Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 6

A mounted Prussian commander sans the 40mm by 20mm MDF base he was originally on. He will soon be acquainted with his new 50mm by 25mm pill shaped base.

After a pretty grim week I am at last (I think) feeling a little more with it. The cough is still there and the throat is a little sore but not as angry as earlier in the week. I still ache and am a little feverish but I reckon I am on the mend. I certainly feel a little better in myself.

The chap you see above is one of the first figures I have removed from their MDF base following an overnight soak. The two units I had in soak were based one on card and the other on MDF. The cardboard bases come away far more easily as you would expect but the MDF is a slightly more tricky proposition. I found that after its soaking the MDF tended to peel away in layers which is fine. I will need to careful though and remember to bend the base and not the figure. For those figures that had flock applied I will need to use something like an old toothbrush or one of those small inter dental brushes - especially for the cavalry - and again, exercise a degree of caution.

I am not going to rush this part of the process and am expecting to spend several months on it. I shall also be attending to any minor repairs and addressing the modest paint conversions I am planning.

On a separate note

There are a number of friends that read the blog that are currently awaiting parcels from yours truly. To these stalwart denizens I can only apologise for the delay but I am confident that normal service will be resumed shortly so many thanks for your patience during my illness.

Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 5

The first of the collection in soak to get the bases off. Prussian Dragoons and command. I have a further 14 or so of these fellows.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel in that whilst my chest feels like a punchbag after a sparring session with Rocky my head does not feel quite so cotton wool filled. It means I can concentrate rather more and whilst the cough is still giving me spots before my eyes and upper body aches and pains the like of which even the incredible Hulk would have groused at; I can start looking at things in a little more detail.

The armies I will be raising will be relatively modest in size but with sufficient variety of units and excess numbers to make life interesting. One thing I had not thought about was the size of games I would be undertaking. Way back in the days of the block armies and a 13 x o hexed grid I used to work on the basis that around a dozen units a side enabled a really good game to be fought. This would often translate into half a dozen or so infantry units, a couple of cavalry units and perhaps a gun or two. The standard size of playing area was usually 12 x 8 or 13 x 9. Around 15 for 16 units a side would be realistically about as large as one would like to go.

The armies I am working on would be probably be around one and half times the size mentioned  – remember this is based on a lot of playing experience using the grid sizes mentioned – which will give me plenty of variety of variety.

This is not an approach I had considered previously for this period as in many ways old habits die hard – 20 to 24 figure infantry units and a dozen or so cavalry seems almost obligatory for the period and it is a hard habit to get out of. Using the Command and Colours/Portable Wargame standard for units means that I can fully utilise small numbers of figures which is an important consideration with such a collection as that of the Del Prado range.

The famous Command and Colours/Portable Wargame standard of 4, 3 and 2 figures will be varied slightly as a number of mounted units are of 4 blocks and the artillery are of 3.

The first task to be undertaken will be to get the figures off their bases and so the first batch are now quietly soaking away. Conventional wisdom is to leave them for around twenty four hours to soften them up so lets see how that works out.

Assuming all goes well with the first batch I can then mobilise a couple more of the boxes I am using so that more figures can be soaked at a time.

Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 4

The dreaded lurgy has taken an even stronger grip and so my general level of malaise has dropped several notches lower. Funny thing is though that whilst any attempt at concentrating properly on reading material is doomed to failure, rummaging through figures is oddly therapeutic and to be honest is about all I am good for at the moment!

French infantry and artillery. The small piles are figures that have yet to be based but that have been placed with the appropriate units.

I have now gone through the last of the box files and as suspected the French army is not only the largest but is also the closest to being ‘match fit’. For sure there is a lot work in respect of rebasing but overall it is in pretty good shape and needs less adding to it.

French cavalry including both Guard and line with the former represented by Horse Grenadiers, two types of Lancer - Dutch and Polish and Chasseurs a Cheval. Line has more Cuirassiers than is healthy but also adds some Dragoons and Carabiniers

There are a lot of MDF bases in evidence which will all require soaking off and the underside of the figure bases will then need some filing. The plan is to gloss varnish the figures and to paint and matt varnish the figures and MDF bases I will be using in the same green as for the ACW figures. As mentioned previously I have identified a few potential paint conversions which will add to the selection of units available. With the ‘unit’ sizes being small this will be an easily managed process and I am quite looking forward to it.

Russian Cavalry from the Relive Austerlitz range which sadly was not released in the UK

The one thing that has become more and more obvious as I waded through the box files of figures is that my planned organisation will be going pretty much by the board. For the most part the armies will be largely representational with regimental identities being limited to those troops that were unique – Scot’s Greys, 95^th rifles, Old Guard etc. The default unit size will be based around Command and Colours so anything from 3 to 5 for infantry and cavalry and 2 or 3 for artillery. If there are sufficient figures of a single type to make up larger formations for use with other rules (I am thinking of Rebels and Patriots here with 12/16 figure infantry units and, I believe 6 figure mounted) it will be more by chance than design.

