Saturday, 18 March 2017

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

28mm Landsknechts Swiss Wars Pike Unit and Handgunners

I think these are mostly Wargames Foundry, first painted because I fancied the challenge - then expanded into a unit bit by bit through picking up the odd figures here and there. I think I was working on the unit to catch up with some club members who were way ahead. Never did get it ready in time for the game they were planning.

Mostly painted by me - about 10 or so handgunners were picked up on ebay painted but unbased, although I also added a few flicks of the brush to these before varnishing and basing.

The flags are also handpainted -  I'm no expert on this era  (didn't even do basic buying for research) so I think I was just after  general effect. If you can identify them please let me know.  The pikes hurt.

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And here are some more detailed pics of individual ranks
















Monday, 13 March 2017

EBAY Auction British Napoleonic Infantry Division - 15mm painted.

Not painted by me - but a good collection of figures.  Starting price 1pence, yes one penny. Many more pictures on the auction.

Napoleonic British 15mm figures - click for auction.




EBAY Auction: Darkest Africa Tribal warriors - work for Congo Rules. Painted.

I've listed three lots of Wargames Foundry Darkest Africa Tribal Warriors on e-bay.  Each auction shows more pictures.  Click on the images or the caption to go to the auction.



Click here for the auction.
Click here for the auction.
Click here for auction

Saturday, 11 March 2017

Prussian Napoleonic Artillery 28mm Painted Connoisseur (?) Figures

28mm Prussian Napoleonic Foot Artillery - battery one.

28mm Prussian Napoleonic Foot Artillery - battery two.


These are two batteries of Prussian foot artillery as part of Bulow's 3rd Corps in 1813.  Part of a plan to field these opposite Bertrand's IV corps.  I think these are Connoisseur  - but I'm not 100% sure.  I took a look at this fab list of figure producers and I'm still not sure.  It does though remind me how much I have coveted Calpe's artillery.    (update: I now think these may be Elite miniatures, that takes me back!)

The two units are very similar although the bottom unit I decided to paint the gun barrels using non metal metallics.  


Here are some more pictures (still need to work on depth of field - I just don't like using flash when photographing minis). 







Friday, 10 March 2017

28mm Milan Guard 1813 - Painted Wargames Foundry Figures - Perry Sculpts

Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry

This is a unit I painted many moons ago as part of a slightly mad plan to create Bertrand's 1813 IV Corps in it's entirety in 28mm. I was tempted by the variety - it includes an Italian Division and Wurttemberg Division.  Needless to say I only managed to do part of the division.  I'll try and dig out some more of the Italians and a bizarre experiment with painting Wurttemberg flats, for speed!

I got the inspiration from a couple of books:  Petrie's volume on the 1813 campaign and "Napoleon's Grand Armee of 1813 by Scott Bowden". 

The last book has a series of unit lists for the army at various points in the campaign. The Milan Guard was in Moroni's 3rd Brigade of the 15th Division - commanded by Fontanelli.  They fought alongside three battalions of the  7th Italian Line Regiment at Gross-Beeren, Dennewitz, Wartenburg, Leipzig & Hanau.   The battalion had six line companies - no "elite" companies. 

The figures are metal 28mm Wargames Foundry French Infantry  (I think mainly FN 080 - marching in campaign dress) - one of the last lots sculpted by the Perry's I think. They are beautiful figures and a pleasure to paint.  The flag is hand painted and pretty much to size - but feels a little too small.

Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry



I need to work on my photography - any tips on how to get better depth of field would be greatly appreciated. 
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry

Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry
Milan Guard 1813 - 28mm Wargames Foundry Napoleonic Infantry

Thursday, 2 March 2017

A new two volume history by John Hussey of the Waterloo Campaign and a PHD thesis on Hougomont




John Hussey has been working across four languages to pull together this two volume history of the 100 days and it's aftermath.  The first will be out in April.


Whilst something  you can read now is an intriguing PHD on Hougoumont - what it was like in June 1815.  It has also been informed by the fascinating work of the archaeology charity Waterloo Uncovered (they combine archaeology with current veterans to explore the battlefield).  A taste of their work

"Tony is confident that the lead musket shot found along that southern perimeter signaled the opening of this brutal and titanic confrontation.  

Metal detecting needn’t be limited to the ground.   Three ancient chestnut trees, standing just south of the main gatehouse of the farm, appear to be riddled with lead shot, if the detectors are to be believed.  Unsurprising, since the trees stand in the line of fire of the British guardsmen defending the south side of the gatehouse, who would have been pouring fire onto the attacking Frenchman."

Selling - 28mm Young Guard - Flanquer Chasseurs Painted 2 battalions

  Here's the link if you want to have a look :  They're the fab green uniforms (with higher officer wearing their blue Middle Guard ...