Russian Army Infantry Complete

Well last summer's project has taken a year. Life is what happens when you are making plans. At any rate here are two brigades of 8 battalions. You will note two grenadier battalions, two jaeger battalions and four musketeer battalions. Next in the queue are three medium artillery batteries and four regiments (12 each) of cavalry, hussars, two dragoons and cuirassiers. Involves casting 36 heads so it will take a while.

Russians and Prussians 54mm

Painting a Russian army this summer. Cobbled together some cavalry and artillery for the Russians, cavalry for the Prussians.  Most are Timpo with HaT heads. The cuirassiuer is a Marx Mexican with HaT Bavarian head, helmet modified. Thanks to Cent Jours website.

40mm HomeCast Napoleonics

This project was started decades ago when I was stationed in Germany.  Really liked ZinnBrigade molds for the toy soldier feel with enough detail to make them nice figures.  They are also fully  round.  Only drawback is limited opponents for the French, Brit heavy cavalry and Prussian infantry-all of whom appear to be left handed.  I made the Brit inf from molds of modified French and the bottom half of a Heyde Scot. Below are photos of a French relief forces being routed by a British BDE.

 British Brigade advances through crumbling French resistance.

 French Bn covers the retreat. The survivors of the French center stream past. 

 Left French Bn has to form square with threat from British light dragoons. Scots move up to deliver volley fire.

 Light dragoons began life a Prussian 1900 Uhlans.  Head swaps and a little filing made a master figure.  Silicone mold was simple, have a unit of chausseurs a cheval from the same model.

 Same mold with epoxy hat and cape.  The brigadier finds this as exciting as a good fox hunt. If he could find that castle on the map he'd know what to name this victory.

 Royal artillery prolongs to threaten any rescue attempt from the castle.  Heavy cavalry swings wide to cut off a French escape.

 Two home made British infantry molds, advancing and in reserve, make the Buffs, an Irish regiment and a detachment of rifles.  Scots required the sacrifice of a Heyde recast-but hey, can't have a British bde without Scots!  French litter the field while a attenuated bn tries to cover the retreat. Sauve qui peut!

British Napoleonic Brigade 54mm

No new line/light infantry for Britain has been offered in 54mm for quite some time.  Fortunately you can still find it on ebay.  Below is the British Bde that has a solid winning streak on the billiards table.





Forty years' service and still shooting...

 Except for the scots... Anytime the brits take major casualties you can bet this unit gets hammered. A 40 year old set from Airfix, I lost my mind one day and cut up their feathered bonnets to reflect caps common in the revolutionary war.  Got lucky and secured a reasonably priced set that is undamaged so the scots may get a second battalion this year. 
 


 A Call to Arms has the best Brit set on the market with British light Infantry.  Think they serve well as pre 1812 line.  Robust, good poses easy to paint, just a terrific set. 



ACTA Lights charging.  The left leg can snap if you abuse them enough.

Firing line with Airfix Officer

Fully round models-great set.

Airfix line infantry in Belgic shakos.  Really good set that has stood the test of time,

ACATA Brit Arty-great set.

Size comparison with HaT, all match pretty well.

54mm Napoleonic Artillery

There are a few decent choices for the King of Battle.  To my liking the ACTA British Artillery crew is the best set made.  Believable poses (4) with 16 figures to a box. Where it falls apart is that the guns come 1 to a box- just too expensive.  I make do with play-set cannons on what appear to be howitzer caissons.  Two guns and 8 crew make a battery.  Two minor drawbacks to the set is the gunner with the ammo has a ball rather than a cartridge, and the other is that Brit gunners require lots of "surgery" to represent other nations.

I've seen nice work on the HaT site converting Prussians and Bavarians into gunners.  I've been using ACTA Grenadiers for French foot artillery.  From a distance the painted gaiters don't look too bad.

 

I was lucky enough to get a number of Italeri French Artillery kits .  They a very well done but have yet to reach the painting table.  These  guns are crewed by guard horse artillery (a couple of over-dramatic poses) that are beautifully executed.  Will post when painted.

 

Another source is the prolific Armies in Plastic.  While I really like their Rogers Rangers/Woodland Indian sets, their Napoleonic poses look a bit wooden.  That said, they are in production and reasonably priced.