kc66M5E7pxWTLfjz2O8vYsJ0sJB6Jhn-sha70DkUkPEy8oRVbMdjTApxhGPShhbFpH5_gga_T7XMgInq6Fw9eHitaW2ncK6XDV-GqCttNxXYS4NWWgck6NaXCquDTdUEjIWZegQ/s400/100th+Line+1.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><em>100th Line so far. One of the first two units to engage the Dutch 27th Jaegers at Quatre Bras</em><br /></p><div align="justify">This has an effect on my first unit. The 100th Line had 3 battalions at Quatre Bras and at 1/33 the regiment comes out as 3 battalions of 12. I think a 36 man unit should be fine for the Charles Grant rules. I need another drummer and a mounted Colonel for this unit so will send off an order to the Perries next week. I also need a flag so will look at GMB for that.</div><div align="justify"></p></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">With my left over plastics and metals I have started to base some figures for the 4th light, the other regiment in Jamin's 2nd Brigade of Foy's 6th Division. This will be a bigger unit with 48 figures (he says casually). </div><div align="justify"></p></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The next three French are under way along with a couple more Dutch Jaegers and a cuirassier. I can't believe I am painting Napoleonics again!</div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-16553896712211335412009-01-20T04:13:00.001-08:002009-01-20T04:13:39.741-08:00Perry Napoleonic French: assembled<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolZz66P40CgMOcmriLge47hpDPxCE34jYojXLUv4bZ5XQNQ32yrOlBFhnwqqK_zvr988P_mI1VvAmSrnE6-fGfwrCk-8EAQCHYCTe6H2S3piXR-drWfNKROHiF8NO43MDn86DU2dCeg/s1600-h/Plastic+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264326060569152770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolZz66P40CgMOcmriLge47hpDPxCE34jYojXLUv4bZ5XQNQ32yrOlBFhnwqqK_zvr988P_mI1VvAmSrnE6-fGfwrCk-8EAQCHYCTe6H2S3piXR-drWfNKROHiF8NO43MDn86DU2dCeg/s400/Plastic+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><em> The contents of the box, based.</em></div><br /><div align="justify">I sat down and put these together over the weekend. It took about an hour and a forty-five minutes to get them into this state.</div><div align="justify"><p></p></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">My first impressions are very, very favourable. Apart from the six skirmishers and the command figures, where you have to stick on their arms, the figures are complete, except for their packs. The separate arms don't fit perfectly and will need a tiny bit of filler. I have started to paint one figure and experience has shown that it is much easier to stick on the pack <em>after </em>you have painted the figure (avoids poking a brush into small spaces to paint belts). I also, stupidly, stuck on a backpack with greatcoat to a figure wearing a greatcoat (there are two sorts of pack: with and without greatcoats) so I had to prize it off and start again. There are many spare heads but I just used the (attached) shakos (all the figures come with shakos the other headgear is only on the spare heads) for the first set (oh dear I am already contemplating another box). Swapping heads may be quite tricky as the rifle is so close to the head so I will need to be careful.</div><div align="justify"><p></p></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">There are a few mould lines (no flash) which can be scraped off in seconds with a sharp modelling knife. In fact I would say that preparation is quicker and easier than metal figures. I only cut my fingers twice (the plastic is <em>hard</em>). There really is little or no loss of definition compared with the metal figures and the size is spot on next to the metals (why couldn't Warlord Games manage this with their Romans?). I have nearly finished painting one of each metal and plastic figures so I will post them soon. </div><div align="justify"><p></p></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I reckon that at 1/33 ratio the box pretty much represents a two battalion regiment for Quatre Bras or Waterloo. I think I will start with the 3rd line who were one of the first units engaged at Quatre Bras. I reckon I need a mounted Colonel and another officer and drummer for the second battalion. Only the first battalion carried an Eagle, of course. The figures have round pom poms on their shakos so represent the first battalion of a regiment. The metal figures all have the flat discs of the subsequent battalions (I found that I have a number of these already). The Perrys reckon you can squeeze the pom poms to make the flat discs. I think I might try and cut them instead (more cut fingers). Something for the second box and, anyway, if you mess it up you can just bung on a new head! I also remember reading somewhere that the first battalion was likely to have had a better uniform issue than the others who were more likely to have just had greatcoats issued so I will make sure my first battalion looks a bit smarter. The chaps in any third battalion are going to look very tatty!