The Red and the Black

The lure of the Lützowers has proven just too strong to resist. Not only do the look lovely, they are also very simple to paint, so they're just what the doctor ordered for those suffering from Estorff fatigue .

I'm hoping to get the first half battalion finished this weekend. The first job, however, was their flag.

There's actually quite good evidence for this flag, as it happens, which  was presented to the Corps by the Ladies of Berlin in early 1813. It is fairly clear that it was never carried into action, but history according to the Hinton Spieler has decreed otherwise.

If all goes well I should be able to show the whole battalion in a week or so. It'll be back to hussars after that, I promise!

WM

Green Jarmins

Somewhat delayed by the ever increasing social whirl that is Wellington Girl's life, I present the 1st Brigade of the Russisch-Deutsche Legion, which was eventually to become the Prussian Infanterie Regiment No.30.

The Russisch-Deutsche Legion march on to the North German Plain...

I was a bit doubtful while I was painting these, but the final result is not as dour as I feared. It seems that the over-the-top flag has worked. They are also helped out a bit by their bright white haversacks.

...with snow on their boots and revenge in their hearts!

Even better, I think, is the nice contrast they make with the Field Battalion Bremen in what is intended to be a 4 to 5 battalion army based on Wallmoden's Corps of 1813-1814.

Wallmoden's first infantry brigade lines up to face the foe.

I think I need to make a start on  the cavalry of the Corps, however, before painting up any more of the infantry.

Have a great weekend.

WM

(P)Russians

 The Archduke correctly deduced that my new flag was intended for the Russo-German Legion, or Russisch-Deutsche Legion (RDL) to give them their proper title.

The idea of painting the RDL came about thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Mark S in the US, who contacted me early this year with  an offer of some Der Kriegspieler Russians which were surplus to his requirements. All Mark asked in return was that I cover the postage.

The RDL was raised in  Russia in 1812 by the exiled Graf Peter of Oldenburg at the instigation of the Tsar Alexander I. Its ranks were filled with German prisoners and deserters taken during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. It eventually rose to a strength of 10,000 men and included cavalry and artillery units as well as eight battalions of infantry. Its early adherents hoped that it would be the revolutionary vanguard of an all-German uprising against Napoleon. Its paymasters, however, were British, and Britain wanted it to form the backbone of the new Hanoverian army that was raised in North Germany in 1813.

It is not known if flags were ever issued to the infantry of the Legion but it is known that one was proposed for them by Ernst Friedrich Graf von Münster, an influential Hanoverian member of the British cabinet. Münster proposed St George as the central motif, accompanied by an inscription calling on all and sundry to join in the downfall of the "Dragon". Other sources mention that St George was to be surrounded by oak leaves.

It was a logical proposal. St George already appeared on the Russian imperial coat of arms, and the white horse would also appeal to Hanover. The colour scheme, however, is entirely my own invention, although with inspiration taken from other Russian flags and the arms of the Moscow Governorate, which also features St George and oak leaves intertwined by a scroll.

The figure I've converted to carry the colour is a Der Kriegspieler from Set # 55: Russian Line Infantry 1812, At Ready. He is painted to represent a soldier of the 1st Brigade of the infantry of the legion, which had red facings. The 1st Brigade would eventually be absorbed into the Prussian Army as the 30th Infantry Regiment and it would fight in this guise during the 100 Days. One can be sure, however, that the Prussian authorities would have ditched the flag!

Most of the rest of the battalion will use Russians from another DK set, # 191: Russian Line Infantry 1812, Attacking. I've modified these by removing their plumes and turning their heads slightly to the left in order to give them more of a charging appearance. Also pictured is my drummer conversion, who was made by soldering an old Hinchliffe drum to his leg and replacing his musket with stainless steel pins for the drum sticks.

The last variant I've used, pictured left, is the charging Russian line infantry officer from DK set # 57: Russian Line Infantry 1812, Command.

 To finish off, the last shot shows the 15 figures I've completed so far. The complete battalion, plus their commander if I can make up my mind about who this should be, will feature in the next post.

My thanks, once again, to Mark.

WM

At The Sign of the White Horse

As promised, I present the Field Battalion Bremen's command group and their ever-so-slightly speculative flag.

