15th Legere in 28mm

The skirmisher stand featured in the prior post describing my skirmisher reorganization efforts was a precursor to today's painting desk offering. The parent battalion for that pair of skirmishers musters off the desk as the 15th Legere Battalion.  Figures are Front Rank.  Robust figures with very little flash, Front Rank Napoleonics are always a pleasure to paint.

It was during the work on this battalion that I contemplated my present skirmisher situation.  Should skirmishers remain an abstraction in the rules or revert to an explicit skirmisher function?  Do I really want to tackle rebasing all of my skirmishers?  After completing the 15th, the two skirmishers were pulled aside for a trial.  To ease my mind into the new thought process, the two skirmishers for the 15th were based upon the hex stand.  After painting, flocking, and tufting the stand, I decided this was the proper way forward.  Many hours later, the task was finished.   

    

Here is another photo of the skirmisher stand taken at a slightly different angle from the photo shown in the previous post.

What this exercise demonstrates is that I can be easily distracted from the task at hand.  What began as fielding one more French legere battalion for the project took a sharp turn into a rethink and rebasing of all of the skirmishers present and fit for duty.  With initial intention only to add one more battalion, those plans were confounded by rebasing nearly 100 individual skirmishers into pairs.  In addition, a dozen new skirmishers needed to be pushed into the painting queue to bring all of the battalions up to the proper complement of skirmishers.  Sometimes, I make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Cacadores - Brown Shirts in Spain

The 28mm Napoleonic Peninsular War collection is a project not seeing action at the painting desk for far too long.  Checking the painting log, the last time any troops crossed the workbench was almost one year ago.  Those activities in early 2019 were spawned by a notion of wanting to switch cavalry basing from pairs to triplets per stand.  The cavalry reorganization required painting one additional trooper per BMU to raise the total eight figures to nine.   

Off the painting desk total is a battalion of Portuguese Cacadores.  Figures are Front Rank.  The pair of skirmishers represents the beginning of a reorg as well.  In the past, skirmishers were fielded as single figures.  My thinking now is to base skirmishers in pairs cutting the number of skirmish stands in half from before.  Light infantry with have two, two figure stands (yes, I need to paint a second pair of Cacadores for this unit).  Line infantry will field one, two figure stand of skirmishers.  If I settle upon this scheme, I have a lot of skirmishers to rebase.

Still hobbled (but improving!), more of my hobby time has been spent at the keyboard rather than two floors down in the game room and painting desk.  More time at the keyboard leads to more data crunching and analysis, and a completion of the two part battle report for Kunersdorf.

Two topics are in work.  One, another study of WSS' Great Wargaming Survey results in response to a reader question and, two, a probability study on the charge sequence of Norm's Two Flags - One Nation.  The TF-ON charge sequence simulation was prompted by discussion on DG's Sound Officers Call blog following one of his recent battles. 

Cavalry Refit: Vistula Legion Lancers

Finally!  The refitting of the 28mm Napoleonic cavalry from eight figures to nine is finished.  The last unit to receive the augmentation of one additional trooper and rebasing from pairs to triplets makes its way off the workbench.  That unit is the Vistula Legion Lancers.  A fitting and fine pedigreed unit to end this small project.  Feels good to have this task behind me. 

Where next on this project?  While a few Portuguese and Spanish remain in The Lead Pile, getting these newly, reconfigured cavalry out onto the gaming table would be a proper way to show off their new formations.  Perhaps refighting a small portion of Albuera would be appropriate?  Having fought Albuera in 15mm more than once, zooming in on a slice of the action at a more granular scale might be a fun exercise.  Which piece of the action to concentrate my efforts on is the question.  Having a number of planned battles to refight may push this idea onto a backburner for a while. 

Cavalry Refit: French Hussars

2nd Hussars

After mustering out four units of British heavy cavalry for the refit and reorg process, attention turns to the French.  This time, two French hussar regiments trot off from the workbench after having added one trooper each and undergoing a rebasing.  Figures are Front Rank.

4th Hussars

What remains in this mini-project?  One unit of Vistula Legion lancers remains to be upgraded and rebased as does a French unit of chasseurs a cheval.  The Polish lancer figure is in hand but the chasseur a cheval unit is a Brigade Games' figure from their early Napoleonic range.  I will wait on the chasseur a cheval until I need to place an order from Brigade Games.  I really can see the light at the end of this tunnel!

Cavalry Refit: KGL Heavy Dragoons

Time for the KGL cavalry contingents in the project to receive their new recruits and refitting.  After bringing in one new trooper each, the 1st and 2nd KGL Heavy Dragoons are ready for service.  Figures are Front Rank.

This refitting and reorganization exercise is turning out to be a relatively painless activity.  Painting one additional trooper per unit and rebasing takes time but not a task to be dreaded at all.  With the addition of one new trooper and a new basing scheme, I feel like an entirely new unit has been built.  I prefer the look of nine figure cavalry BMUs over eight figure BMUs.  I am pleased I forged ahead with this task.

