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
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
WM
Ah, Scruby's vintage Canaries! One of my three favorite Napoleonic units - along with a battalion of Der Kriegspieler Pavlov Grenadiers and a battalion of MiniFig Black Watch.
ReplyDeleteJim
Oooh, can we see them all on your blog?
DeleteWell now that was a fun treat. Are the emperor figures new to the collection or have they just been hiding in the wings all this time. The expression of your cross armed grumpy Napoleon is just priceless! Aly's work on the canaries is just superb. Out of curiosity were you able to fit them on a standard sized base or did you have to give them a bit of extra depth to accommodate the dynamic pose?
ReplyDeleteI think I've had these for well under a year, David, so it's been quite a quick turnaround by my standards.
DeleteWell spotted. The bases are 5mm deeper than standard (it was that or chop up Aly's lovely figures, and I wasn't going to do that), but the frontage is still the standard 40mm per base.
Well… Clearly I approve of everything you have done Matthew 😁
ReplyDeleteThe re-basing has worked really well and your painting of the Minifigs is superb…
The seated Napoleon is lovely… I already have 6 models of the man in the lead mountain… but I feel I may need this on as well…
All the best. Aly
The Neuchâtels didn't put a foot wrong, Aly, and one gets to see them from every beautiful angle.
DeleteThe N 1S is very tiny. He's so similar to the HH mounted Napoleon that I wonder if he may even be a conversion.
It’s also nice to see that the Canaries fit in nicely with the rest of your toys…
DeleteI would love to see some Scruby’s painted by your good self.
I would if I could. I don't knoow what happened but Historifigs were all keen to oblige but then went completely silent.
DeleteDrôle et magnifique, bravo!
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to channel Goscinny and Uderzo, Phil.
DeleteA wonderful blaze of colour Matt, and the seated Napoleon is just priceless :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw him I just had a have him 'Lee!
DeleteThese vignettes / short stories are fun but someone better grab that map before it blows away - surely more up Berthier’s street than commanding troops in the field. You’re not really going to let him command the Neuchâtel are you?
ReplyDeleteAnd two Napoleons! I knew I should’ve nicked FNX12 when I had the chance… but I’m still a big-time winner with Suchet (Soult) and Lasalle. :o)
Are you going to base up a command post for the little man? He’s not happy sitting there with everyone towering above him on their bases, and I quote “ You on one side and him on the other - it's like being on the bottom of a bloody well!"
Actually it did, Rob, every time I breathed on it, which made photographing it interesting. As for Berthier, we'll see how he does first....
DeleteThe table and chairs will indeed need basing at some point, and that map will need the fizzy flag treatment.
But can you place the quote by Napoleon?
DeleteIt happened just as depicted Rob!
DeleteLovely little vignette! I remember seeing the picture of Napoleon and that table in my Minifigs catalogue back in the day - nice to see such a beautifully painted one in colour!
ReplyDeleteI distinctly remember seeing one at a wargames show in Reading back in the early eighties and feeling very covetous!
DeleteSuperb! The seated Napoleon looks like he’s having a right moody. I reckon it had nothing to do with the chaos: it was Josephine’s turn to say “not tonight”…
ReplyDeleteHe;s just found out about his lifetime ban from Twitter, Jeffers!
DeleteIt's easy to forget how extensive the Minifigs Napoleonic Ranges were as far as peronalities and wagons/carriages are concerned.
ReplyDeleteThe personality selection wasn't all that extensive for the S-Range, apparently, but I'm beginning to wonder what was produced for the 'intermediate' range!
DeleteAs we say in Yorkshire, "Napoleon's got a right face on i'm!"
ReplyDelete*Laughter*. Cheers David! That's what my Granny used to say!
DeleteFantastic photographic images. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you CN!
Delete