The flag design is based an illustration in an article by Ottfried Neubecker in Die Fahnen und Standarten der Armee des Koenigreichs Hannover, which was published in several parts in the Zeitschrift für Heereskunde (Berlin) in 1934, A flag of this form, according to Neubecker, was carried by at least some of the field battalions, although it is unclear whether they were actually carried before 1816.

Neubecker also doesn't specify any of the colours on the flag, so what I have presented here is an educated guess based on other Hanoverian flags and heraldry.

The figure is a Der Kriegspieler British line or guard infantry regimental colour bearer from the set # 150: British Line/Guard Infantry 1815, Command Group.

The first task was to rub off the original British regimental colour markings using a steel burnishing tool from a ceramic arts set. I then inscribed the roundels using another steel ceramic arts tool. The roundels are a little larger than they ought to be as I wanted to give myself a little space to work with and to help fill up the huge expanse of white on the rest of the flag.

The officer is from the same set #150. I've pictured him next to an original unpainted example to show how I've modified him.  That right arm was so horribly modeled that I simply had to do something about it.

One of the interesting things about this figure is that it is not based on the Hinton Hunt British infantry officers, but on the British Royal Artillery officer instead. Whoever made him evidently forgot to remove his sword hilt from his left hip!

I could have used British light infantry officers for this battalion, but went for the line infantry variants as it seems fairly clear that the Bremen battalion's officers wore Belgic shakos. There's a very good illustration of one (albeit in his original light infantry green) in the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection, here.

The rest of the battalion is past the halfway mark and should be ready to put on show by next weekend.

Wir sehen uns dann!

WM

Here be Dragons

My first squadron of Hinton Hunt Dragons de l'Imperatrice are ready for their photo session.

They required a lot of preparation as they were covered in a thick coat of house paint which took a week in the dettol jar to get off, only to reveal some very flashy and bashed-about castings underneath. They made my heart sink a bit when I first saw them. The swords, muskets and aiguillettes on all but one of the troopers had been either cut away or otherwise damaged, but in a way this was an advantage as I could take my drill and soldering iron to them without too many qualms! The results are quite pleasing, I think, as no two are completely alike.

First up are the officer and the standard bearer. Both have had their muskets removed and been given new aiguillettes on their right shoulders and fringed epaullettes on their left. I also contemplated removing their portmanteaus, but my nerve failed at that point!

The standard bearer's original arm had been severed at the elbow and replaced with a bit of scrap lead, so the only thing to do was to replace it altogether with another one of John Cunnigham's very useful recast lancer arms. The flag is made from another bit of that wonderfully thin piece of brass donated by my neighbour, Richard. The eagle comes from an old Minifigs guardsman that I found in a local junk shop.

In the next photo the troopers on the left and in the centre were also missing their aiguillettes, so I replaced these too. I rather like the effect of seeing them flying about in different directions.

The second squadron are on the painting table and I'm very pleased to report will now be a mixture of Der Kriegspielers and Hinton Hunts. This is thanks to a very generous donation by the Archduke.

His Royal Highness also sent me this beautifully realised self portrait. It commemorates the moment, he tells me, when he personally seized the colour of a faltering infantry regiment at the Battle of Aspern-Essling and ran forwards with it to great morale boosting effect. Now that is classy!

The Archduke himself!

Until the next time,

WM

Head Hunters

The DK 20 command group for my Chasseurs à pied (literally "Hunters on foot", in English) is ready for inspection.

I've had an ambition to paint a battalion of French Imperial guardsmen for as long as I can remember, so I've been beavering away during the weekday evenings to get them done.

The flag is my attempt to produce the 1812 pattern infantry flag. It's a little impressionistic as I couldn't quite squeeze everything on to it! I can't help thinking that the Imperial symbols down the sides look just bit too much like Chinese characters, but they ought to be OK when viewed from a distance.

I have a special commander for these chaps! All will be revealed in the next post....

Cheers

WM

Flagging Efforts

My Polish lancers are proceeding, but very very slowly.

I have almost finished their flag, however, so faute de mieux, here it is. It's probably a good idea to show it at this stage in any case as one of the sides will be partially obscured when my lancer is holding it.

The 7th Lancers didn't actually have a flag, so what I've given them is the first squadron guidon of their predecessors, the Lancers of the Polish Legion of the Danube. They didn't become the Vistula Lancers until 1808.

