Monday 27 November 2017

On the workbench - Casualty Markers for GdA

A few of the lads at the half-way point
After many years of use the old hexagonal casualty markers are being retired and replaced with some of the excellent dials available through Warbases in the UK.  The old style ones were great however they did have several limitations.  Firstly the footprint was quite large on the table and the need to turn the various edge against the rear rank of the unit that it was administering sometimes caused a few issues. 


On several occasions I had moved the unit and then had to struggle to remember whether it had suffered 3 casualties or 4.  No big deal however wargaming accessory technology has developed and has me ready to embrace a change in direction.


A few here however I still have at least another 40 to put together for the Austrians, Russians, Bavarians etc.

A lovely casualty set from Perry Miniatures which is perfect for such a purpose


The same figures on the old style bases

A good example of the larger footprint which I wanted to move away from.

I think this fine cavalry casualty model will find its way onto its own vignette.


Hopefully this weekend will see the bases painted, flocked and tufted and ready for the next game of General D'Armee.

Saturday 25 November 2017

The first of the Austrians for 1805



Elite Miniatures Grenzer - half the figures were purchased pre-painted and the balance matched in.


Though the Russians and the French have been receiving a lot of the focus for this project, the Austrians that fought in the Austerlitz campaign and beyond are still very much in the works.




As always, Elite Miniatures will be the focus of the collection for this period with the occasional Front Rank
figure taking up a position as well as required.



Wednesday 8 November 2017

Completed Russian foot artillery for 1805-07

A close up of our hard working Russian friends at the action!
Those followers of this blog would have seen that I have been working on the Napoleonic 1805-07 project for quite sometime.  One of the latest developments has been to base some lovely Elite Miniatures Russian foot artillery in a slightly unconventional way.


I was inspired to do so by the figures of Mr John Ray who several years ago published a fine tome titled "A Military Gentleman".  In it he showcased many of his wonderful, personally designed figures as well as a superb style of basing and capturing our hobby in a wonderful and characterful way.  One such deviation from the norm that John had envisaged was basing artillery in non-rectangular shaped formats so as to maximise the ability to transform each base into an action scene.


I was instantly hooked and have determined that my artillery for this period will also be so based.  I will then replicate it when I kick start the Elite Peninsular project sometime in late 2018.


In this shot you can see the unusual template on the ground and the rough laying out of  figures and
equipment to ensure all marries up reasonably well.

Love the idea of being able to use the wonderful ramming figures in the correct manner


Here we have an angle from just off centre - that's a heck of a lot of firepower!

A very different look however one I am very, very pleased with.

Another angle

Very much like how the gun timber have come out using the Foundry triad paint system.  You can see a
requisitioned wheelbarrow from the old Hinchcliffe ECW artillery range which I thought was perfect
for these gunners to use to help transport their bloody heavy round shot up to their pieces.

I think the battery certainly looks more animated and not "squashed in " to accommodate a base of conventional means



The "Money Shot" - the newly based battery is approximately 10mm wider in frontage than the standard
basing that I have used in the past with General D' Brigade rules. Perfect.


I did post a few shots of these on the Facebook page for the Napoleonic Wargamers Group and received approximately 70% liking the innovation and 30% of those thinking that they could never get used to the irregular edges and shape which is really what I expected if truth be told.  It is different and certainly not something for everyone however for this particular style project, I simply think it works tremendously well.