Suvorov's Russians

As suggested by popular demand (well, popular demand in the sense that two readers asked for a parade!), I present the Russian Army mustering out for the 1799 project.  Actually, this is not quite true.  I reckon there are at least two battalions of jagers that are not included in this parade.  If I search, I bet I find these missing light infantrymen lurking among the SYW Russian Army.

Turning pages back, a long way back, through the Painting Log, I first began working on this Russian Army in 2009.  With no upcoming battle to deploy on the table, adding to the collection has been hit and miss over the years.  2018 and 2019 saw some renewed activity but not much notable progress since then.  2026 has seen six infantry battalions muster out representing the most activity in a long time.

The photo above shows the composition of the Russian Army as of June 2026.  Well, correct with the exception of the missing jagers, that is.  Figures are mostly AB Miniatures with some Eureka and Old Glory tossed in for good measure and variety.  Besides a few odds and ends, The Lead Pile is empty of FRW Russians.

Those units ready for service are:

• 6x Cossack regiments
• 3x Militia/Foot Cossack battalions
• 5x Musketeer Regiments of two battalions each
• 3x Grenadier Regiments of two battalions each
• 6x Combined Grenadier Battalions
• 8x Artillery batteries

I really ought to put together a scenario to bring this army onto the field of battle for its baptism of fire.  First, though, a series of Feudal Japan actions featuring the Battle Among the Tombs.

Hope you enjoyed the parade!

Russian Grenadier Regiment 1799

Output from the workbench continues with the FRW theme.  Today’s installment focuses on another Russian regiment from Suvorov’s 1799 Switzerland and Italian campaign.  

Marching out from the painting desk is a grenadier regiment of two, thirteen figure battalions.  As a reminder, Russian grenadier regiments featured soldiers wearing a SYW Prussian-like fusilier shortened mitre hat.  Actual grenadiers in these regiments wore Prussian style tall mitre hats.  Grenadiers were pulled out of the grenadier regiments to form combined grenadier battalions.

These fellas march out as the Tuarica Regiment in their orange facings.  Figures are AB Miniatures.  Fine figures and another tick against emptying The Lead Pile of Russian figures for this project.  While I have not made a final tally, I suspect that enough Russians are now present under arms to begin thinking about bringing this army to the table for a game. 

First, though, I plan a return to Feudal Japan in a series of upcoming battles.  Details on these battles to follow once an order from Peter Pig arrives with bits to construct a couple of Imperial tombs.

EDIT: Post delayed from appearing in blogroll feed by about 20 hours!

Austrian Cavalry Batteries

A small update from the painting desk today.  Begun under the shadow of the four-game series refighting Montebello, two Austrian cavalry batteries muster out from the painting desk.  Too late to participate at Montebello, these artillerymen will be ready for service when they are next called into action.  Still pondering bringing Marengo to the table but other games are in the queue before returning to the FRW. 

The two guns and eight artillery crew are all from AB Miniatures.  As always, fine sculpts.  Sticking with the FRW theme, a Russian grenadier regiment may be next out of the blocks.

On the gaming front, Richard hosted a remote game featuring the 1870 Prussian Guard Corps' assault at St. Privat.  I will have something to say about how my French were roughly handled another day, probably once Richard posts a battle recap.  Until then, a teaser from our game...

I may have been thumped in this one but I look forward to giving the French a better outing next time.

FRW Austrians in Casquet

May is turning out to be a busy month but not so busy on the wargaming front.  Nancy, Milo, and I returned from a week on the Oregon Coast where we met two of my sisters and their families to enjoy some sun, wind, and even a little rain.  Good to reconnect with family, talk about our younger days together, and even take on a little exploration.  With house guests the next two weekends, finding time to dive back into hobby activities might be fleeting.  There is a playtest session on deck for Monday so that should be fun.

With Montebello still fresh in mind and thoughts of Marengo up next, no surprise that more troops for that theatre might meander through the painting queue.  No surprise at all!

Out from the painting desk are three battalions of Austrian infantry in their pre-1798 uniform and headgear.  Mustering out are two battalions from IR51 and one battalion from IR33.  All battalions are Hungarian regiments in their distinctive blue pantaloons.  Figures are from AB Miniatures.  39 figures to add to the completed tally.  Hooray!  Why only one battalion from IR33?  Well, I have exhausted my ready supply of Austrian figures!  There are still enough figures in The Lead Pile to field more artillery and at least one combined grenadier regiment.  Next up are likely some Russian infantry from a 1799 grenadier regiment.  Possibly a return to Biblicals before the Russians are coming.  We will see.

I wrap up this post with a photo from the bluff overlooking the three-mile crescent beach at Manzanita where we stayed.  While I am no active member of a local tourism board, I may share some more photos of our recent travels to the Oregon Coast as a diversion in another post.

Battlefield Lull

While it has been a busy week, not a tremendous amount of progress on the hobby front.  With nature throwing a switch, temperatures have climbed dramatically in the last week.  What that sudden change in atmosphere triggers is that my workload flips from indoor activities to outdoor activities.  Yardwork jumps to the fore as the garden and lawn spring back to life.  Infrastructure such as sprinkler systems and lawn maintenance equipment need adjusting and a general clean-up is required after putting everything away back in October and forgetting about it.  Cycling back on the roads is seeing a marked increase as well as I test out both body and bike for the upcoming campaigning season.  With that shift in direction, wargaming has seen a bit of a lull. 

