Russian Cossacks for Suvorov and the 1799 Project

Having been away for the work week, I return home to settle into the painting chair.  The portable painting kit did not accompany me this week since I had plenty to hold my attention in the evenings.  That, and I am awaiting a new portable painting light to arrive from USA-based Joann craft store.  The light I selected was on deep discount with a 20% discount coupon thrown in for good measure.  The light was practically free.  A review will follow once I receive the lamp.

After having made no progress on the 1799 project since midsummer, a small addition to the Russian contingent musters off the painting desk.  These six Russian Cossacks are from Eureka Miniatures' SYW range of figures.  Excellent figures that are well proportioned.  Eureka's Russian Cossacks and hussars are much better sculpted (in my opinion) than the other figures in the Russian range.  These six will join another matching half-dozen painted earlier to form a Cossack pulk of four squadrons.  

With one of my 2016 objectives to get the 1799 project onto the gaming table before year end, attention needs to be drawn back to that goal.  What is needed before I can get a game on the table?  From memory, more artillery for all combatants could be pressed into useful service.  For foot, enough are present for service in a small to moderately sized battle.  My small cavalry forces should, at present, be sufficient to field horse in the numbers needed for many of the battles in either Switzerland or Northern Italy.   

Looking through histories of the two campaigns, Montebello 1800 strikes me as a worthy candidate for the initial trial.  To sweeten the pot for Montebello, my thought is to set up the battlefield of Montebello once and to tackle the two battles in 1800 and 1859 over the same ground.  That way I get both the 1799 and 1859 projects onto the gaming table with reduced fuss. I suppose, economies of scale.  Stay tuned as I work through the details.