A start is made in completing a few figure bases

 

Last night, for the first time in 2023, I finally sat down at my workbench. The intention was to try and get my mojo following again for wargaming. Rather than break out the paint brushes I decided to apply grass to a few command stands. These had been languishing in my wargaming drawers for upwards of 2 years waiting to be finished. One thing led to another and I ended up applying grass to all the above bases.

In the photo above are, at the front, Napoleonic figures consisting of 3 Austrian & 4 French Command stands, 3 French skirmish stands along with 12 stands of  French Young Guard, at the back are Peter Pig figures which are the start of a WWII Canadian Army. There's still work to be done in making movement/storage trays and creating labels but it felt good to making a start.

Just shows that once I get motivated 15 minutes can turn into an hours worth of enjoyable work.

Basing figures

Its been a barren year for my wargaming activities. I've had the odd game..., well about two since February,...... but that's it. Figure painting has been non existent as I've committed most of my spare time to my other hobby. BUT I am trying to arrange a game that is based on the 1809 battle at Teugn-Hausen. This is just a small Napoleonic, Austrian v French, engagement but it means I'm doing a little more 'finishing off' on my Austrains.

First up has been naming each figure base. As I've taken the effort to make storage trays for each unit, as an aid to protect and organise each unit during storage, it has become a task at the end of a game to match figure bases to trays. Also due to some figure poses some bases only fit back into the trays in a particular way which can be a little trying in the early hours during a week night with work the next day. So I'm printing some small labels with unit name and a number which determines which tray the bases fit and the order (position) they are in the tray. These are then glued to each figure base and then varnished for protection. Examples below.........

Austrian - 7th Jager Battalion

Austrian - 2nd Battalion 2nd (Hillier) Infantry Regiment

Austrian - 4th (Erbgrossherzog von Toscanna) Dragoon Regiment

I've a few more infantry battalions and cavalry regiments to finish basing. Plus there are a few more artillery batteries to paint before I feel that this Austrian army is complete. When this will be who knows...............

Austrian Landwehr

A couple of photos of some 15mm Napoleonic Austrian Landwehr battalions that were finished last year.

Prague Landwehr

I do like this battalion it's something different to most of the other Landwehr units and also goes to show that not all Austrian infantry was in white.

1st - 2nd - 3rd Vienna Woods Landwehr

Austrian Divisional Command

While I am concentrating on selling off my surplus lead I thought I'd put up some photos of my Austrians. These photos are of three proposed Divisional Commands. Each one consists of the Divisional Commander and two Brigade commanders. Shako rules only require the Divisional Commanders but I also like to use the computer rules :Hard Pounding" and these need the Brigade commanders.

I am not following any particular OOB in composing my Austrian army just trying to put together a typical force. I am also trying to pick out commanders that would have commanded similar divisions/brigades but, with promotions and deaths during the conflicts, this is all with, what might be termed, "gamers license". Tracking down some of the names has been interesting to say the least. The combinations are not fixed in stone and will be used as and how is necessary when games are being created.

Division : FML Radetz

Graf Radestsky von Radetz

(Advance Guard)

Division : FML Wimpffen

Maximilian Freiherr von Wimpffen

(Infantry Division)

Division : FML Bianchi

Vincenz Ferrerius Frederico Bianchi

(Infantry Division)

There is only one figure in the above collection that is not my own work. I have some more to paint and some other command figures that I have bought painted to base. This force will eventually be 5 divisions strong consisting of two Corps of two divisions plus an Advance Guard division.