Cavalry Refit: British Heavy Dragoons

Another pair of cavalry units make it out of refit and reorg.  Each unit received one additional recruit and a rebasing exercise from four stands of two figures each to three stands of three figures each.  This time two British heavy dragoons units make it off the workbench.  The two units are the 3rd Dragoon Guards and the 4th Dragoon Guards.  Two fine British cavalry regiments.  Figures are Front Rank.

What remains in the cavalry refit and reorganization?  Waiting their turn at the recruitment center are two KGL cavalry units, two French hussar units, and a unit of Vistula Legion lancers.

Cavalry Refit and Reorg: British Lt Dragoons

The work refitting and reorganizing the cavalry for the 28mm Peninsular War project continues.  Today the two British light dragoon regiments muster off the painting desk having one additional trooper per regiment added and rebased from two-figure to three-figure stands.

The troopers today are from the 14th Light Dragoons (orange facings) and the 16th Light Dragoons (red facings).  These two units join their brethren hussars in the completed pile.  Remaining to refit and rebase for the British are four heavy dragoon regiments: two British and two KGL.  Once the British heavies are finished, attention will return to refitting the French light cavalry.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.  Wait!  That is not this house!  Activity is buzzing here including some work at the painting desk.  Rather than Santa and his reindeer making an appearance, the Napoleonic cavalry reorganization yields its first group of newly organized cavalry.

As briefly mentioned in an earlier post, the 28mm Napoleonic Peninsular War project is undergoing a reorganization.  Unit strength is being lifted from the former eight figures per BMU to nine figures per BMU.  One BMU drops from four stands of two figures each down three stands of three figures each.  This reorg requires one additional trooper per unit to be requisitioned and painted.  The first six units muster out under their new organization.  Six new figures among the old.  Can you spot the new recruit in each unit?  I cannot.  Still plenty of cavalry to retrofit but this is a start.  Next to tackle; British heavy dragoons.

British 10th Hussar Regiment

1st KGL Hussar Regiment

French 10th Chasseurs a Cheval Regiment

French 13th Chasseurs a Cheval Regiment

French 18th Dragoon Regiment

French 20th Dragoon Regiment

Merry Christmas!     

Front Rank British 5th Line

Some of my favorite 28mm Napoleonic figures pushed through the painting queue recently.  My favorite figures are the redesigned Front Rank British Reinforcement Sets.  To my eye, the sculpting and anatomy on these figures cannot be topped.  Splendid figures.

This battalion of nineteen figures including one skirmisher musters out as the 5th Line.  Why the 5th?  Well, I had a Victrix flag transfer laying in wait.

With the French and her allies outnumbering the British and Portuguese contingents by a small margin, it was high time to bolster the British by adding one more line battalion.  Honestly, the British could field several more battalions before parity with the French begins to approach.  The project could use some more Portuguese too but the British reinforcement sets are so fine, it will be tough resisting a purchase of more of these infantry.

While the 5th represents the last of British in The Lead Pile, a pile of French still loiter unpainted.  Several battalions worth of French, Baden, and Wurttemburg are waiting their turn at the brush.  It may be awhile before another battalion from this project is seen at the painting desk but is was certainly enjoyable to paint these fine figures.

Does this suggest the Peninsular War project is getting closer to the gaming table?  Maybe.

Squadron of British 14th Lt Dragoons

I continue picking off small handfuls of remnants from the 28mm Napoleonic section of The Lead Pile.  Today's offering musters out as the 3rd Squadron of the British 14th Light Dragoon Regiment.

As almost all of the cavalry figures in the Peninsular War project, these four troopers are from Front Rank's excellent range.  In their early war uniform with Tarleton, they are ready to see action on the field of battle.  First, though, I need to raise another two such stands to join them.  This time, there is not another "lonely" foursome available with which to form a provisional cavalry unit.  Once I assess the contents of The Lead Pile, an order to Front Rank may be needed. 

In the painting queue (deep in the painting queue, that is), are two battalions of infantry for the project: one battalion British and one battalion Spanish.  When will these figures actually reach the workbench?  I know not.  Raising a battalion of 28mm Napoleonics always seems like work.  Rather, painting has switched to work on a few 15mm units for a variety of projects.  One of these 15mm units will likely emerge from the painting desk next. 

Another item to move from thought to action is the writing of a recent Battle of Mollwitz Battle Report.  The thing is not writing itself, however.

French 4th Hussar Regiment

Another quartet of 28mm Napoleonic horsemen muscled its way onto the painting desk.  Like the quartet of French Chasseurs a Cheval before (see A Few Napoleonic Cavalry), these French hussars are left over from the purchase of a dozen unpainted figures on the secondary market.

