Austrian 3rd Cuirassiers - 28mm Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry

Thunder on the Danube! Austrian 3rd Cuirassiers ready for the charge.

I finished my latest 28mm Napoleonic unit during the hockey game last night - a regiment of Austrian Cuirassiers in 28mm.  These lads will represent Cuirassier Regiment #3, Herzog Albert zu Sachen-Teschen (got that?), from Moravia.  The regiment is 24 models strong.  The figures are from Wargames Foundry, and are based in pairs on 40mm x 60mm bases. The flag is from Conscript Brian H's Vaubanner Graphics.

Figures painted and ready for basing

A snug fit on the 40mm x 60mm metal bases

This will the be first unit I have added to my 28mm Austrian collection in about a year! Typical Austrian neglect. They had to wait forever, but at least the Austrian generals are getting some stylish reinforcements in the form of heavy cavalry.  This will be particularly welcome given that the French received some Cuirassiers of their own recently.

Austrian troopers in reserve pose - figures are 28mm from Wargames Foundry

These lads will ride to glory (or crushing defeat - whatever) in games of Black Powder, of Curt's unique Napoleonic rules known as Food For Powder, and perhaps even games of Maurice!  A head-on clash with the French heavies would be wonderful fun, and they can always pray to find a touch of the glory my Austrian Hussars found in action in Regina last year!

The monopose is not ideal, but looks a little ominous - suitable for heavy cavalry

Actually if the Austrians are true to form they will break this intimidating regiment down into smaller groups that will spend time providing cover and suitable escorts to various to-ing and fro-ing of indecisive column commanders on the battlefield ("Kindly advise the Feldmarschall I've forgotten my harpsichord solo in Vienna and require a suitable escort to return to the capital and retrieve it. Sigh.").  But I hope to avoid doing that for the first game, at least...

No backplate armour for the Austrian Cuirassiers

I dislike painting horses, but I love having cavalry units on the table (makes sense, right?)  I had hoped to finish both these fellows and the French Cuirassiers in May.  I didn't make it, but I came close...in all, it was 48 mounted figures primed, painted and based in about 45 days...pretty good rate of production.  It's one reason I love the NHL playoffs.  That, and watching the Princess Pittsburgh Penguins getting HAMMERED.  If only I could have painted at this rate during Curt's painting challenge.

Ready to charge home against Napoleon's lackies!

Up next for this summer I have a few options, and I haven't made up my mind.  I need to do some French for these fellows to charge/shoot at.  I also need to reinforce them.  And I have a couple of other new projects nipping at my interest, including an interesting potential one from Mike F....stay tuned for details!  

WIP - 28mm Austrian Cuirassiers

WIP - 28mm Austrian Cuirassiers from Foundry

I recently finished a unit of 28mm French Napoleonic heavy cavalry.  It's only fair that my often-neglected Austrians receive some similar reinforcements, so here are a few WIP photos of an Austrian Cuirassier regiment coming together.  The figures are metal ones from Wargames Foundry.



Early stages...black primer, brown base coat on the horses, grey on the leggings

It's another grand-manner-style 24-figure regiment.  The cavalry are in a reserve pose, with their heavy sabres at the side.  It's a suitably sombre look for these Hapsburg heavies. 

A finished "stick" - these are test models from early May

The Austrian Cuirassiers are another favourite unit of this period (I have a lot of favourites in this period).  They are known for their black-armoured steel plate cuirasse.  Unlike the French Cuirassiers, the Austrians only wore a plate on the front, not the rear.  I have read some commentary indicating that this lack of parity led to the Austrians suffering harshly in some cavalry melees, but I'm not sure how relevant the armour was overall in this period. 

The black armour is hard to see under all of the straps

Trying to find the right black was tricky, and I'm still not sure if I've nailed it.  I used a Tamiya acrylic Gun Metal Black as a base colour, and then a slight highlight of GW's "Lead Belcher". I find the combo looks black but still metallic.  Good enough on the test models, so good enough for the first unit.

Rear view showing the water bottle and lack of rear armour plate

I have to say I love how the Perry cavalry avoids the monopose syndrome with both their metal and plastic figures.  As nice as the Foundry figures are (and I think the Perrys may have sculpted them too? Confusing...), these Foundry units lack in variety once they are based.  On the other hand, I hope this unity of pose will lend them a certain menacing air...

The rank and file troopers await transfer to gaming bases...

I started with a couple of test models back in May, but moved on the French cavalry. With the French regiment finished, I came back to these guys. So far I have 16 of the troopers painted.  Just eight, including the command group, to go! We have some family friends visiting soon, which tends to shut down painting production for me, and I was hoping to get these suckers finished before the company arrives tomorrow but it's just not going to happen.  I will try and get as many of these guys painted as I can tonight, but the debut as a unit will have to wait a little while...