Spanish Napoleonic Line Infantry (24 Figures) plus Infantry General on horse with ADC Ensign on horse

Front Rank Miniatures provide really great miniatures and after my first 6 test miniatures I ordered the whole Line, a General and one which is normally a cavalry ensign. I loved the horses pose so much so that I adjusted the ensign to ADC of the general.

24 Line Infantry
2 Horses
1 General of the infantry
1 Ensign on horse

French Napoleonic Old Guard Grenadiers in Campaign Dress 1805 (24 Miniatures)

As Victrix currently offers 30% off of each of their boxes I took hold of this bargain and ordered a couple of their miniatures.

Victrix provides them in plastic sprues which leaves room for variety.

After cross checking the boxes:

I

 I found out that I could build a bit more out of the two I ordered. So the Old Guard Grenadiers in Campaign Dress of 1805 are born. In case someone might notice... I take my uniform colours from the Osprey books..

So here we go:

British Napoleonic (45th Nottinghamshire) line infantry unit post-1812 (24 figures)

I got the idea for this action unit by a post by one of my favourite blogs. Thrillermiller is his nickname and I really liked the idea of this attacking unit...

Miniatures: Frontrank (metal)

French Napoleonic Gun

Of course its not all about the british... so french napoleonics got also their first gun. This one is a metal one by Frontrank Miniatures....

Colours used here are Vallejo... enjoy !

Victrix - Napoleonic british foot artillery box (12 pounders)

I  got a fantastic sending by Victrix which depicts a battery of english foot artillery. These are plastic miniatures with a high variety of choice. In case someone notices it.. the bare headed guy got a special hat which is not included in the box set, but which I found in some older victrix box for french of mine....

Enjoy the battery:

What a week ! Achived the place of honor for painting

Wow.. that was quite impressive to me. After taking place in the irish "Preening Dandies" Competition I never ever thought on getting the first place, or place of honor for painting a miniature.

The Miniature I send along for the competition was a french infantry colonel by Perry Miniatures which I did paint in 3 evening sessions(including horse).

You will find the result here:

http://waraltar.onthestep.net/2012/11/preening-dandies-october-edition.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheWarAltar+%28The+War+Altar%29

Starter Scenario - Republic to Empire

REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE is a Napoleonic rules set by Barry Hilton and partners. The general impression I've gotten from reading forums and blogs is that people think the rules are complicated. The game play is smooth and free flowing with minimal need to refer to the main text once concepts have been mastered. New players usually pick up the key mechanisms within three to four game turns.

 

As I do not own a copy of that I had to transfer everything to a rules set based on my Black Powder rules which I own. I simply love all the tips and hints in the bock about how to base or how many miniatures to base at once etc...

 

The difference is that Black Powder is scaleable to fit each scale. I own 28mm but could also use Black Powder on 20, 25, 15, 6 or whatever scale.

 

As not used to play napoleonic warfare I simply downloaded the scenario and adapted it to my needs. When you follow this blog you might have noticed that I only own british and french troops at present and so I had to leave out the spanish here... but hei, who know what comes next. So highly recommended easy scenario.

Enjoy !

 

The Battle of Almarez, August 6th, 1809

The Battle of Almarey, August 6th, 1809

The British won the battle of Talavera, but were forced to retreat all the same as French reinforcements arrived. The British formed a new defensive position behind the river Tagus. All of the crossings were well defended, but that might not have been the case if Marshal Soult had been more decisive. One crossing near the village of Almaraz was held initially only by a force of 1000 Spanish Line Infantry and a small detachment of guns. The bridge across the river is described as "broken" but it was apparently still passable by foot. There was also a ford nearby.

Historically, Wellesley had four days to prepare his defenses and he positioned General Craufurd and his Light Brigade to reinforce the Spanish. At this time, the Light Brigade consisted of the 43rd, the 52nd, and the 95th. He also attached Donkin's Brigade to Craufurd, though this brigade had suffered heavy casualties at Talavera, loosing around a third of it's strength (read 24-man battalions rather than 36). This brigade included the 87th (the Prince of Wales' Own Irish) and 88th (Connaught Rangers) line as well as a handful of the 60th (more riflemen, this time with red facings). Soult dispatched Marshal Ney (finally) to take the crossing, but Ney found it too well defended by the time he arrived.

 
The forces are listed below and will have to be modified to meet my collection (e.g. bringing up "The Buffs", etc..).

Third Division, Craufurd

Light Brigade
43rd Light (28)
52nd Light (28)
95th Rifles (28)

Donkin's Brigade
88th Line (36)
74th Line (24)
45th Line (24)
60th Rifles (12 skirmishers)

Attached Cavalry
1st KGL (12)
RHA battery (2 guns)

Spanish Brigade
2 Battalions (24)
half battery of foot artillery

Loison's Division Command by Marshal Ney

First Brigade
26th Line (2 battalions, 36 each)
Legion Hannoverienne (2 battalions, 28 each)
Legion du Midi (24)

Second Brigade
32nd Light (24)
66th Line (2 battalions, 36 each)
82nd Line (30)

Attached Cavalry
5th Hussars (12)

Divisional Artillery
1 battery (4 guns)

This is the goal to actually paint. There will be a couple of substitutes anyway to fit my already painted