</div><div align="justify"><p></p></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I think I will keep them as one unit as I don't think units of 15 or 16 will be that viable using the Charles Grant Rules.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><p></p></div><div align="justify">I am so enthused about these figures that I resumed work on the two Dutch jaegers I need to finish my first company of the 28th (the first allied unit really engaged on the day of Quatre Bras). I'm also now thinking about finishing my first cuirassier!</div><div align="justify"><p></p></div><div align="justify">Could a Napoleonic Blog be that far off?</div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-44719422150592546312009-01-20T04:08:00.000-08:002009-01-20T04:09:57.054-08:00Perry Plastics<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqcc58wttXnre1cBpEhCVRu7nxRXvSqzNQxvY3qClVqPI4sna_kCXwGDnobQY6UX-_giW_pBaOQbBPTvxXbcl2wFNXfn4-IMN6tnVK-G44peHSpKdZADROUiarB_UzN75Lg8xhSA52A/s1600-h/Part%2520of%2520Command%2520sprue.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263362912899982802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 309px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqcc58wttXnre1cBpEhCVRu7nxRXvSqzNQxvY3qClVqPI4sna_kCXwGDnobQY6UX-_giW_pBaOQbBPTvxXbcl2wFNXfn4-IMN6tnVK-G44peHSpKdZADROUiarB_UzN75Lg8xhSA52A/s400/Part%2520of%2520Command%2520sprue.jpg" border="0" /></a><em> Proper model soldiers, these!</em></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">I popped into Orc's Nest today (it's only 400 yards from my office!) to look for a few more Copplestone Ngoni and saw that they had the Perry French Plastic in, so I just had to buy a box. They are absolutely gorgeous; far superior to their rather disappointing ACW figures. Now I can see that I will be basing up French during Strictly Come Dancing tomorrow!<br /></div><div align="justify"><br />This however, gives me a problem. The figures come with pre cut bases that contemplate 6 Figures on a 40mm base (which I beleive is the norm for General de Brigade). I absolutely prefer to mount my figures on individual bases and make movement trays for them. Especially as I am interested in skirmish gaming for Napoleonics using the Sharp Practice Rules. The rules I used to use for Napoleonics in my Airfix days were the very old school Charles Grant ones which first appeared in Military Modelling in the seventies. These contemplate individual figures (in battalions of 48!) and I suspect that this is what I will go for.<br /><br /><br />I have always wanted to do portions of Quatre Bras as a wargame and did a lot of research as to the units involved and the numbers of figures you would need (hundreds and hundreds). General Brigade works out at 1/20 but I was thinking about 1/33 which would give French infantry battalions of about 12-14 figures, far too small for the Grant rules. If I combined battalions so that I had four units in, say Bachelu's Division that would give units of about 30: about right.<br /><br /><br />The great thing about this box is you get 42 figures for £15.00 plus loads of alternative heads and other bits (compared with Warlord's rather stingy 20 Roman Veterans for £17.00). </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Now, realistically I have painted exactly five Perry Napoleonics in three years but could this just get me painting them on the production line? I gather that many of the French units for The Hundred Days only had a uniform greatcoat and this would make painting them a lot quicker (about half the figures in the box are so equipped). Can't wait to get home and put the soundtrack to Waterloo on!</div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-19506258848321033242009-01-20T04:04:00.000-08:002009-01-20T04:07:34.845-08:00Alban Miniatures Sharpe and Harper<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfvuu2_TsP7bVEgr77t6MiwzV_l4hwaQ2m42ylqy0CRDerIRojjeZj0hbdmuh05UK5ytbGN2hjncFMt2LHXcoDA7yx_VJoARxRCGf-2LmilB4BLkL3XdTsEk0TOpd1aeGVa8OziTi-Q/s1600-h/sharpe+and+harper.