18 February 2011

10ème Régiment de Cuirassiers (blue ones)

I had not planned to paint any French Heavy Cavalry as none of these units served in peninsula, aside from the 13ème Régiment de Cuirassiers and than they served in no major actions. My new found interest in the Waterloo campaign has of course changed this. These are the first armoured cavalry I have painted. A brief run down on these units can be found here.
I decided to go with the  Perry plastic heavy cavalry. These are nice figures, easy to assemble and paint and they look great. This is the second unit of Perry plastic cavalry I have painted, and I like these even more then the dragoons. 


As readers of this blog will know, these figures started off as green. A quick application of Vallejo Prussian blue followed a light drybrush of sky blue sorted that. The horses were done with Citadel Brown Ink. I am still trying to find a good pink, this is a mixture of red and white. If anyone has a suggestion for a premixed light pink, I would appreciate it, I do not like mixing colours.


The unit is based as a large Lasalle unit with 6 bases, and I hope that they will see some action in my "La Haye Sainte" scenario. I have to say that I really enjoyed painting these figures.
The knowledgable among you will of course point out that the 1ème et 4ème Régiments de Cuirassiers are in the OB for this action, but I wanted pink so we have 10ème.
The sharp eyed will also note that the flag is wrong, as the 10ème have battle honours for many actions through central Europe. This is the flag for the 4ème,
I have one more box of heavy cavalry which I believe I will do up as 2 regular Lasalle units (4 base); the 1ème Cuirassiers and 1ème Carabiniers.
At least I did not have to repaint the trumpeter!
I quite like this unit.
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14 February 2011

British Rocket Troops

Well let us get on to something completely different. For my "La Haye Sainte" scenario, I needed a unit of rocket troops from Captain Whinyates' Rocket Battery of the RHA. This rocket battery was made up of 13 sections each of eight 6pd rockets as well as some cannon. I knew very little about rockets so decided to do some research. I knew that the rocketmen wore the uniform of the Royal Horse Artillery so that was pretty easy.
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What was confusing though was the contents of the Old Glory British Rocket Troops package. There appeared to be 2 sizes of rockets and apparati. A search through google books revealed Congreave's original treatise and I found out that rockets came in all sizes! 
After a good sort through the package, I decided to do 3 bases of the big rockets and 1 base of the small 6 pders, I needed for the La Haye Sainte scenario. I could find no reference on what colour to paint the launching apparatus, but decided to go with the British artillery blue-grey. I use GW Fenris Grey for this purpose. The white primed figures were painted using a Vallejo Prussian Blue and GW Fortress Grey. I have started to modify slightly my method of applying the Army Painter dip. I continue to paint it on generously after I have thinned it slightly and then within 1-2 minutes remove the excess with a dry brush to prevent any heavy build up or pooling. This is working out quite well and has lightened up the figures. After application of the matt varnish, I sometimes do some minimal drybrushing, here I only felt that I needed to touch up the white on the helmet plumes. Saxon Dog who is a far better painter then me, has a nice tutorial on his blog illustrating this method. 

So here we have 3 bases of the 42pd rockets, they actually would fire them in 2's, so I should have 2 rockets on each apparatus, but I felt this was more illustrative. I have one extra large rocket that I will probably add in when I get a chance. This will represent a full section of rockets. I am sure they will see action in the future. One weakness of the Old Glory miniature rocket set is that these are clearly cannon men and not specialized rocket troops, I suppose I could have done some modifications, but I left them as is. 


How would this be for some future figures. Maybe someone who knows the Perrys' could send this illustration on to them. These would be very cool miniature stands!
For the La Haye Sainte scenario, I decided to go with one stand with some 6 pders. Lt Dansey, RHA was sent forward with 2 guns and some rockets, he left the 2 guns behind and advanced by foot with his rockets to assist in the defense of La Haye Sainte. 


Here we have Lt Dansey and his men with their rockets already to fire at the advancing 13e légere!

These bases were fun to assemble and although I favour other figures over Old Glory, I am quite happy with these 4 bases. I may even do up one of their rocket limbers in the future.


Time to get out the blue paint I suppose.


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13 February 2011

A Cautionary Tale: The Green Cuirassiers!

Formerly titled the 4ème Régiment de Cuirassiers

Well, I never thought I would make such an error! I have been rushing to finish up this unit of cuirassiers for some time. I had done 4 of the figures before Xmas. There is a painting contest over at Analogue Hobbies, and I was also keen to get my next scenario "La Haye Sainte" started and I needed a unit of cuirassiers.

