18 October 2010

The Hanoverian Grubenhagen Leichtes Bataillon

This is the first unit that I have finished for my Hanoverian Allied Brigade for Lasalle. The brigade is modeled on the 1st Hanoverian Brigade under Major General the Count Kielmansegge, 3rd Division, First Corps of Wellington's army at Waterloo. I picked this unit do first as I had the figures on hand (or I thought I did) and I need the unit for my Hougomont project. 
I will use 3 manufacturers for this brigade, Perry have a line of Hanoverian figures. They are quite nice figures although they have an enormous mount of flash. I will use the Perrys for the Lueneberg and Grubenhagen light battalions and the Bremen field battalion. For the other 2 field battalions I will use Victrix figures, with their Hanoverian heads. For the Jagers, I have decided to be a little inaccurate and use some Calpe figures that I had painted up as Kielmansegge's Feldjägers for my Wallmoden project. I realise the jägers in the 1st Hanoverian Bde had rifle uniforms, but the Calpe are very nice figures. Anyway here is the OB, I will have to think a little more about their ratings, so have yet to assign them.
I used the Mont St Jean site as the reference for the uniforms, clearly so have the Perry brothers. Here is their plate for the Grubenhagen light battalion. Here also is a TMP link, which I believe to be quite an accurate accounting of the Hanoverian uniform in 1815, look at John Franklin's post.
So good so far, but as I was painting my last 6 figures, that these were actually for the Lueneberg light battalion. I wanted to mix field caps with shako's but when I was putting the final touches on the figures, I noticed that the capped figures had 3 rows of buttons rather than 1. I have shoved them in anyway until I get some mores figures, not a big deal as I was planning to paint the Lueneberg next anyway. For my Hougomont project, I need to break off the light companies from these 2 units, so I decided to use the Perry rifle figures for these 4 bases. These are much more dynamic figures, the specific Hanoverian figures are a little static.
Front View
Flag View, I know, no flag, but I like flags. No idea whether this is right or not, from Flag Dude.
View with Lueneberg figures (in caps)
 Command Figures, I really thought these were quite nice figures.
 Back View
Kielmansegge's Feldjãgers. Here is a Knõtel print, of what they looked like in in 1813-14.
So I used Calpe figures, as they seemed at the time a good fit. They are not bad, although the earlier reference I had, described a brown rather than a green cap (I like the brown a little better). Also of course the cuffs are wrong and what I did not notice at the time, is that they have muskets rather than rifles. Great figures though, really my favourite to paint.
So whats next, well I really have to do the hard graft of painting up at least 3 more french  battalions of legere. Here are 2, and also a little treat, some cuirrassiers. If you are going to do Hougomont, it is just as well to plan for La Haie Sainte as well!
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4 comments:

  1. I really like the look of this unit, very dynamic.

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  2. I think you nailed it in regards to the Hanovarian "Leichte" - the Mont St Jean site and the Knotel prints are the best visual sources for that period I know of. You can get to the Knotel Uniformkunde site link from my blog: http://www.grosser-generalstab.de/tafeln/knoetel.html

    The Knotel's based their uniforms on original source materials, not just descriptions but also old uniforms and renderings etc in private collections throughout Europe. Its unfortunate that so much of the father's beautiful collection was lost in the bombing in WWII but the son did a brilliant conservation job (and not a bad artist himself) post war.

    The Flag Dude's flags are superb too. A lovely unit - your project is really coming along!

    Cheers,
    Doc

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  3. Another lovely unit John, lots of character and movement. Useful info too for when I get round to painting these myself in due course. I like the flag too. Look forward to seeing those cuirrassiers painted.

    Lee.

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  4. Great post, very nice unit :) Cheers!

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