Now that the preliminary sort out has been completed I can see where the shortfalls are and so will be able to plan to address these. I can also get a feel for how large the respective contingents will be once the gaps have been filled. I will also need to get an order in to Warbases for the requisite bases as my current stock will not be enough.

Despite feeling particularly grim I am quite pleased with myself for getting this lot done. I am also pleased that the extra figures I will need to get are at a low level.

Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 3

With a head that feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool I am certainly not operating at anything like peak efficiency. However I have continued the sorting out process of my Del Prado Napoleonic collection - in truth I do not feel much like doing anything else.

Prussian infantry along with Belgians and a small unit of Brunswickers

The British

British cavalry and artillery

As I work my way through the collection I have seen a number of possible paint conversions that will help to expand the available troops. These will be quite small jobs but they will give me a greater variety of troops to use.

By fat and away the largest job will be removing the bases which are for the most part MDF. I am thinking that overnight soaking will be the way to go so I intend making a start on this at the weekend, By then I would sorted out the French as well and they will feature in the next post.

Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 2

Prussian cavalry - Dragoons and Hussars with a gun and crew in attendance (and apologies for the tray!

I am feeling wretched. The horrible chesty cough/head cold/sore throat that afflicted our son and daughter over the Christmas holidays and that I thought I had swerved has taken hold. the timing could not have been worse as as sure as the sun comes up I will guarantee that my beloved will get it just in time for her birthday and our wedding anniversary next month. For now though, it will be industrial quantities of hot lemon and honey, loads of drugs, several layers of blankets/jumpers/duvets and binge watching Netflix.

My get up and go has got up and gone but last night I made a tentative start on sorting out the Del Prado collection and believe me, even that was an effort.

The picture you above is of the Prussian cavalry with a sole artillery piece and crew. There is also one of my pill shaped cavalry bases.

The cavalry featured shared a box with the accompanying infantry as well as the Belgian and Brunswick contingent. For the Prussians there are some three dozen or so Landwehr types and a couple of mounted commanders. It would be enough to make a start on a representative Prussian army but I will need to add to it to get it to where I want it to be.

There are a dozen Brunswick infantry and some three dozen or so Belgian infantry in blue tunics. It would be easy to paint convert a unit of Belgian light infantry chasseurs from these fellows which i will probably do. There is also a nice unit of Dutch-Belgian Carabiniers.

This early in the process of renovation I have already realised that there will be a number of units that will be represented solely on a Command and Colours basis which will mean the odd 4 infantry or cavalry figures. A good example is the British Lifeguards. This mounted unit is 8 figures strong whereas the C and C version is three blocks. I plan to paint convert half the unit into the Blues when I get to the British.

It is very early days yet but already I have a definite idea of the shape this project will take and hat I will need to achieve it.

Planning a Napoleonic Adventure....Part 1

The unit mix from the Command and Colours: Napoleonic base game. Later expansions add to the selection available with the French gaining quite a few extra as well as additional troop types.

Ok then, let's check the basics. Reference books - check, rules - check, playing surface - check, terrain - needs some work, figures - needs a lot of work, storage - needs some work, entertainment value - HUGE!

That pretty much sums up where I am at in respect of the 1815 collection with of course the main work being the organising and basing of the collection. After a couple of cursory experiments I have settled on using the same standard as for the ACW collection although initially I was a little concerned that the figures would look a little lost on the bases - 25mm circular for foot figures and 25mm x 50mm for the mounted and pill shaped in their configuration. Guns will not be on bases.

Wrong period but right basing - the standard I shall be using for the Napoleonic collection

The first order of business will be to sort the figures into the units that Old Painter Bob had assigned them to. I can then look at what there is in respect of my own organisation.

The plan is that I will mirror closely the units mix in each of the Command and Colours: Napoleonic sets on the basis of one figure equalling one block. Ideally I want to extend that to reflect at a higher level the organisation of units from Charge! as I fully intend using the rules 'off the grid' and for a variety of other rule sets.

Taking the above picture as a rough guide one can see that, for example, there are 10 units of 4 blocks each for the French in respect of their line infantry. Under my system this would translate into 40 figures. Now I know for a fact that later expansions add to this so if I based my French line infantry on 48 figures - which is the rank and file component for a basic Charge! infantry regiment (not the advanced version) - I would be close to where I need to be. Extra figures like officers, musicians and standard bearers will feature but these will be generic as far as possible rather than for specific units.