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200333745904723602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfvuu2_TsP7bVEgr77t6MiwzV_l4hwaQ2m42ylqy0CRDerIRojjeZj0hbdmuh05UK5ytbGN2hjncFMt2LHXcoDA7yx_VJoARxRCGf-2LmilB4BLkL3XdTsEk0TOpd1aeGVa8OziTi-Q/s400/sharpe+and+harper.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">I just took delivery of my Sharp Practice set of rules from <em>The Two Fat Lardies</em> (ghastly name!). </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.toofatlardies.co.uk/">http://www.toofatlardies.co.uk/</a></div><br /><div align="justify">The rules look pretty good although they need an umpire which is slightly off-putting but maybe someone at the club might want a game. I like the fact that you only need a few dozen figures a side. Lots of Quatre Bras skirmish possibilities, so an excuse to buy more Perry Miniatures (especially now they are planning plastic figures!).</div><br /><div align="justify">The real reason I bought the rules was for the (not) Sharpe and Harper figures given away with the first 250 sets. There have been otehr S&H sets in the past but I haven't like any of them. I thought they looked a little odd to start with but that is because these are anatomically correct figures. This is a welcome initiative although it does present the problem of what figures will be compatible with them. Hopefully there will be more Richard Ansell sculpted figures for this range (there are some more generic riflemen promised, although I would like to see some with caps rather than all in shakos as illustrated on their website).</div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.albanminiatures.com/index.php">http://www.albanminiatures.com/index.php</a></div><br /><div align="justify">I have lined them up next to a Perry sculpted Foundry Rifleman and a Perry Miniatures Frenchman. The Frenchman is not as anatomically right as the Ansell figure but is close enough for me I think. So we can see Sharpe and Harper skirmishing around La Haye Sainte at some point!</div><br /><div align="justify">There are many nice things about the figures not least of which is the fact that Harper is taller than Sharpe. They have also sculpted Sharpe with his French backpack! I have just based and undercoated them and this brings out the detail which is very crisp indeed. I am not sure they look much like their TV counterparts and in fact I think they look more like the paintings from the UK paperbacks of ten years ago. Given this I will probably paint my Sharpe with black hair! </div><br /><div align="justify">I have been off painting for a bit as the work involved in getting ready for my new high-powered job has been taking all my time but I am really keen to start these two; always a good sign. In fact while waiting to finish this post I have started on their skin!</div><br /><div align="justify">I have wanted to do some Peninsula figures for ages and if this range grows it could give me the excuse I have been waiting for to buy all those lovely Grand Manner buildings!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">In looking up the height differential between Darragh O'Malley, who plays Harper, and Sean Bean (6 inches) I noticed that there is a new Sharpe TV film in Post production, <em>Sharpe's Peril,</em> which like the last one is also set in India. </div><div></div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-69131315322117646522009-01-20T04:01:00.000-08:002009-01-20T04:03:17.457-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrdnJpQW_xyWWKuzQXwd121KRmXjSW3L3w1tnpE0l1b-QzslKngi-mWfiXk5X_hA_FtgaupCU4z_GufJ4t3yi3e5heC0NH0nebowI0XBpiYLMF00C6X4Lijijr1FlX98BSYMfbsE1NA/s1600-h/Dutch+27th.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148348586732821698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrdnJpQW_xyWWKuzQXwd121KRmXjSW3L3w1tnpE0l1b-QzslKngi-mWfiXk5X_hA_FtgaupCU4z_GufJ4t3yi3e5heC0NH0nebowI0XBpiYLMF00C6X4Lijijr1FlX98BSYMfbsE1NA/s400/Dutch+27th.