We're playing Vintage Dresden next week and I've been busy getting things ready, sorting out the troops and setting up the table. Now I'll say this straight off - this is NOT an historical refight but a game loosely based on the famous battle of 1813. I have had to distil the two-day fight into an 8-turn format for use with Muskets & Marshals that I hope preserves the essence of the battle in a playable but fun game. Here are a few snaps of the set-up.
 |
| The whole table with initial deployments looking from the allied left. I've configured the table to my maximum 8' x 4'. |
 |
| The Eclaireurs on Windmill Hill behind the Great Garden. Nice to see them as they don't get out much |
 |
| The French position around the garden is held by the Young Guard. They are quite thin on the ground but are no doubt hoping for reinforcements. That's the newbie Grenadier Tirailleurs just in shot on the right, paint still drying on their bases. |
 |
| The French right. The village of Plauen is this side of the River Weisseritz with Lobtau on the far side. At the moment the river is fordable along its length but who knows what might happen if it were to rain? |
 |
| The off-table reinforcements will arrive randomly on the turn of a card. All will be on table by turn 7 but in which order will they arrive? Without the movement trays trying to introduce so many troops during play would have been very slow but I'm hoping this will speed things along. |
 |
| "The Prussians are in the Woods!" - oops, sorry, wrong battle... |
If all goes well my next post should be a full battle report.
17 comments:
Superb looking table and all those lovely miniatures on show, top notch. Will be looking forward to the report, should be a good game.
Looks a cracker, the Allies better get lucky and get their reinforcemenst in early or they'll be swept away by all those cuirassiers, carabiniers and guard cavalry!
Thanks Donnie, I’m hoping the scenario is balanced but only one way to find out!
Thanks Rob, the allies will have to get their skates on as they start with a 2:1 advantage. The reinforcements start arriving on turn 3.
I'm going to tease you again, but you know that we only tease people we like and whose work we appreciate.
Your interpretation of the Battle of Dresden is very interesting. The pennant you gave to your tirailleurs-grenadiers is possible, although I think hunting horns are more likely for the tirailleurs chasseurs. For the tirailleurs-grenadiers I would have rather considered grenades at the four corners of the pennant.
My comment concerns the aide-de-camp alongside a commander-in-chief (white plumes) in the fourth photo.
The decree of 1 Vendémiaire, Year XII, specifies this in Chapter III.
Aide-de-camp to a Brigadier General: blue armband, blue plume
Aide-de-camp to a Major General: red armband, blue plume topped with red
Aide-de-camp to a General-in-Chief: white armband, white plume topped with red
Aide-de-camp to a Field Marshal: white armband, white plume.
I remain in awe of your work and appreciate your depiction of Dresden Castle and its gardens, where my ancestor fought.
That is sight to behold.
And now you have just as many troops off table as on.
The collection is world class!
FF tu es ume allumeuse! I believe we have had this conversation before - I merely painted him in accordance with Marcus Hinton’s instruction sheet. I’m glad you like the gardens…
Matt, this could be a sign it is time to stop!
This is going to be one big, beautiful fight! Will the main table be able to sustain the weight if all that metal!?
Zum Teuffel! Heran an den Franzosen. Sie werden bald.....cuirassiers, carabiniers and guard cavalry, you say, Rob. Why don't we call a summit? Schnapps, anyone?
Bob, I'm still awaiting the structural engineers report but hopefully!
No worries Nigel, you may get the Sommarivas!!!
Getting excited already - I'll go over the photos with a beer this evening. That means, "I'll drink a beer while looking at the photos".
Tony, the lads are looking forward to seeing you too - stay sober!
I'll be doing the same as Foy. Absolutely wonderful stuff!
Thanks WM stay tuned!
I searched the internet in vain for the text of the decree of 1 Vendémiaire, Year XII.
I share with you the written sources I used to paint my aides-de-camp. They are both in French, but since you seem to know our language...
https://www.lelivrechezvous.fr/soldats-napoleoniens-n-1-nouvelle-serie.html
Ronald Pawly's article transcribes the entire text over 40 pages. It is accompanied by the 13 black and white plates annexed to the decree.
The text specifies the full dress uniform, the undress uniform, and the field dress uniform when it existed, as well as the horse's weapons and equipment.
- Chapter I: Uniforms of Generals
- Chapter II: Uniforms of Army Staff Officers
- Chapter III: Uniforms of General Staff Officers and Staff Employees
- Chapter IV: Uniforms of Engineering Officers and Fortification Employees
- Chapter V: Uniforms of Review Inspectors
- Chapter VI: Uniforms of War Commissioners
- Chapter VII: Uniforms of Generals, Staff Officers of the Army and the Staff of the Army, Review Inspectors, and War Commissioners (retired)
- Chapter IX: Uniforms of Officers Receiving Retirement Pay
- Chapter X: Uniforms of Medical Officers
- Chapter XI: Uniforms of Members of the Military Hospital Administration
- Chapter XII: Provisions for Implementing the Regulations
The 13 plates annexed to the decree are intended for civilian and military master tailors to make uniforms in accordance with the regulations.
The uniform of aides-de-camp appears in Chapter II, following those of the adjutants and assistant staff officers.
http://www.histofig.com/briquet/hs11.htm
This 50-page booklet deals only with aides-de-camp.
- Aides-de-camp to the Emperor
- Aides-de-camp to the Marshals
- Aides-de-camp to the Generals
It reviews the regulations prior to the decree of 1 Vendémiaire, Year XII, before providing the text. The latter is abundantly illustrated with more than 50 drawings, most in color, which, alongside the standard uniforms, present numerous deviations from the decree and the comments they provoke.
The latter work is easier to read, and the illustrations make it more pleasant to browse. The former is more austere but also more comprehensive regarding the uniforms of officers attached to a staff.
Perhaps I am so particular about the uniform of staff officers because I myself served for 25 years as a staff officer in the French army.
Post a Comment