My overall aim is to have a selection of Napoleonic armies that are representative rather than unit specific. As long as it looks right then it will be right.

It will not be possible to align the collection specifically to either the C and C set up or to that of Charge! - I will not be using as much artillery for one thing - but for the key components I will try to get as close as practical where I can.

After having sorted through the figures I will then be able to see what I can organise from stock so to speak and I will also have a better idea of what shortfalls there are and so can take steps to address these. Luckily I know a fellow Del Prado enthusiast that will be able to help!

There will be (hopefully) much horse trading taking place!

A Grand Day Out

Friday just gone saw me making the 80 odd mile journey to visit Old Painter Bob at his home to conduct some wargame related business. It was the first time I had met him and I am only sorry I had not done so a whole lot sooner!

The drive to his house was straightforward enough (although I did miss his turning during the first pass!) and as pulled up he was waiting at his front door to greet me. Introductions followed and then the task of decanting a whole pile of assorted bits and pieces from Eric’s collection in my car was speedily concluded and the items heading in the other direction were duly set to one side. After a welcoming cup of tea (Mrs Old Painter Bob and the family hound providing tea and cake in the case of the former and a questing nose and ferociously wagging tail in the case of the latter) we got down to the serious business of the day - wargames armies.

I will leave details of Old Painter Bob’s part of the bargain to him but for my part it consisted of the acquisition of a humongous collection of Del Prado 25mm Relive Waterloo range of Napoleonics - primarily for the 1815 campaign although with some Russians from the Austerlitz equivalent. This lot comes in at a little over 600 pieces The pictures below do not do it justice as it was very much an ongoing project. My role will be to bring order to the chaos and to realise a 40 year old dream of fielding 25mm armies for the final campaign of the Napoleonic Wars.

A selection of French commanders including Rod Steiger, sorry Napoleon....

French Cavalry including rather a lot of Cuirassiers and those wonderful looking Carabiniers

Russian Cavalry and artillery

Mostly Prussians and Dutch Belgians

The British

Mostly French Infantry and artillery 

I should mention that the above are the figures in their respective boxes after a rather torturous drive home and before any major reorganisation has taken place.

I had the opportunity to discuss gaming in general and also to take a look at Old Painter Bob’s extensive collections and this was indeed a real treat. Everything from ancients to the Cold War in scales from 1:300th up to 54mm and stored in boxes and drawers everywhere - mostly in his operations room. I say mostly because if you looked closely enough you could see the odd tray of figures tucked away in odd corners of the house (ssh, don’t tell anyone!) I believe that the late Stuart Asquith mentioned about how he enjoyed seeing how other gamers did what they did and for me this was certainly true. There were highlights too numerous to mention - you see his blog for pictures of what he does and how he does it - but I was very impressed with his Napoleonic and Crimean collections as well as his Airfix based WW2 desert and ACW set up. It all seemed very organised but with a healthy dose of seemingly occasional chaos to keep things honest. 

Old Painter Bob appears to be at that rewarding stage of his wargames career of knowing what is his gaming sweet spot and so it shines like a beacon through his entire collection. This only comes with experience and so we talked about games and rules gone by and how we got to where we are now. It was both stimulating and thought provoking to hear.

The remainder of my ACW Spencer Smith figures were handed over and he will be making a start on them shortly which means I can complete that particular project - particularly as another component of this arrived on Friday, more of which in the next post.

After a very enjoyable light lunch we repaired to the study where Old Painter Bob talked me through his library and mightily impressive this was. It is not the largest I have seen but it has a really good coverage and for sure there were more than a couple of titles I would like for my own collection.

The day was coming to a end all too quickly - the time flew by - when a few surprise items were added to my car boot full of Del Prado Napoleonic figures in the shape of the items below.

Full of useful tips and techniques for warship modelling

Surplus to Old Painter Bob’s requirements but these 1:1200th models are lovely to look at and I am now duty bound to do something with them!

Really delighted with this strategic level naval wargame which will serve as a scenario generator for tabletop tactical battles

I was delighted to receive these items and I am sure that they will be extremely useful with my naval adventures.

We are fortunate in our hobby in that for the most part we are able to interact with kindred spirits in a friendly and generous way. Not only from the perspective of material items but also the generosity of time and of sharing knowledge and enthusiasm. As I drove home from Old Painter Bob’s house I was left feeling both humbled and honoured by the experience and delighted to have at last met this throughly decent fellow. I hope to repeat the experience at some point and maybe even get a game in.

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Old Painter Bob and his good lady as well as the family tail wagger for their hospitality, an excellent light lunch and the opportunity to spend some quality time talking about our hobby.

It was a grand day out.