Heavy fighting at Casteggio

There was one game on the week's docket.  That remote game, on Tuesday, saw a four-player refight of Montebello.  Tuesday's Montebello witnessed the fourth playing of the scenario, and it was another good one.  With experience from the previous three games and having increased player numbers, I figured the battle might be fought in two sessions.  Well, we managed to fight to conclusion in one long four-and-a-half-hour session.  Everyone was likely exhausted after that mini marathon.  The fellas in England certainly endured a late night.  I finished curating the game photos this morning.  Hopefully, I can sit down and tap out a battle report in the coming days.

On the painting desk, I did manage to produce a second Russian infantry regiment of two battalions for the 1799 project.  Like the Russian regiment produced earlier, these figures are AB Miniatures.

These two, thirteen figure battalions march out as Musketeer Regiment Dalheim.  As expected, the AB sculpts are marvelous.  On the painting desk is a third Russian regiment.  The third regiment will muster out as a grenadier regiment with its short mitre hats.

Painting output was down in April compared against the first three months of the year.  Without going back to painting seasonality analysis and tendencies, I suspect that seeing a drop in April is normal.  We will see if painting ticks up in May.

The lead photo captures a snapshot during the Montebello game with the French attack on Casteggio in the foreground and the detritus of the game room in the background.  The large screen in the background monitors the game in session.

Tyrtov Infantry Regiment

Well, here is a project that has seen no activity at the painting desk in at least a couple of years.  That project is the Second Coalition featuring the fighting in Northern Italy and Switzerland.  Looking back into the Painting Log, no new Russians have been added for nearly six years.  Spurred on by the appearance of the 1800 Battle of Montebello on the gaming table, probably not much of a surprise that a few units for this project would be pushed into the production queue.  Yeah, probably no surprise at all.  I may not be alone in experiencing this Butterfly Effect.

Something similar struck when I fielded a series of Reconquista battles near year-end.  More unpainted figures were pulled from The Lead Pile, primed, and ready for painting.  A few units came under the brush to form new recruits, but several units remain in the Ready-to-Paint box when my attention shifted to something new.  Sound familiar?

Anyway, out from the painting desk today are two battalions of Russian Infantry Regiment Tyrtov.  Figures are AB Miniatures.  While Montebello is still on table with a fourth game slated for Tuesday, expect a few more units to march out from the workbench before I flit onto another project.

In an earlier post, one reader expressed an interest in seeing more of the falls choked with spring runoff.  While that earlier post highlighted the Upper Spokane Falls, the photo above shows the Lower Falls before it passes under the Monroe Street Bridge.  Quite a lot of water passing over the dam and cascading down the falls before entering the gorge.  The photo below shows what the Lower Falls looked like last summer.  Quite a stark contrast.

That's it for today.  Tomorrow, another battle!

Painting Interlude

Having a seemingly, unending stream of Lake Trasimene battles monopolizing blog content, I figured it time to slip in a painting post to break any monotony.  Trasimene sees action at least one more time late today with a Postie's Reject rematch.  Seeing the Romans bludgeoned last week, the tables turn and sides are swapped.  Will Carthage find victory again with a pair of different players at the helm?  Stay tuned.

Getting back to the painting desk, off the table today are twelve French dragoons from AB Miniatures.  The troopers muster out as the 8th Dragoons.  These dragoons are from AB's 1796-1806 range of figures for use in planned FRW battles.  With these figures in the Ready-to-Paint box for quite a while, I checked on the Eureka website to confirm that these are actually dragoons from the early period.  They are.  I also noticed that Eureka has raised prices on AB figures.  Given the state of the economy, a price rise is not that surprising.  I am somewhat surprised that the prices were held steady for so long.  

After the gaming table is cleared of Punic Wars figures, what is next?  The answer to this question is still undecided.  I am considering a return to the WAS with a look at the battle of Kesselsdorf.  Chris (Horse and Musket Gaming) and I are collaborating on scenario design and development to bring the battle to my hexes and Fields of Honor.  Also under consideration is a return to a collection that has not seen action in years.  That collection?  Great Italian Wars.

Having the recently released book, Wargame Scenarios: The Italian Wars Battles 1494-1559, drop onto my doorstep on Saturday, I may find something, therein, of interest to bring to the table. 

Time to make final arrangements for today's Lake Trasimene game.

French Infantry circa 1799

Despite a steady stream of 18mm SYW/WAS figures slowly shuffling through the painting queue, I interrupted the normal process flow to toss in something new.  Well, not new, actually.  These figures have been sitting in the Ready to Paint box for nigh-on two years.  Possibly even longer.  Looking into this holding box, there are a handful of units for my yet to see the table 1799 Suvorov in Italy project.  Now, some of the French and Austrians have seen action in 1800 campaigns and even at Rivoli many years ago.  The Russians, however, have yet to see a die rolled in anger.