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">For a long time I have wanted to get back to painting some Napoleonic figures. I've wanted to do the Peninsula, largely because of Sharpe, but I haven't really found any figures I like, except the Anthony Barton 15mm ones which are too small for what I want to do which is large skirmishes. However, another possibility was Quatre Bras because the battle could, in many ways be broken down into a group of skirmishes. When the Perry twins came out with their 1815 French I knew I had to paint a few units. Like all Napoleonics they are very slow to paint but I have finished my first four Dutch flanquers from the 27th Jaegers. They were the first allied troops engaged on 16th June and held up a much larger force of French when the battle proper started. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvgqhuSWAwQXqeaPAimXt58qPmcJYkA4y1A1OPpzNK5dgtKvgAxJnu903uP7Qqpmhg1MPBXhov0Suf_e4GoWCTkhACCF8r-iU0gFD5MVWBf0s0eoH8tMssO8GeMpcluVBqnN3h26jUA/s1600-h/Dutch+27th+flanquer.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148348702696938706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvgqhuSWAwQXqeaPAimXt58qPmcJYkA4y1A1OPpzNK5dgtKvgAxJnu903uP7Qqpmhg1MPBXhov0Suf_e4GoWCTkhACCF8r-iU0gFD5MVWBf0s0eoH8tMssO8GeMpcluVBqnN3h26jUA/s400/Dutch+27th+flanquer.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Napoleonic rules I have are Charles Grant's which are very old school and use battalions of 48 or 36 for light infantry. JC in his excellent, if intermittant, Quatre Bras blog reccommends General de Brigade which uses a 1/20 scale. This is pretty scary but the two rule sets would give similar sized units so I am going to go for 1/20 which would mean 40 figures for this unit. If I can finish two more this holiday that would at least be a company!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQTImcLwT0TcInfZfi9w_va0OC33hRsPyCa35a_VrTqn5dz-rw7psl1UG-nWD0Knx7Xn-I_wLc3OlhHKDeBv5KaujvJMFVWBJsSgcVZnsVi7mR2uzQV6PrhuI98vLOHhfHFBdbEDjkg/s1600-h/Dutch+27th+hornist.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148348861610728674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQTImcLwT0TcInfZfi9w_va0OC33hRsPyCa35a_VrTqn5dz-rw7psl1UG-nWD0Knx7Xn-I_wLc3OlhHKDeBv5KaujvJMFVWBJsSgcVZnsVi7mR2uzQV6PrhuI98vLOHhfHFBdbEDjkg/s400/Dutch+27th+hornist.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Perry Miniatures figures, of course.legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-32915148159191678952009-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:002009-01-20T04:01:47.483-08:00My first Perry Napoleonic figure<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3656/1843/1600/fusilier%201a.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3656/1843/320/fusilier%201a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">Actually, it's the first metal Napoleonic figure I have finished since 1971 (a Hinchliffe Imperial Guard Grenadier). I did paint quite a few plastic 20mm Napoleonics about 11 years ago but never really was happy with them. I haven't liked the proportions of any of the metal manufacturers until the Perries started their ranges a few years ago. These are fantastic, though. Whether I will ever get enough done for a force is debatable. I am going to start a fusilier in a greatcoat and a voltigeur to see how they go.</div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932073748246315153.post-64139716381783646642009-01-20T03:55:00.000-08:002009-01-20T03:58:02.785-08:00Perry 1815 French<div align="justify"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3656/1843/1600/DSCN0390.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3656/1843/400/DSCN0390.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>Picture shows: L to R: Perry French Fusilier, Foundry Royal Marine (from B142), Perry Dutch-Belgian Jaeger (from DB32), Foundry British Rifleman (from B80) and Foundry British Early Infantry (from B8).</em><br /><br />I have decided to transfer all my old Napoleonic blog entries from my main site to this one.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">I bought one pack of the Perries new 28mm French Fusiliers at Salute yesterday as I had picked up some Dutch-Belgians at Colours. I had a few Foundry British and had also picked up, in the past, some of their newer Royal Marines and landing parties as "pre-casts". The Marines were quite a different size from the older British Infantry but match up better with the new Perry French (although the Perry figures have better proportioned heads). At last the Napoleonic beach skirmishes I bought the Marines for will be possible without terrible scale mis-matches.<br /><br /></div>legatus hedliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17078980742683576345noreply@blogger.com0