28mm SYW Russian 2nd Grenadiers

The second of these extra-large regiments.

28mm Avanpost Napoleonic French Officer

This is the best 28mm Napoleonic figures I have ever seen.

I have been war-gaming for almost 45 years and have purchased Napoleonic figures to paint and game with over that period – from the early 25mm Minifigs to the Perrys brothers and Victrix, not to mention another dozen or so companies. But the best figures I have ever seen have just landed on my desk. They are from a new Russian company called Avanpost. If you go back to a post a made here on August 7^th 2017 you will see that I spotted a mounted figure on Facebook and wanted to find out who had made it. A kind reader pointed me in the right direction and I made a small order which has now arrived.

First, I bought resin figures to see how sturdy they might be and whether resin could carry fine detail. Because resin is light it make post quite cheap but the owner of the company, Oleg Derbasov (who writes good English) says that all resin models will also be available in metal for those that prefer metals. As to resin holding detail, the detailing is quite fantastic. A single foot figure came with a sprue of extra parts that will need glueing – backpack, two arms (one with musket). The mounted French officer sits on a beautiful horse (surely the best I have ever seen) and with two separate arms it means that the arm holding the reins actually holds the reins. These are miles better than any plastic figures I have seen and indeed, in my opinion, are even better than the fantastic Perry sculpts.

You may think this has me quite excited and you might be right. Oleg has currently French infantry in shakos and bicornes of the pre-Bardin uniform as well as Russians. The French are all in pristine full dress which is what I like too.

You can contact Oleg at avanpost.miniatures@gmail.com

The figures are also well priced – the resin foot are 1.70 euros each. Ask him for a full listing as he also does figures for the mid 17^th century.

I wish him well for this business. War-gaming truly is in a golden period.

28mm SYW Russian 1st Grenadiers

Back to Russian infantry, this is the first of the four Grenadier regiments. Figures are from Foundry except for one Front Rank officer.

40mm SYW Prussian Division/Column

Last pictures of the year. Here we have eight battalions of 40mm SYW Prussians making up the front line of my army. I plan on two divisions so this is 50% finished. The Prussian advance guard is also finished but I have the cavalry and field artillery to do.

As for the Austrians, all the cavalry is done and half the Line Infantry as well. I think towards the end of 2018 I should be able to re-fight Mollwitz unless I get side-tracked!

I have taken three long pictures as you can see. These are made up of four pictures side-by-side. Do they work?

Happy New Year.

28mm SYW Russian Infantry on review

Awaiting the arrival of the Empress Elizabeth, the Russian army deploys in splendour. Eighteen Line regiments, each of three battalions, with grenadiers separated and converged to make another 12 battalions. Total 66 battalions.

Field Bakery

These lovely figures are from the extensive range of SYW 25mm civilians from Black Hussar. They show the production of bread from grain to the finished loaf. I am unsure about two things: 1) are the barrels where the grain sacks are stored or are the barrels just receptacles of water or are they nothing to do with bread making? Also, the oven itself: what was it make from? I have no idea although an iron one would have been very heavy. Frederick captured the Austrian bakery the day before Leuthen and this was considered noteworthy by contemporaries. Eighteenth century armies liked fresh bread every day!

The bread sure looks good enough to eat! Happy New Year!

40mm WAS/SYW Austrian Serbelloni Cuirassiers (2)

Recently (22 November 2017) I posted three squadrons of this regiment and I said then “The only other thing I don't like is that the horses are very thin in the rump area (that is the horse's engine!) but I can live with that. “

I have finished the regiment of six squadrons but I have changed the horses. Chris at S&S let me buy horses without riders so I have chucked out the Irregular horses (if anybody wants to buy 18 horses I have them available). Furthermore, as Irregular did not have a suitable officer or musician I asked Matthias Manske to send me just those two figures, without horses. They are rather crude so I have made some changes there too. Heads have been removed and replaced with Sash & Saber heads and the right arm of the officer has also been changed.

So this is the completed regiment. Irregular 'human' bodies with S&S heads on S&S horses. The use of the same style of horses will make this regiment blend in nicely with the mass of Dragoons I have already finished.