Sunday 17 March 2024

A pair of Poirot's

I did say that the next unit would be something not quite so French and I would say Belgians fit the bill quite nicely. So this is where I have got to so far -

These are DN/1 Officer (charging) looking remarkably like the famous Belgian detective.
This is a conversion of BN/12 Drummer (playing). I snipped off his pack and added a Belgian one - clever eh?

Test figures for the Grenadier company (left) using DN/3 Private (charging) and the Light company (right) using DN/2 Private (firing).

And this of course is a paint conversion of BN/13 Ensign Regiment Colour. I'm quite please with how he turned out.

This unit has waited far too long in the lead-pile and I'm pleased to be finally starting on them.

Thursday 7 March 2024

The Monster has escaped!

Napoleon has escaped from Elba with his Old Guard and is marching on Paris. Marshal Ney has been sent to stop him with the 5th regiment of the line.

"On to Grenoble my grumblers!"
"Men of the 5th do not let them pass!"

"Soldiers of the 5th do you recognise me? If you want to kill your emperor here I am!"
"FIRE!"
"What do you think Pierre?"
"Oh, what the heck..."

"Vive l'empereur, Vive l'France, Vive Napoleon!"
"Did you really say you'd bring me back to Paris in an iron cage?"
"What me? No, that was definitely Murat!"

The 5th regiment is complete.

The figures used are:

2 x FN/1 Officer (charging)
1 x FN/4 Colour bearer (charging)
19 x FN/5 Fusilier (charging)
1 x FN/6 Drummer (charging)
1 FN/8 Officer (marching)

Next up will be something not quite so French.


Thursday 29 February 2024

More French Fusiliers

The extra day in February means that I have squeezed in the completion of yet another French line infantry regiment in the astonishing (for me) time period of one month. These lads will represent the 5th Regiment who of course were famously sent to stop Napoleon in his tracks after his escape from Elba.


This brings to a halt my expansion programme for the French line infantry the idea being that for larger games I will no longer have to rope in unlikely allies to fight alongside them to make up the numbers.

I'm giving myself a pat on the back for progress so far this year - 50 Hinton Hunt figures painted and ZERO new figures acquired!

Friday 23 February 2024

Artillery Review Part 2

Here are the French guns as promised together with the remainder of the Allied artillery.

The Guard are in the front row (of course) with the Line Foot batteries behind them.
The Emperor's daughters.

There are 8 guns, 2 limbers and 32 gunners.

The Austro-Russo-Prussian gun-line.

Who doesn't like gunners in bicornes?

There are 8 guns, 3 limbers and 32 gunners.

I have to confess that I'm quite surprised at just how many gun batteries there are in total so I think I can say with some confidence that the artillery for this project is complete.

Wednesday 21 February 2024

British Artillery Review

I'd been thinking I should probably hold an artillery review and then David twisted my arm by commenting that he'd like to see the whole artillery park. First up then is the Anglo-Allied gun line.

Ramsay & Mercer put the RHA through their paces.
These two batteries have been painted 15 years apart which is nearly the same length of time that the Napoleonic Wars lasted!

The full gun-line, British to the front and Allies behind. The Dutch have a French gun whilst the Brunswickers have been equipped with British guns on this occasion.

A pretty impressive force to hold those French columns at bay. It strikes me though that I am missing a limber for the Brunswick Horse Artillery and possibly (just possibly) I could do with another Foot Battery to bring the count up to an even eight guns.

Saturday 17 February 2024

Artillery Reinforcements Complete

The guns and limbers are finished and all ready for action. This brings the total of French guns up to eight which is surely enough even for Napoleon. The Duke increases his artillery park to a respectable four pieces.

A bit of an unusual sight but today the British and French artillery are parading together.

Ramsay's Battery. It's hard for me to believe but I painted Mercer's Battery back in 2009!

The figures used are:

1 x BN.24 Gunner (ramming home)
1 x BN.23 Gunner (positioned for manning gun)
1 x BN.24a Gunner (holding hand spike)
1 x BN.25 Officer (holding spy-glass and pointing)
1 x A.2 Field Gun - with modified wheels

This is the fourth French Foot Battery for the collection. The officer had lost his shako plume so I have reconstructed it.

The figures used are:

1 x FN/32 Gunner (holding cannon ball)
1 x FN/34 Gunner (positioned for manning gun)
1 x FN/30 Officer (pointing)
1 x FN/33 Gunner (ramming home)
1 x A/3 Field Gun - with modified wheels

This addition means that both sides can field the right number of limbers for their Horse Batteries.

The figures used are:

1 x BN.28 R.H.A. Driver (positioned for riding on gun horse H/1)
1 x H/1 Nearside draught horse
1 x H/2 Offside draught horse
1 x AL.2 Gun Limber (British)
1 x A.2 British Field Gun
1 x FN/36 Driver, Line Artillery Drivers Corps (positioned for riding H/3)
1 x H/3 French Gun Horse (near side horse)
1 x H/4 French Gun Horse (off side horse)
1 x French Limber by Newline Designs
1 x A/3 French Field Gun

All the figures used are vintage Hinton Hunt castings (with the exception of the Newline Designs French limber).

Next up, you guessed it - more French line infantry.

Friday 9 February 2024

Guard Cavalry Review - 2

It's just under a year ago (click here) that I confidently announced that the French Guard Cavalry was now 'complete'. However, to be fair, I did add that this was subject to me ever finding enough Guard Chasseur-a-Cheval figures to make up a unit. Anyway, here they are again!

The full Guard Cavalry Division, Light Brigade to the front, Heavy Brigade in rear - 60 figures in total.

The Lancers - combined Red Lancers and Poles.

Chasseur-a-Cheval.

The yummy Eclaireurs!

The Empress' Dragoons.

The Horse Grenadiers.


This time they really are complete...