Over-egging the fusiliers

I’m slightly concerned to find myself sprucing up a unit I completed 4 years ago when I still have a lead mountain to climb, but sometimes things just go that way. As I said before, I’ve never been very happy with my West Prussian Fusiliers as I think they were completed in too much of a hurry and the lumpy top to the original flagstaff always bugged me.

So they’ve been issued with a new flagstaff (and the bearer with new hands), a hornist has replaced the drummer and the whole lot have been given two coats of gloss varnish. Hopefully now I can leave them alone, but then again, hmm…

Work continues on the musketeers with the addition this week of the officers for all 3 units I’m planning. Now there really is nothing left to do except get on with the rank and file.

24 painted, 48 more to go.

Albuera – a near run thing

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be invited to Tony’s to take part in a refight of Alubera using his amazing collection of 20mm figures and his C&CN derivative Ramekin rules. This must be the best C&CN type game I have ever played, lots of drama, lots of fun, lots of dice and great company. I played the French whilst Goya and Tony shared the allied command, here are some highlights.

View along the table prior to kick-off. French on the left, allies
on the right. Albuera is centre foreground.

This is the allied left flank comprised mostly of Portuguese
with the KGL holding the town itself.

The allied centre, Spanish in the front line supported by the
British behind them. At one point Goya actually asked Tony
what the plan was, to which he coolly replied "To beat the
French!".

My plan was to contract my left flank and attack with my right,
but not directly at the town, and see what opportunities might
develop.

Despite my best efforts the allied position was just too strong
and after taking heavy casualties the attack fizzled out.

With my right now temporarily disengaged to reorganise, I
thought it would be a good time to see what I could do on the
other flank.

Here I had some real success against the Spanish and literally
drove a wedge through their line. However the British behind
them proved a tougher nut to crack.

This was the now or never moment for my cavalry on the
extreme left, and I sent all 5 units thundering forward in a
dramatic charge - what could possibly go wrong?

Well, it was these infernal chaps (Dragoon Guards beautifully
paint by Lee) who cantered forward and somehow disposed of
the cream of the French cavalry. They didn't do it all by
themselves but it felt like it.

At this stage I was trailing in the VP stakes but somehow
managed to cobble together a large enough force to have a
crack at taking Albuera itself (worth 2 VP's).

After a herculean effort my men gained a foothold in the town
but it was not quite enough to win. 

The final score was 13-10 to the allies (12 VP's were needed
for a victory).

To be able to play such a large game to a conclusion in four hours is remarkable (we must have played at least 15 turns) so 10 out of 10 to Tony for his efforts with the rules and scenario. Despite the hexes this looked, played and felt like a traditional wargame and was a visual treat. On top of it all we had veggie-haggis, neeps and tatties for lunch washed down with a fine onion gravy that Goya in particular savoured.

 My thanks to Tony and Goya for a superb game and the Countessa for a superb lunch!

Prussian progress

Work on the Prussian masses continues with another 5 Silesian Musketeers completed this week together with drummers for all 3 battalions and a hornist for the fusiliers. This is an unprecedented rate of production for me but surely it can’t last.

I also managed to complete the overhaul of the fusilier standard-bearer and I’m much happier with the updated version. The flagpole was made from a piece of brass rod with the top end squeezed flat with pliers and filed into shape (I was inspired by the very nice flagpoles made for me by Wellington Man).

Next up I have 5 officers to paint and then I’ll have to knuckle down to completing the rank and file. 19 figures done, 53 to go.

Prussian production line

Prussian production is now in full swing and I have completed 11 Silesian musketeers so far. There are quite a few others ranked up on the painting desk in various stages of production. I’m trying to be organised and plan to paint the command figures for all 3 units in batches together for greatest efficiency.

I’ve also decided on a quick re-fit of the Fusilier battalion. To be honest I’ve never been happy with this unit mainly because I made a bit of a mess of the flagpole, so I’ve taken the opportunity to replace this and reposition the bearer’s arms. I’ve also removed the drummer and will replace him with a hornist using a Jager figure (the drummer will be reassigned to one of the musketeer battalions). The whole unit will also get a coat of gloss varnish which I hope will lift them a bit as the black straps against blue make them look quite dark.

From left to right: Soult, Nansouty, Wellington

I was very please to receive a package from Ian J this week that contained some lovely vintage castings of personality figures. Apparently, the figures had been in a loft for 50 years, but they seem to be enjoying the daylight now standing proudly on my desk. I already have examples of all three, but I can easily accommodate them in my armies with a name change, except possibly Wellington but then again two Dukes would surely confound the French.

First Prussian Musketeer

I’ve completed a test figure for the first of my Prussian line units PN.3 Private (charging). This unit will have the yellow collar and cuffs of a Silesian Regiment as per the Hinton Hunt painting instruction sheet.

I know this figure well as I prepared and painted around 60 of them in the early 70s. Back then it took me almost as long to remove the flash metal (with one blunt file) as it did to paint them with my limited palette of Humbrol enamels and rather basic paint brushes.

My plan is to churn out three units in this charging pose, each with a different colour of facings. Once done this will complete the infantry element of my Prussian Army.

Prussian General Mark 2

I’m very pleased with the way this figure turned out. It’s a conversion of PN64 Prussian General (mounted) looking through spy-glass but as the observant among you will have noted his telescope has been removed and arm re-positioned. During this process I inevitably cut off the peak to his cap and his nose and these had to be reconstructed with Magic Sculp.

I have decided he will represent Colonel Von Hiller who commanded the 16th Brigade at Waterloo. This Brigade included the 1st and 2nd Silesian Landwehr Regiments (which I now have in my OOB) and took part in the fighting at Plancenoit. I found this on 16th Brigade:

Hiller’s 16th Brigade formed line and the six battalions marched directly on Plancenoit, determined to oust the French defenders; with the 14th Brigade moving up in their rear to form a reserve. The Prussian assault was initially successful, pushing the French defenders back, as far as the open space around the church which sat on a small hillock and was surrounded by a defensive wall. Here they met a furious resistance and the advance was halted.

Just shows what you can do with 2 units of Silesian Landwehr.

Where’s my frozen yoghurt?

We were in London over the weekend for some R&R. Finding myself in Camden Passage on Sunday I couldn’t resist nipping along to take another look at the old Hinton Hunt shop.

The last time I was there in 2011 (click here) it was a frozen yoghurt shop but now it’s something rather different.