Anyway, sorting through boxes and packs of figures strewn about seemingly everywhere, I committed to working some of these already black undercoated figures into the painting line.  I needed to turn over some of this old inventory before the fall undercoating season begins with the arrival of shortened days and falling temperatures.  Besides, these figures have been curing long enough!

Opening up the Painting Log, I see the last time any new units were added to this project was nearly three years ago.  Three years?  My, how time flies!  To correct for this long hiatus, off the workbench today are 39 figures spread across three French battalions.  All figures are AB miniatures.  I will try to push some more of these units into the painting queue before three years have passed.

What is on the painting desk now?  Hanoverian cavalry and Spanish foreign infantry regiments and cavalry for the SYW/WAS projects.  

1799 Grenz Duo

Before I really get stuck back into painting Biblicals, two more units for the 1799 project march off from the painting desk.  Yes, the Rivoli battle raging across my game table is still influencing what is seen at the painting desk.  These two units may be the last work on this project for a little while.

The first unit mustering out is one battalion of the Walaisch Grenz Regiment.  Figures are AB Miniatures and are very fine sculpts.  The AB figures from the FRW range are some of my favorites from AB.    

Next up is a battalion of Grenz Battalion, Walaisch 17.  Instead of the close order basing as in the battalion above, this time I base the grenzers as an open order or skirmish base.  Again, super sculpting on the figures and something unusual to field.

I tend to be ever so slowly working down The Lead Pile for this project.  Really but ever so slightly.  Piles of French and Russians to go but a dent in the pile of Austrian infantry is now noticeable.

Before I make the switch to painting Biblicals, the first unit in a new project will be coming out from the painting desk next.  That new project? War of the Roses in 28mm plastic. Already the first Battle of 52 figures is finished and awaiting its turn at the photo booth.  You know what? Putting the multi-part figures together was enjoyable.  Now, I await the arrival of a seemingly long lost order of reinforcements from Caliver Books. 

On the gaming front, this week looks to hold two or, perhaps, even three games.  Monday and Tuesday will see a return to Graham's Spanish Civil War playtesting while Saturday may see another F2F Culloden game with WoFun flats.   

Two-Fer Tuesday and Game Updates

With the number of games of late and assorted other topics to consider, units are making their way off the painting desk at a rate faster than I can take the time to photograph them.  In an attempt to clear the logjam at the photo booth, two units from the 1799 project debouch from the painting desk.

First up, are a dozen figures for the Austrian Dragoon Regiment #2 as seen in their early bicorn.  Handsome figures from AB Miniatures.

Next off the workbench are a dozen Russian Cossacks from Eureka Miniatures.  

One good attribute of these Russian cavalry is that these same figures can make appearances in both the Russian SYW and Napoleonic armies.  These troopers will likely see more action in 1799 battles than SYW or later Napoleonic battles but one never knows when they might make an appearance.  

On the gaming front, plenty of activity.  The multiplayer battle of Rivoli continues and the battle is unfolding satisfactorily with all of the remote commanders issuing orders on a regular basis.  The battle has passed from morning to early afternoon and tension mounts as players throw punch and counter punch against their foes.  After seven game turns (3-1/2 hours of battle time), the contest is still very much up for grabs with each commander having to roll with the punches thrown.  I am enjoying this very much.

Hard fighting at San Marco

The last three weeks of remote Tuesday night games have included WWI aerial combat and two visits to Spain during the Spanish Civil War.  Battle reports for these three games can be found at Wargaming for Grown-ups.

SCW Week 1

WWI Week 2

SCW Week 3

Today's Tuesday game will see a replay of the SCW battle from Week 3.  Should be fun.

Austrian IR#30 and Other Stuff

With the Battle of Rivoli raging across my gaming table, the painting desk is seeing an uptick in FRW units in work.  Coincidence?  The latest units mustering out from the painting desk are three battalions of Austrian infantry from IR#30.  While IR#30 is not needed for the current Rivoli battle, they will see service another time. 

These 39 figures are from AB Miniatures.  A quick look into The Lead Pile finds enough of these figures to field two more Austrian regiments in casquet.

On the remote Battle of Rivoli front, mentioned before, the battle is heating up.  An hour and a half in game time (three game turns) is in the books and dispatches from the generals are flowing freely across the battlefield while French brigades and Austrian columns collide.  Without giving away any more details than the generals have at-hand, below is the battle situation at 1000.  I am having a great time coordinating dispatches and translating orders to the gaming table.  There have been a few tense moments already.  The Austrians are driving hard from the west and north but the French are holding on.  In the east, the cork is still in place in the Osteria Gorge and the Austrian columns remain bottled in the Adige Valley.

Rivoli situation 1000

Austrian Grenadiers attack at San Marco

Finally, I take to the skies later today in a remote, multi-player WWI aerial combat.  Seven pilots are slated for the action as we fight for supremacy in 1/72nd aircraft.  I will likely be piloting an Albatros DIII.  Perhaps, it will look like the aeroplane below?  After today's action, another new set of rules will be added to my repertoire.  That makes five new rules played in the last two months.  Whew!