Four squadron guidons were given to the regiment by Napoleon, then first-consul, in 1800. They were also offered an imperial eagle in 1804,  but refused, preferring to retain the very attractive and distinctive flags they already had. Then disaster struck. In 1809 all four squadron flags were lost to the Army of La Mancha at Los Yébenes in Spain.

We know what they looked like, however, as two of the flags survive - one in a cathedral in Spain, and the other (the guidon of the 1st Squadron) at the Musée de L'Armée in Paris. Pictures of the guidons and the story of their loss and recovery can be seen in the splendid article by Luis Sorando Muzás on the Napoleon Series website, here.

My flag is made from a very thin sheet of brass wrapped around a steel wire. The brass was donated by my good friend and next-door-neighbour, who has the most amazing talent for finding things. The dimensions are approximately 10mm by 14mm. Although the photo doesn't really show it, the flag pole is blue. I may need to use a lighter shade in the finish.

WM

Prussian Special Reserve

Cokecan aluminium is surprisingly flexible!

I'm ashamed to admit that it's now over a year since Don sent me this and several other Prussian command figures as a gift. You can find my post about it here. I hope Don will forgive me for the inordinate length of time it's taken me to get round to him.

The figure, of course, is Hinton Hunt PN 5: Prussian Line Infantry (separate musket), one of three that Don very generously donated.

He's painted to represent the standard bearer of the 21st Infantry Regiment, formerly the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment. When the Prussian reserve infantry regiments were raised in 1813, they were each provided with a small cadre of regular officers and NCOs to lead them. As a senior NCO, my standard bearer is thus correctly dressed in his regular line infantry uniform, which will not be the case for most of his comrades.

It also provides a beautifully smooth
painting surface

As no-one really knows what, if any, pattern of flag was carried by the reserve infantry battalions, I've given him what Nash considers to be one of the more common types of unofficial flag carried by at least some of the Prussian reserve and landwehr regiments. I've had another go at coke-can metal for this, with the edges blunted by a bit of filing and varnish.

Surprisingly, perhaps, this flag was much harder to do than the Garde du Corps guidon. It's very difficult to get anything like symmetrical cross when painting freehand. This particular example is my third attempt!

WM

EDIT: With special thanks to Steve C, who gave me the idea for coke-can flags in the first place and told me how to do them.

Coke Can Kürassier 2

Sharply dressed!

My Garde du Corps standard bearer is finished.

Fortunately, there is just enough paint and varnish to blunt the edges of the flag and reduce the risk of major blood loss to anyone attempting to pick him up. He'd still be quite effective as a letter opener, however.

I'm quite tempted to have a go at a full-scale infantry flag using this technique. I reckon it'd work quite well with anything that didn't have to be too symmetrical.

The next post will feature the officer and the trumpeter. The latter really did lead to blood loss!

WM

....but not too sharp!

The Boys from Bavaria

The 4th Line on Parade

It's nearly ten o'clock on Christmas Eve. Wellington Girl has gone to bed, the Christmas deserts and gratin dauphinois are in the fridge, and the 4th Line Infantry are all but complete! A very productive day all round.

Impossible Bavarian Flag Number Two was indeed rather tricky as it took me quite a while to work out how to offset the lozenges in a sufficiently psychedelic fashion. However, it was definitely worth the effort, not least because it helps to hide some of the imperfections of flag number one!

Merry Christmas to everyone from Wellington.

WM

Bavarian Blues 2

The 4th form up.

I really wasn't planning to do any more Bavarians at the moment, but having started them I just couldn't resist. The result is two companies of the 4th Line Infantry Regiment, with two more companies on the way.

The figures are:

1 x Hinton Hunt BVN 1: Bavarian infantry officer, charging;
8 x Hinton Hunt BVN 4: Bavarian infantry private, charging;
2 x Der Kriegspielers DK 174: Bavarian Infantry, at the ready (converted); and

last, but not least, a conversion of Der Kriegspielers DK 7: French Infantry Command 1809, drummer.

Drumming up the new recruits.

Er...a few too many sausages, perhaps?

Impossible Bavarian flag  number 2 is still in production.

An interesting feature of the BVN 4 figures is that a few of them are a bit ....er...wider than the others. Something went a bit wonky during casting, I suspect. However, they line up with their slimmer brethren well enough.

