Now that was some project...

So it was last July when I embarked on my "Black Powder Challenge". Well, last night, I pretty much finished the project, completing a unit to represent the Austrian 10th Hussars. With that, I have basically finished my roster from the Black Powder Challenge.



You may note the caveats "pretty much" and "basically". Well, the cavalry unit is supposed to 24 models strong, but it is currently sitting at 20 models, as I have a shortage of figures from Foundry. I ordered a final pack of Hussars back in February, and it never showed. To Foundry's credit, they have said they will re-send another package. It has yet to arrive. So I hope at some point I will be able to paint the last three figures, and do a full 24-rider unit. In the interim, I'll have these guys a little under-strength, but still ready to fight. I'm not going to let this little supply hiccup hold up the completion of the project! Plus, I am looking to rack up some more points in Curt's Spring Thaw Painting Challenge.

All in, I've painted three infantry battalions, two cavalry regiments, two artillery pieces and crews (which would either be two batteries or two sections of one battery depending on the rules), a skirmish unit and a command stand. A total of 133 28mm foot figures, 49 mounted figures and two artillery pieces.



So where did this insanity come from?

Over the past couple of years, as new ranges of Napoleonic 25/28mm figures, many of them plastic, have appeared, with newer "grand manner" rule sets to match them. Examples include LaSalle, Black Powder, and Republic to Empire. These rules (to me, at least) challenged the focus on the really large major engagements (Austerlitz, Waterloo, etc.) by the gaming/rule-writing 'establishment' of Napoleonics (Shako). Shako has a lot going for it, but to me they are maximized for the very large encounters and large portions of the biggest battles.

With these newer rules, you can play a smaller engagement, with bigger-sized units. Play Waterloo if you want, but you'll have just as much fun with a smaller engagements, of which there were countless numbers throughout the period of the French Revolution/Napoleonic wars. Because you don't need 20 battalions on one side, you can paint much larger units. And you can also do it because it looks a lot cooler. You don't need to...but the implied peer pressure is clear :)

The newer rule books make you mental and jealous, full of pictures of 32-figure battalions and huge, huge collections (all beautifully painted). I was very, very skeptical of this "grand manner" notion. I loved the smaller games, but I struggled to wrap my head around painting the huge units. After all, one huge unit was worth like two Shako-sized units, right? Plus, I paint all sorts of stuff in all sorts of scales and periods. I felt trying to go with the big units would require me focus on this one period.

Inspired/baited/motivated by Conscript Curt, I took the plunge into "grand manner" sized units. One of the engagements given as a starter scenario in the ruleset LaSalle is the battle of Venzone from 1809. Curt figured the Austrian OB for this scenario would be a good basis to start with, and challanged me to get it done, pledging to have the French side ready for his part.

Curt is very skilled a turning my skepticism on its head, and so I finally got started. I am very glad I did! In the end, I found it was possible to get the painting momemtum going to a point where I could finish these units in a reasonable amount of time, and I love the look of them. Now that I have a bit of a base collection in place, adding more units doesn't seem like its such a dire challenge. I am already plotting to expand my Austrian force, and do some other nationalities too. And of course I am looking forward to getting them on the table soon...

Send in the Hussars

With the Dragoons out of the way, I have one last unit to complete as part of my own Black Powder Challenge - a regiment of Austrian Hussars. Hussars have very colourful uniforms, and a lot of flair, so I left them for last. I managed to get started on them this weekend, and here are a couple of pictures of the first "test" models.

The Regiment is the 10th (Meszaros). Painting these suckers will take some time (all the cords make for slow going), but the end (of this project) is in sight! Now that I have worked out the colours to use, I hope the speed will pick up. It took a month to finish the Dragoon regiment, and I am going to try and finish these guys within about the same period.




One catch - I was short three figures to do a complete 24-figure regiment. I ordered an additional pack from Foundry in February. Foundry sent an email saying it was in the mail February 28. Still no sign of the package, however...thanks Foundry!

Ri-co-la!

Over the weekend I finished off some more stuff to go with the ongoing Napoleonic project - some Austrian Jaegers, based individually as a skirmish unit. The models are from Foundry, and they are based on 25mm washers.

I love the Austrian Jaegers - with their high, folded mountain caps, stubby rifles, lacing for the powderhorns, french horns for the musicians, big-time mustaches etc. it's a bit like a Ricola commercial with guns.



The Jaegers, armed with rifles, fought as either skrimishers or formed units for the Austrians. For the scenario that has driven my original list of units for the Black Powder challenge, the roster calls for one skirmish unit, so I did the Jaegers that way to fit the bill.


I was also limited by my collection - you might notice how quite a few of the models in this unit are in a particular loading pose, biting off a charge. Well, that is courtesy of Foundry. I had two packs of Jaegers - one of command, and one of "loading/firing". These packs were from a long time ago, when Foundry had 12 figures in the pack (for less money too). Well, all 12 of the "loading/firing" figures turned out to be loading. Thanks Foundry.

The command pack had some alternative poses (including one more guy loading - ARGH!), but it gives some variety (at least one guy firing, two guys running, the officer, and the musician). Overall, I think there is just enough variety to break up the monotony of the dudes chewing on the rounds.

I do want to have a formed unit in the collection, as Jaeger battalions were often present in the advance-guard-type columns that I think will make for some great 25mm-scale Napoleonic scenarios. A formed unit would call for about 32 models, and with Foundry looking for $22.50 US per 8 figures (plus shipping), I will opt instead for some Alban miniatures. I have never painted Alban before, but they look pretty sharp, so watch the blog for more on these in the future.

Meanwhile, I have finally started Napoleonic cavalry. Up first is a Regiment of Austrian Dragoons - a beefy one with 24 castings. I've never painted Napoleonic cavalary in 25mm scale before, so it will be slow going until I get a bit more confidence with the horses, sadles, bridles etc. But the Austrian Dragoon uniform is very close to that of the infantry (helmet, yellow and black pom-pom or whatever on the top, white coat, coloured facings etc) so that should help me get some momentum.