Saturday, May 31, 2014

French Grenadiers - Brigade Games

There are currently two Brigade Games' early French infantry battalions in my 28mm Napoleonic project.  When these two battalions first mustered from the painting desk, the 18 figures in each battalion wore bicorne.  While work is progressing on a nifty French Gendarmerie a pied infantry battalion, I decided to  add two grenadier figures in bearskin to each of the previously completed line battalions.

The French in Brigade Games' Napoleonic line are expertly sculpted by Paul Hicks and really are a pleasure to paint.  As the photos show, these are long and lanky Frenchmen and look like they have been on campaign for some time.  The first photo reminds me a bit of an impressionistic painting so I included it even though the details and colors are a little over-exposed.




With the reorganization of the two French battalions to include grenadiers, four painted infantry have been released for other duty.  Eight additional infantry are in The Lead Pile so another order to Brigade Games is required to bring a third battalion up to full strength.  With a few more figures, I could field a second battalion of gendarmes a pied too.  I just missed the free shipping promo but I can wait for the next sale.  As an aside, I really need to keep a list of figures needed to fulfill requirements so that when a sale pops up, I can respond quickly.

18 comments:

  1. Very fine "sans culottes".

    I do keep a "future orders" list (actually as a draft on the blog site, which never gets published - just easy for me to acces from anywhere)

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    1. That is a very good idea, Peter! My list is usually just a note on a scrap of paper which I forget about until after I place an order.

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  2. Nice work, I like the figures in the bicornes.

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  3. Very nice sir. They definitely have an air of grognard about them.

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    1. Thank you, Michael! The grenadiers do look like hardened vets, don't they?

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  4. Great job on these, Jonathan. I see we both recently worked on Hicks models. Best, Dean

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    1. Thanks, Dean. Yes, we are both currently on a "Hicks' kick!" I have a battalion of his French gendarmes on the painting desk now.

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  5. Love the mix, especially the lads in bearskins!

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    1. Thank you, Monty! The bearskinned guys are nice figures with much character.

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  6. Beautiful job...what's in the gourd? Water, French wine?

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  7. Excellent looking Frenchies - really like the mix of headwear! Good choice on basing as well, 40x40?. How many bases will you use to build a unit?

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    1. Thanks, Soren!

      You are close on the base size. These are based on Imperial measurements, thus 1.5 inch squares.

      At a nominal figure ratio of 30:1 and average campaign strengths in the Peninsular War, a French battalion consists of 4 stands of four figures plus separate skirmishers each while a British battalion contains 6 stands of three figures each plus skirmishers.

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  8. Excellent job they look marvellous.

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