I'm a bit stumped about what colour to paint the helmet plumes. All of Marcus Hinton's Bavarian line infantry have them, despite the fact that it was only the the grenadier and chasseur companies that actually wore them. The plumes, therefore, should either be red or green. However, I wanted to represent fusilier companies in the centre of my battalion, so I painted them white. Transgressive, isn't it...!

The rest of the battalion should be appearing at some point during Christmas, I hope.

Auf wiedersehen,

WM

A Standard for the 2nd Silesians

I present the standard of the 11th (2nd Silesian) Infantry Regiment.

It was painted as a thank-you to Roy. A lot of the things on this blog simply wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for Roy's encouragement.

The flag is being born aloft, as is only fitting, by another of Roy's splendidly executed conversions. The original, in this case, was a Hinton Hunt PN 17: Prussian Landwehr Officer, charging.

My apologies to Roy for the delay. It took me three attempts to get it right! Is it just me, or is silver more difficult to paint with than other types of metallics?

WM

Bavarian Blues

I'm going to be busy with other things over the next few days, so this week's post is a few days early.

My commission is still not complete, and the reason for it is not totally unrelated to this chap.

The sad truth of it is that I've been captured by a horde of Bavarians. As they're going to require rather a lot of flags, I thought I'd better better find out whether trying to paint my own was going to be feasible. I should, perhaps, have found this out before succumbing to them.

So here is my first attempt. The figure is a Der Kriegspielers DK 174: Bavarian Line Infantry, at the Ready. I chose him because his musket was broken off at the hand and thus the prospect of removing the rest of it would be altogether less traumatic. I don't think I'd really have the nerve to hack into a perfectly serviceable figure.

I think there's definitely room for improvement!

I promise that there will be no more mucking about until I've completed the commission.

WM

Using Up My Légère Time!

DK 13: French Line Infantry 1812 Command

DK 8s painted as Light Infantry chasseurs

One of these days I'm going to have to do more than just one of each type of unit before moving on to the next, but it hasn't arrived yet! So, true to form, I've decided to have a go at a battalion of French light infantry.

Commanded by three of Chuck's excellent DK 13 figures are nine DK 8: French Line Infantry 1812, Charging, painted as light infantry chasseurs. As the light infantry after 1812 had a more or less identical cut to their uniforms as the line, all that was required to turn them into light infantry was a different colour scheme.

I was bit worried that the results might look a little monochromatic, but I think the contrast of blue coats and trousers against red collars, with a further flash of scarlet on the cuffs, just manages to avoid this. Although blue pointed cuffs with white piping were more common for the light infantry after 1812, some battalions seem to have retained the older, pre-1812 style of cuff, so I decided this was allowable!

Once again, the DK 8s turned out to be beautiful castings once the old paint had been stripped away, and I was very taken with their fine, aggressive fighting stance! Although the lettering on their flag proclaims them to be the 45me de Ligne,  in my order of battle they are to be the crack 13me Légère. It was the 13th that finally captured the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte from the King's German Legion at Waterloo, and thus for a moment seemed to turn the tide of the battle.

Next up should be the 13th's carabinier and voltigeur companies, using a mixture of DK 8Es and a few more DK 11Es to make up the numbers.

Have a great weekend everyone,

WM

The 45th Goes Forth

Fall In the 45th!

I was at home with a cold today, so had nothing better to do between sneezes than to finish my DK tribute to Ian's 45th.

At just under four weeks to paint from first to last, this battalion has got to be something of a speed-painting record for me.

Two whole companies devoted to grenadiers and voltigeurs was a bit of an extravagance, but I thought that as this was my first French battalion I should stint them nothing.

I think I'll need to do at least one more battalion to get the French Army well and truly underway before returning to the Prussians. The only question is, should it be another line battalion or some light infantry? I rather like the idea of an all-blue unit....

Many thanks again to Chuck for providing the vital command figures. It just wouldn't have been the same with a home-made Eagle. Having said that, I think it's certain that I'm going to have to have a go at this at some stage!


WM

The 45th Forms Up

The 45me de Ligne takes shape.

DK 9: French Line Infantry 1812, advancing.

My Der Kriegspielers tribute to the 45th has reached the halfway mark.

