1st Leibhusars

As you may recall, some months ago I painted my first couple of Prussian hussar regiments. I was quite pleased with them, so I had to do more, and here is the result. The 1st Leibhusars Regiment in all their black glory. As it´s usual in me, the proportion of green-clad freiwiligers is inflated, but I had so many of those chaps bought from Calpe that I have forced them to serve the fatherland soon enough.
  All the minis are Calpe this time. The white-grey tumpreters horses is something I am not 100% sure. I know the French and other armies had this convention. But I have my doubts about the Prussians.

Italian reinforcements

Today I bring here the 4th Line Infantry Regiment. My third 28mm Italian infantry regiment so far. The fourth is currently on the painting line.
  As usual, white uniforms are a difficult task. Too much shadows and they look dirty, too much white and they look flat and lifeless. And don´t get me started on the right tone of grey... Many swear it should be tan-brownish, but I prefer a purer grey. Well, I hope you like them. As always, my painting style is optimized for arm reach distance, NOT for very close ups (if you want close ups, better get into 90 or 120mm scale).
  As you can see, I have opted for white pompons, as that´s what I find at the Histunif website. But I have other sources colliding with that.
  The figures are mostly Perry´s this time (with some Foundry and Victrix exceptions). They are from their French 1809-1812 range. I must say they are "rougher" around the edges than other references I have from them. The sculpting here feels a little rushed up, as if to fill a hole in the range quickly. Or may be it was a rushed up casting...  They are full of grace as always, but I bet the Perrys could make a "proper" Middle Imperial French period range with a lot of more references. And Light Infantry, please.
 Flag from Adolfo Ramos, waved by yours truly.

Italian Foot Artillery

Well, it´s been a while since my previous post, but then you know how this works. One must find the time and the enthusiasm to go on.

As you know, my current projects include building about one division of italian troops for my French Imperial army. Now we´ll take a look at some foot artillery. As you can see below, I decided I didn´t want to miss the opportunity for more variation, so besides the customary line foot artillery, I´ve also painted some regimental artillery.

Let´s begin with the basic type, the line foot artillery. Here with a pair of 6 pdr. pieces. Gunners are Offensive Miniatures range, guns from Calpe.

The following is regimental line artillery sporting austrian 3pdrs. Very similar to line artillery, but notice the green lapels and turnbacks instead of black and red. Gunners are Offensive Miniatures again, guns Front Rank.

 

And here is one regimental artillery gun from the Regimento di Conscritti di la Guardia Reale (Guard Conscripts). These guys went into Russia in 1812.  A decret from 4th October (post-Borodino) transformed them into the 2nd Artillery Company of the Italian Guard. Notice the red turnbacks and epaulettes. Gunners from Brigade Games range.

That´s all folks!

French and Prussian Artillery

Over the first posts I have uploaded pictures of infantry and cavalry, both Prussian and French. Today we´ll go for artillery. The prussians you see here were finished some months ago. The real work has been finishing the french artillerists: after several experiments, I have changed my "formula" for dark blue. I have strived to get a deep dark blue which is also "alive" (contrasted). The sad thing is, my camera and my photographic skills are not really up to the test, but I think the following pictures somehow manage to transmit the "feel" of the end result. The prussians were painted before, using my previous technique.

French horse artillery. Miniatures from Perrys, guns are 6pdrs. from Perrys and Front Rank:

French foot artillery, 6 pdrs. Miniatures from Perry, guns are Perrys and Front Rank:

Another french foot battery. This time includes a heavy 12 pdr. gun:

 Prussian foot artillery. Miniatures from Perry (except for a couple of Calpes). Cannons from Perry and Calpe miniatures.

 

Prusia: 2º Regimiento de Húsares de Silesia / Prussia: 2nd Silesian Hussars

El proceso de reclutamiento sigue a buen ritmo. Este regimiento lo he pintado inmediatamente después que el Reg. de Brandemburgo del post anterior, y estoy si cabe aún más satisfecho del resultado final. En algún momento habrá que mejorar el terreno de las bases, pero de momento es suficiente. Como en anterior regimiento, la tropa normal está formada con miniaturas de metal de Perry Miniatures, mientras que los Freiwiliger (voluntarios que se distinguen aquí por el empleo de hilo blanco en lugar de amarillo en el dolman y el fajín) son de Calpe Miniatures.

The recruiting proccess keeps up at a good pace. This regiment has been painted just after the Brandenburg Rgt. from the previous post, and I´m even more happy with the results. At some point I´ll spice the base´s terrain, but for now it is ok. As in the previous unit, the regular hussars are metal Perrys, the Freiwiliger are Calpes.

Prussian 3rd Hussars: Brandenburgischen Husaren-Regiment Nr. 3

Mi proyecto prusiano de 1813 sigue avanzando a buen ritmo. Ya he pintado toda la infantería de línea que voy a necesitar de momento, incluyendo varios batallones de granaderos, 5 regimientos de línea y 1 de reserva. Ya tengo 6 baterías medias (2 de ellas a caballo), aunque aún no tengo piezas pesadas de 12 libras. Lo que necesito urgentemente es un montón de regimientos de Landwehr (milicia prusiana).
My Prussian 1813 project is growing nicely. I have already painted all the line infantry I´ll be needing by now, including several grenadier batalions, 5 Line regiments and 1 Reserve regiment. I already have 6 medium batteries including 2 of horse artillery, but still no heavy 12 pdrs. What I really need urgently is a LOT of Landwehr regiments.

En cuanto a la caballeía, el primer contingente proyectado iban a ser 4 regimientos de húsares. Uno de ellos me está dando problemas, los Húsares de Meckelenburg Strelitz, ya que en lugar de llevar la silla de pelo de oveja, usaban un shabraque de tela. Probablemente tenga que servirme de húsares rusos...
As for cavalry, the first part was going to be 4 regiments of hussars. One is giving me trouble: The Mecklenburg Strelitz Hussars, as they didn´t use the typical Prussian fur saddle of the period, but a pointed shabraque. What to do? Buying Russian hussars only to get their horses? If anybody can help with ideas, I´d be grateful.

Echemos un vistazo a mi primer regimiento de húsares prusianos, los Húsares de Brandemburgo:
Now, let´s take a look at my first painted regiment of Prussian Hussars, the Brandenburg Hussars:

 Como puede advertirse, la proporción de voluntarios (freiwiliger) con dolman verde está exagerada. La razón es muy sencilla: aprovechar el exceso de miniaturas de ese tipo que tengo, ya que Calpe Miniatures las vende en grupos. En  cualquier caso, el distintivo rojo que usa este regimiento los hace también válidos para otros regimientos.
As you can see, I have not kept the right proportion of green-clad freiwiliger jagers within the regiment. The reason is very simple: I had to give some use to those Calpe freiwiliger hussar sets. Besides, the red facing of this regiment make them feasible to be used as freiwiliger from other regiments.

Prussian and Italian reinforcements

The last days I´ve been finishing a couple of Prussian hussar regiments, but they are not ready yet for the show. For now, let´s take a look at some units I´ve finally been able to flag properly (thanks again to Adolfo Ramos beautiful flags).

This is the 2nd West Prussia Regiment:

Now something new: My current Napoleonic project includes a good number of italian regiments. Let´s begin with the 6th Regiment of Line Infantry, Kingdom of Italy. As you can see, the unit is made up mostly of Victrix minis, but there are also some Foundrys, and one Perry. I like to see different heights within the same unit, just as you can see in reality. Even so, the Foundrys are raised with cardboard.

 And here is the 1st Regiment of Line Infantry: