The Portable Napoleonic Wargame

This rulebook arrived in the post today.  It has a number of levels of rules sets included; from commanding a Brigade, to commanding a Division and finally to commanding a Corps.  All with a reasonable sized army on a gridded (or 'hexed') table.  It looks to be an alternative to DBN and Command and Colors types of games.

If you have tried these rules out, please leave a comment.  I would love to know how they worked for you.

Remember our fallen heroes on Memorial Day.

Who are These Strange Looking Chaps?

These strange looking chaps arrived in camp last year, fully uniformed and equipped.  I came across them at a local wargame convention, and they were in a 'lot' of old figures that I purchased. 

Can anyone identify who they are? 

They have formed a defensive square to ward off comments about the odd color of their uniforms.

Their uniform is painted rather oddly, as if it was first painted red, then had yellow layered over it to make an orange (or faux light brown)?  Are they Cacadores (though the below uniform plate does not show a red 'vest" or white cross-belts)?  

They appear to be holding rifles (no bayonets).

The Officer with the yellow plume has what appears to be 9099 (or 6066) on the underside of his base.  The rest are covered in glue and paper that I will have to remove.  

Do you recognize the figures or the manufacturer?  

Please leave a comment below if you have any information on these odd little fellows.

Thank you all for visiting my blog over the last few years.  I hope to post again in the not to distant future. 

General Gilbert Désiré Joseph Bachelu's New Uniform and Horse

 

General Gilbert Désiré Joseph Bachelu has been repainted and now has a new uniform and horse. 

Here is the general as I received him, before the refurbishment (facing to the right)

 

 Here is a close up, after refurbishment (facing right)

Here is the general, again as I received him, before the refurbishment (facing to the left)


 

 Here is a close up, after refurbishment (facing left)

 Here are two more photos from different angles:

 

His face looks a bit odd in this photo; it looks somewhat different (better) in person.

Here he is from the back. 

All in all., I am happy at how he turned out.  He has not had his gloss applied yet.  The entire army will be glossified at a later date.

 

As always, please leave your comments below. 

 



Prussian 6th Uhlans Report for Duty



The 6th Prussian Uhlans clatter into the Allied camp, wearing their new uniforms,
as the sun raises over the Wurmberg in Bremen.

This unit was formed out of Uhlans from Lutzow's Freikorps and Uhlans from the Bremen Volunteers.  Note the different colored pennons on the lances and the slightly different uniforms. 

Lutzow's Freikorps troopers

 

 Bremen Volunteers

The 6th Uhlans at the charge

 

There are some small differences between the Lutzow's Freikorps uniform/equipment (black collars piped in red, red shoulder straps and gold scales, and black over red lance pennons) and those of the Bremen Volunteers (red collars, white piping on the shoulder strap, and red over white pennons). 

 Bremen Volunteers (red collars, white piping on the shoulder strap, and red over white pennons). 
Note the buttons on the trousers in above plate are not visible.  They are on the figures, so I added them. 

 Bremen Volunteers in reverse (red collars, white piping on the shoulder strap, and red over white pennons). 

Lutzow's Freikorps uniform/equipment (black collars piped in red, red shoulder straps and gold scales,
and black over red lance pennons).  Note the buttons on the trousers in above plate are not visible.  They are on the figures, so I added them.

 

Lutzow's Freikorps uniform/equipment in reverse (black collars piped in red, red shoulder straps and gold scales,
and black over red lance pennons)

I have four remaining Prussian Lancers.  I am thinking of adding 2 more Bremen Volunteers (so that I have a complete squadron of them, and then adding 4 more Lutzow's Freikorps troopers so that I have a squadron of them as well, and then combining them into a regiment. 

Now I will have to find two more Prussian Lancers to complete that plan.  There is always something to do.

 

Marshal Ney Reports to Camp

Marshal Ney has reported to camp in his new uniform and mount.  Because he is the highest ranking soldier in camp, he has been named the new camp commander. 

FN/354 MARSHAL NEY with riding coat worn over his shoulders

On Approp. Horse FNH/10

Facing left (before refurbishing)

Facing left (After refurbishing)

The Marshal's uniform and horse is based upon the uniform and horse shown above in the painting of  Marshal Ney by Jan van Chelminski  (1851 - 1925).

From slightly above

Facing right

From the rear

For additional "before" photos, to see what the figure looked like before it was stripped of paint and varnish and then primed and repainted, see this blog post.    Note:  "The Bravest of the Brave" still needs his coat of varnish (to withstand even the coldest of Russian winters).

Three "New" Leaders

The consensus of the commenters to this blog are that the figures pictured below are Marshal Bessieres, General Baraguay d'Hilliers in Dragoon Uniform, and a standard French General.

They have all had their bath in paint and varnish remover, and here is how they turned out,  showing the before and after photos [click on the photos to see more detail].  The "magic" of the paint and varnish remover is apparent in the group photos below:

 

 

Facing to the Right are: 

FN/224 French General, FN/353 Marshal Bessieres,

FN/363 General Baraguay d'Hilliers in Dragoon Uniform  (Before)

 

 

 Facing to the Right are:

FN/224 French General, FN/353 Marshal Bessieres,

FN/363 General Baraguay d'Hilliers in Dragoon Uniform  (After)

 

 Facing to the Left are:

FN/224 French General, FN/353 Marshal Bessieres,

FN/363 General Baraguay d'Hilliers in Dragoon Uniform  (Before)

Facing to the Left are:

FN/224 French General, FN/353 Marshal Bessieres,

FN/363 General Baraguay d'Hilliers in Dragoon Uniform  (After)

I am very pleased with how these turned out as well.  Though there is a bit of paint residue that was not removed, it does not appear that it will obscure any detail after priming and repainting. 

Now that these have been "refurbished" I need to get back to the 6th Uhlans and Marshal Ney.