The marching officer is one of Chuck's splendid DK 13: French Line Infantry 1812 Command figures, and I have to say that I think he's come out rather well! Most of other the figures are DK 9: French Line Infantry 1812, advancing.

DK 9 is clearly modeled on the Hinton Hunt FN 5 figure, French Infantry of the Line 1812-15, Fusilier charging. However, there are some significant differences to look out for in case anyone else comes across these figures.

The first thing to note is the head position, which is facing directly forwards in DK 9 rather than to the side as in the FN 5 figure. Another difference is the musket sling. This is fastened tight against the musket in FN 5, but hangs loose in DK 9. Finally, the bases on the DK 9s are rectangular rather than forming the classic HH square. As with many DKs, they are also altogether lighter, slimmer and less detailed than their HH contemporaries. A final identifier is the "9'"inscription discernible under most of the bases

DK 9 musket sling variations

They may not be Hinton Hunts, but I'm delighted with them nonetheless. The lack of deep relief detail made them simple and quick to paint, and they look balanced and well proportioned. In short, I think it's entirely fair to say they have a charm of all of their own.

I also like them because while I was painting them I experienced one of those moments of pure geeky joy when I realised that there are in fact two variants of the DK 9 fusilier - one with musket sling starting in front of the left hand, and one starting after it! If this batch is anything to go by, the former is a lot rarer than the latter.

The next post will look at another unique DK feature - the inclusion of special 'Elite' variants within the French line infantry range. I have eight of the DK 9E variants, which will serve vary well for the 45th's grenadiers and voltigeurs.

WM

A Flag for the Forty Fifth

DK13: French Line Infantry Standard Bearer

Like a moth to the flame, I just couldn't keep away from Chuck's wonderful DK eagles.

The lettering was hideously difficult to do, and I feel I've been only partially successful. I would  probably have done better if I hadn't tried to conform to the  rather wonky original inscription. However, I suppose it's ended up closer to Marcus Hnton's original vision this way!

I'm not totally convinced by the colour of the flag pole and may opt for a plain brown staff in the final.

In the next post I'll take a closer look at the rest of the DK French line infantry that will be forming up in the 45th.

WM

The Eagles Have Landed

Chuck's very generous donation

My cunning plan of starting whichever project turned up first has been completely derailed by the arrival of numerous fabulous things simultaneously!

4 Eagles.

Chuck Gibke in the USA, gentleman, scholar, DK connoisseur and all-round smashing bloke, has donated a fantastic collection of DK French command figures, and much else besides.

Perhaps most treasured of all are these four French line infantry eagle-bearers. My complete lack of eagles was the main reason I haven't made a start on the small army of DK Frenchmen I've been collecting to fight my HH Prussians.

Most of the figures are from the DK 13 set: French Line Infantry Command 1812: 4 drummers, 3 eagle bearers, and 5 marching and 3 charging officers. The final eagle bearer looks like he might be from the DK 7 set: French Line Infantry Command 1809.

Chuck also very generously sent me 8 x DK 121: Prussian Guard Infantry advancing, which is what I need to complete the 2nd East Prussian Grenadiers.

Officers and Drummers

Rounding it off were 12 Jack Scruby French and British standard bearers. Although very simple sculpts they are very well proportioned and I think they'll paint up very nicely. I certainly intend to use them if I can find a way to reposition their flags. This won't be easy as they've been very solidly cast.

DK 121: Prussian Foot Guards Advancing

Needless to say, I am heavily indebted to Chuck for his fantastic generosity. I'll just have to make sure that my painting efforts do them justice..

Scruby Standard Bearers

Suspected Hinchliffes!

In an entirely separate package were what I'm almost sure are a set of 6 Hinchliffe 20mm-scale French field guns.  I bought these from my good friend Richard in New Zealand. I'm not completely certain what they are but they certainly look very Hinchliffe-y - to me. The inward-sloping camber of the wheels may be a bit of a clue. I have the feeling that only Frank Hinchliffe  would have bothered with a detail like this at 20mm scale!

French Gribeauval 6 pdr?

They look to me as if they might be French Gribeauval pattern 6 pounders, but they would do very well as Prussian 6 pounders as well, in my opinion. Whatever they are, I'm completely delighted with them.

So the big decision is: will it be Prussian artillery or French infantry on the painting table this weekend? I'll keep you posted!

WM