These four, finely sculpted Front Rank hussars have been lingering in The Lead Pile for a long time.  Good to get them out of The Lead Pile, across the painting desk, and onto the "Painted" side of the ledger. 

These four, French light horsemen muster out as the 3rd squadron of the 4th Hussar Regiment.  The combination of red pelisse, yellow lace, and blue trousers is a handsome one; one of my favorites.

With the recent additions of the third squadrons to two French cavalry regiments, it seems only fair to push a British cavalry quartet into the painting queue.  Having two squadrons of the 14th Light Dragoons already on the roll, adding a third just makes sense.

Before British light dragoons can make it across the painting desk, a dozen Judean spearmen for the Assyrian Wars project need my attention.

A Few Napoleonic Cavalry

A good result from maintaining a Painting Log is that accountability is easily verified.  The bad thing about keeping a Painting log is that accountability is easily verified.  What do I mean by this statement?  While work on the 28mm Peninsular War project has seemingly been absent from the painting queue for some time, I did not realize exactly how long until I checked the records.  

The last unit for the project crossed the painting desk in May 2016, exactly 18 months from today when a battalion of Badeners (see Murawski Baden Infantry) mustered out.  Well, that is hard to believe but the evidence is undeniable.

To give the project a little attention (yes, I mean a "little" attention), into the painting queue went four Front Rank French Chasseurs a Cheval.  These four troopers muster out as the third squadron of the 21st Chasseurs a Cheval.  Why only four when a typical BMU for the project consists of eight troopers?  

Several years ago, I bought a bunch of unpainted Front Rank Napoleonics from a fellow via TMP.  He would only sell figures in blocks of twelve cavalry or twenty-four infantry.  What that means is I wound up with several packets of lonely foursomes in The Lead Pile.  While I could order more figures from Front Rank to fill out the ranks, I am leaning towards building a provisional unit or two that combines two disparate squadrons into one ad hoc unit.  It happened in the Peninsula so why not on my gaming table?  I think I will pair these chasseurs up with a squadron of hussars.  Which hussars should I consider?  Any way, when I do decide to field homogeneous BMUs, I will be half way finished.

Lancers of the Vistula

Of all of the units fighting in the Iberian Peninsula, few hold the reputation of the Lancers of the Vistula.  What a few squadrons of Polish lancers accomplished during the Battle of Albuera is the stuff of legend.

In their famous charge. the "Devil's Poles" erupted out of a sudden rain squall and broke into the British line.  Colborne's infantry brigade routed and Cleve's KGL battery lost five guns.  Five colors were taken and scores of prisoners captured.  Quite impressive for a few minutes work!

Eight of these lancers make their way off the painting desk and report for duty.  I hope mine are as successful as their historical counterpart on the field of battle.  Of course, that wish only pertains to when I am commanding the French!

Figures are Front Rank.

British Artillery for the Peninsular War

With only two 28mm British guns and crew remaining in The Lead Pile, I figured no harm in digressing from the 15/18mm pledge momentarily and knocking out a couple of small units for the 28mm Peninsular War project.  Painting the three mounted archers did not take away much from my intended lead push towards the 1799 and 1859 projects.  What could possibly be lost by adding two guns and crew?  Besides, the project could use a couple of guns to return to artillery parity with the French. 

Mustering off from the painting desk are two British guns.  One is a Royal Horse Artillery gun and the other is a Foot Artillery gun.

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The foot artillery crew, in their workmanlike uniforms, offer a contrast against the finery of their Royal Horse Artillery brethren.  One wonders how a weapon can be served in a heavily braided pelisse.

Now work really returns to focusing on a few more units of 18mm figures for both the 1799 and 1859 projects.  I will not be abandoning the 28mm Peninsular War project for long though.  On the painting desk are eight Polish Lancers to be fielded as Vistula Legion.

French Legere Skirmishers in 28mm

As noted in an earlier post recounting the completion of Battalion 2, 4th Legere Regiment (see 4th Legere Regiment), the first battalion did not carry its complement of two skirmish markers.  That oversight has now been corrected with two more figures for the 28mm Peninsular War project crossing over to the painted pile.  These two, Front Rank skirmishers will be fielded with the French 4th Legere Regiment, Battalion 1.

Also noted in the earlier post referenced above, I exceeded the 2015 goal of painting 200 28mm Napoleonics.  With more 28s in The Lead Pile and a few more handfuls in transit, 2016 will likely see more work on this project but not with the focus of 2015.  Of course, plans for 2016 are yet to be solidified. 

In addition to these skirmishers, three more units make it under the 2015 wire before the calendar turns over to 2016.  Presenting that trio of newly painted units must wait until 2016.  What made it just under the wire?  The last of the Class of 2015 includes 45 x 10mm ACW dismounted cavalry, 24 x 25mm Sikh infantry, and two 25mm SAW Gatling guns and crew.   

Although the clock has not struck midnight on the US West Coast, Happy New Year to all!