Battle Stations

Happy New 2020, now entering an unprecedented third year.

I'm really supposed to be working on a regiment of French line chasseurs à cheval at the moment, but I promised my friend DF (aka the dastardly Baron von Driberg) that we would fight a battle, so most of the weekend was spent working on my new system of vinyl tile terrain pieces.

The tiles, which were all a foot square and came in any colour I wanted as long as it was black, were picked up from my local tip for about 5p per tile. I bought a hundred of them. I wasn't at all sure how well they would respond to paint, but as they were pretty solid affairs and a mere 2mm thick I thought it would be worth a try.

Seen below, using some very basic Thomas-the-Tank-Engine/Brio-style geometry, is what I did with a few of them:

The scenario we're to fight is the very first 'Table TopTeaser' by the late Charles Grant, which appeared in Battle for Wargamers magazine in February and March 1978. I was only eleven back then. The battle is to be fought next weekend.

A battle report will appear in due course, but before then I may also have a test chasseur ot two to show off.

Adieu, and wish me luck (on both counts),

WM

Newcastle United

 It is the Spring of 1813, and the Emperor has called for his Chief of Staff.

Napoleon: Ah, Berthier, I've made you Prince of Neuchâtel!

                 Look, you get your own battalion.

Berthier: But Sire...I haven't led troops since 1778!

Napoleon: Don't worry. I've written instructions!

Berthier can barely decipher the Emperor's appalling handwriting.

Berthier:..Oh crumbs..er...Companies...Forward, Wheel Right!

Under the Emperor's watchful eye, Berthier scrambles to correct his mistakes.

Berthier: No, no, no!..um.. Halt! Face Front!

Berthier: MERDE!

Cambronne is scandalised.

Cambronne: My word!

The Emperor has seen enough.

Napoleon:...Nom de Dieu!

Today's vintage vignette was brought to you by:

Minfigs 25mm ('intermediate' range) FNX 12: Napoleon Standing;

Minifigs S-Range, NSF 1S: French Marshal Passing Orders; and

Minifigs S-Range, N 1S: Napoleon Seated at Table.

My special thanks to:

Aly Morrison, who sent me his wonderful Neuchâtel Battalion, which I 've finally got round to rebasing;
Rob G, who helped me get my grubby mitts on an FNX 12; and

The Archduke, who did the same for the N 1S.

Yours,
WM

Lammings on the List

I was a bit too tied up with domestic duties to get my Lammings photographed yesterday, but I found a bit of time today.

I haven't quite decided who's going to command them yet (I have a Lamming French marshal, but he may be just a bit too enormous), so Marshal Quiestil is doing the honours for the time being.

The figures are all Lamming Miniatures from Bill's earliest French Napoleonic 20mm range, specifically:

FI/1: Line Voltigeur or Grenadier elite, x 5;

FI/2: Line Voltigeur officer, x1, converted into a standard bearer;;

FI/3: Imperial Guard Grenadier advancing, x 6 (albeit four different variants);

FI/5: Line Voltigeur cornet, x 1

FI/7: Voltigeur or Grenadier elite drummer, x1;

FI/8: Line fusilier, x 9; and

FI/9: Line infantry officer in bicorne hat, x1.

I really wasn't sure how all these were going to turn out, particularly as I was a bit doubtful about the fusiliers, but they've really grown on me. It was also far from clear how compatible they were going to be, which you never really know until they're all painted and based. I'm happy to say they seem to have blended in really well.

They even seem to work quite well as mixed battalions:

Next week the Neuchatel Battalion, now rebased for Muskets & Marshals, will receive their new commander....

Salutations,

WM

Tinker Bill

For the last few weeks I've been colouring in a battalion of 20mm Lamming French line infantry. I actually started these over two years ago, so I thought it might be a good idea to finally finish them.

It's been a fairly slow process so far because I've been trying to block out the entire battalion in their basic uniform colours before getting into the details. In theory this will make painting them a bit more efficient, but whether or not this really turns out to be the case remains to be seen.

Completed this evening were the two elite companies.

The voltigeurs were the trickiest, but the wonderful wee trumpeter I found for them was just too delicious to resist, so he kept me motivated.

The grenadiers were a lot simpler, but while painting them I discovered there were actually four slightly different variations, as I hope the next two pictures will illustrate. The first three have a rather Hinchliffey type quality, which makes me wonder a bit. Bill Lamming certainly seems to have tinkered about with the range quite a bit.

Next up should be the fusiliers, although I also have several personality figures in production, so we'll see how we go.

The luscious wooden surface they're all standing on is my new painting desk, which is a gorgeous old fold-up writing bureau which I've squeezed into a corner of the living room. It's a lot warmer in there and I can play my music on a proper sound system while I paint. I'm hoping this will do wonders for my productivity.

Stay safe my friends,

WM

Life Savers

It is the Spring of 1813, and at a secret location Generallieutenant Baron von Winzingerode arrives with the Leib-Garde Grenadiers, who have been newly promoted to the Russian Imperial Guard. Marshal Blücher rides forward to greet them.

Blücher: Aach, Vinzingerode! Ve vill make ze Gardes Brigade togetzer, jah?

The Leib-Garde Grenadiers parade for inspection. They haven't received their new Guard standards and uniforms yet, but make a proud showing nonetheless.

Two passing British officers can scarcely believe their eyes.

Lyon: Look, Wussians!
Alten: Oh yes, Wussians!

The Leib-Garde Grenadiers march and countermarch.

Winzingerode (under his breath): Hmmm, I must say zose
Garde zu Fuß are a rather weedy looking lot!

The Prussians begin to wonder what they've let themselves in for.

To recap, the figures are all Garrison Miniatures circa 1973-1975, being:

RN 8: Russian Line Grenadier x 20;

RN 8: Russian Line Grenadier x 1, converted into a drummer with a Musket Miniatues drum;
RN 8: Russian Line Grenadier x 2, converted into standard bearers; and
RN 1: Russian Pavlovski Officer x 1, converted into a grenadier officer using the head of an RN 5: Russian Grenadier officer bearing a flagstaff

Many thanks again to Rob Y for so kindly sending me these wonderful figures, and to all those who've encouraged me to get them finished. I'm very pleased with them.

Cheers
WM

Russian WIP

Not much to report this week, except to say that we're five days into our second national lockdown, which looks all set to continue for a while yet. It's not all been working from home and doom scrolling, however: I've also been working on my Russians.

Progress to date is illustrated below. All the white bits are on at last, and although there's a lot of tidying up to do, I think I'm definitely on the home stretch with these now.

I'm very hopeful that they'll all be done by next weekend.

Yours,

WM