Tuesday 20 August 2019

French get to the half way stage - Roll Call!



Twenty units done! 
My Peninsular French 'army' has hit the half way stage! 

There is only one criteria for units joining this 'army'. They must have fought, at one time or another, in the Peninsular between 1808 and 1813. It helps their bid to join if they are wearing an interesting uniform; it also helps if I have already have a flag for them in my 'flag bag', to save a little on cost.


So what, from the French lead pile (this is most of the French order - it grew), have I painted so far?

Six 'command group' leader stands. Each comprises two mounted figures.

These are for use as divisional or brigade level command groups (depending on the rules in use).
Two batteries of French foot artillery: Each comprises two guns, eight gun crew and a limber.

The guns are not glued to the bases.
1st Hussars: Twelve mounted figures on six stands.
22nd Chasseurs a Cheval: Twelve mounted figures on six stands.
4th Dragoons: Twelve mounted figures on six stands.


Vistula Lancers: Twelve mounted figures on six stands. 

Caveat emptor: The plume colours are guess work, based on internet images.
27th Ligne: Three battalions, each of twenty eight figures (24 close and 4 skirmish order) on six stands.
36th Ligne: Three battalions, each of twenty eight figures (24 close and 4 skirmish order) on six stands.
2nd Legere: Three battalions, each of twenty eight figures (24 close and 4 skirmish order) on six stands.

This unit has great plume colours!
Paris Municipal Guard: Two battalions, each of twenty eight figures (24 close and 4 skirmish order) on six stands.

I absolutely wanted a few units in white. 
Legion Hannovrienne: One battalion of twenty eight figures (24 close and 4 skirmish order) on six stands.

Red uniform and not Swiss. Also interesting because they are a legere unit wearing a ligne uniform with elite company distinctions.

This unit has no voltigeur company.
Legion du Midi: One battalion of twenty eight figures (24 close and 4 skirmish order) on six stands.

In brown. Again legere in ligne uniform and elite company distinctions. The chasseurs have a lozenge shaped plume - these fashioned using Miliput.
Regiment Irlandaise.

A legere unit in bright green. 

I might change the flag - this one is for the 2nd battalion; I thought the large harp it bears would look good but, in retrospect, the flag for the first battalion bears a tricolour central design on a green field with harps in the corners, and it might be more eye catching.
The centre stands of each unit (when in line) bear the unit's name plate and it's 'roster bead stand'. 

I mentioned these before. They are not to everyone's taste but I like a paperless office and everything visible on the table. The beads are the dice modifier beads for playing Piquet's FoB2. The blue one on the left is for defence die and the one on the right one for combat die (blue is Up 1); The number bead is the command group ID bead; the black bead shows that the unit has not used its first fire.


Skirmish stands bear a small number on a hole punch chad. In this case indicating these are skirmishers of the 36th Ligne. As the collection grows, this will be useful for sorting things out post battle.

So, that's 408 foot, 60 mounted, 4 guns and 2 limbers (each with four horses & two riders). 

All figures are FRONT RANK

All were painted by yours truly using enamels (in the main).

Still to do (with half a dozen units to buy), for a total of 40 units plus command: 

  • 2 French legere; 4 battalions of French Ligne (might change to Italian / Neapolitan or Confederation units?); 2 battalions of Swiss; 2 battalions of Nassau; 2 battalions of Poles; 2 battalions of converged grenadiers.
  • 3 regiments of Dragoons; 2 regiments of Chasseurs a Cheval.
  • 1 battery of foot artillery; 1 battery of horse artillery.
  • Several command stands, including one four figure 'C-in-C' stand of four figures.
But, next up, five Anglo-Portuguese units (4 infantry, 1 cavalry) to bring them up to the 20 unit half way point (actually 20 1/2 - but lets not go there!).

When both are up to the 20 unit, 'small army' strength, they will be worthy of a four figure 'C-in-C' stand apiece.

Getting to this point has been hard work. Painting both sides slows things down, especially at the start when there isn't enough to game with (and your painting a lot of Napoleonic stuff for clients during the week). Let's see how it goes from this point on.

14 comments:

Ray Rousell said...

Beautiful work!!!!

Eric the Shed said...

Great stuff - you can field one regiment of Cuirassiers but they need brown coats..cannot recall regiment number

JAMES ROACH said...

Thanks. I did think about the 13th in brown coats, and my criteria would allow it, even if they were only in theatre for a year or two (1808 - 1809?). However, shelf room only allows for 9 French cavalry units so I chose to go for Vistula lancers as my 'special ones' as lancers do appear from time to time throughout the campaign - the other 8 cavalry for the French will be 4 dragoon, 3 chasseur and 1 Hussar.

For the Brits, it's a similar story. 4 dragoon, 2 light dragoons and 1 Hussar, with 2 Portuguese as the 'special ones'. My thoughts were, where more British lights are needed, was to upgrade the ability of the Portuguese units as stand-ins.

I'll be collecting a Spanish force once the Anglo-Portuguese and French are finished but, that army will be smaller, probably only 24 - 30 units, mainly to be used as quality diluting allies. I don't mind playing with rubbish troops - so long as it's not all the time, or they are only the weak link in a stronger chain.

BigRedBat said...

Lovely work, James!

Andrew Parr said...

Smashing and a great reference for detail and look!
Andrew

fireymonkeyboy said...


Wonderful work on the figures, as always, but even more, an interesting selections of units. There's some here I've never heard of, and will be learning more about, many thanks! I'm always amazed by how prolific you are - how do you manage to get so much painted?

FMB

Derek said...

Nice!

Der Alte Fritz said...

Those colorful French regiments are really nice looking.

David said...

Wonderful work, and so quick too!

TamsinP said...

A glorious sight James! :)

pancerni said...

Great looking project!

Dartfrog said...

Excellent progress, and your collection looks amazing!

Valleyboyinnz said...

Superb, I particularly like the variations from the "usual" French uniform. Well done and you're right Painting Napoleonics is certainly time consuming!

Gonsalvo said...

Great looking troops and a nice variety of different units, James!