I noticed after I had sent the photos to Curt at Analogue, that the 4th actually had orange facings and I had painted these pink; easy enough swop out the flag and repaint the numbers (shame really as I had done a nice job  on the 4's) on the saddle cloth. I was trying to figure out why I had done what I did, so I was reviewing some sources and suddenly it dawned on me that I had made a much bigger error, by painting the coats and saddle clothes green. Merde!!! F..........!

I still have no idea what happened, but here they are "Les Cuirassiers Verts". Time to dig out some blue paint I suppose.








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01 February 2011

I/RIR11 Prussian Reserve Infantry

Here I hope is the start of my next army: The Prussians. I had dabbled with the Prussians a couple of years ago when painted up a few small (12 figure) units of Wallmoden's Korps. This was my first introduction to Calpe figures and I have been looking forward to getting back to them.

As readers of my blog will have noted, I have recently developed an interest in Les Cent Jours. I suppose when you have built a large British force, it is hard to abandon it. So with a good few French done, I felt Prussians would be a good idea. Lots of mini scenarios germinating in the old grey cells involving the Prussians at Placenoit, Wavre and Ligny. My recent success with the Lasalle rules in an asymmetric scenario have also encouraged me to press on. 

I had a look through the Prussian forces in the Waterloo campaign and was fascinated to see that many of the units that were in Wallmoden's Korps had been folded into the 1815 Prussian OB. Even more cool was the fact that it seemed that most of these units were still uniformed as they were in 1813. I wanted to start with a Prussian brigade with 9-10 infantry battalions and some artillery and cavalry support. It felt it was a little boring to stick with the actual OB for a brigade, but rather to have any 3-4 units each from the original 1813 line infantry, reserve infantry and landwehr OB. I suspect, since I have some of the units partially painted for Walmoden's Korps , we will see IR25 (von Lutzow's Freikorps), IR30 (Russian German Legion) and III/IR27 (von Reiches) in my Prussian brigade. Might even try to jam in IR28 (Berg in French Uniform). Certainly Lutzow's Hussars will also appear as the 6th Prussian Uhlans. Steven Summerfield's books as well as Les Cent Jours website were quite invaluable in my research. As most of you know, I try to build my units around the Lasalle army lists, I will start with the core list and slowly add infantry and light cavalry abteilung organic brigades. 
No Print of a Silesian Reserve unit available I am afraid 
Well that is all very exciting and it is easy to get carried away. But back to the current post. Here we have I/RIR11 or I/IR23 in 1815. By 1815 this unit would have still had their grey reservist uniforms, aside from the officers. They should be in regulation shako, but I had these figures on hand with the peaked reservist cap, so they must of lost their shakos. The figures were primed white, followed by Citadel Fortress Grey for the uniform and Astronomican Grey (more blue tinge) for the overcoat rolled over the shoulder. Usual other colours, followed by AP Darktone (very thinned-thank you Roger), and a quick drybrush with the Fortress Grey. The yellow collars identify their Silesian origin. The flag is wrong  (it is for a Landwehr unit), but it does look nice. I believe I may change over to Flag Dude, it is just so much easier to have the flag all set to go.




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30 January 2011

Hougoumont Redux


I re-played this game out a couple of weeks ago, but have now just got a chance to type up a report. There are some changes in the OB, the reinforcement entry and the scenario specific rules. I will save more for my comments at the end.

Order of Battle:
The OB I am using is pretty accurate, and covers the first 3-4 hours of the action. I have left out the other brigade (Tissot) in Foy's 9th Division and I have not included Bachelu's 5th Division (For the sticklers on accuracy: There is significant documentary evidence that only one of Foy's brigades was engaged in the fighting, most likely Tissot's, but figure availability made me use Jamin's Brigade. I have also recently found out that the 2e légere were probably transferred to Bachleu's Division on June 10 and the 3e ligne were substituted into the Bauduin's Brigade). The British have two entrenched artillery units on the ridge overlooking the eastern approaches to the complex. They are not movable, but of course can prolong. I have used standard Lasalle ratings for all the French, I do not believe the 1,2,4e légère can be rated elite troops. I increased the SK value for the Nassau from the AB list. I have made the light companies of the allies irregular, I believe of course they would have fought as such, and the 1/2e légère are also irregular. They represent all the skirmishers sent forward in Baudin's brigade. The French sub-commander rating have been diced for, I have made MacDonnell a superior commander and Saltoun a good tactician and vigorous commander. Two engineering groups have been attached to the French. Soye's Brigade enters in Attack Column at the southwest corner, while Jamin's Brigade enters in Attack Column at the south east corner of the terrain. The 2/Coldstream and the 2/3rd Guards enter in March Column at the north corner of the terrain. Turn entry for the reinforcements is designed for this out of proportion complex.
The Terrain:
The terrain is 7x5ft and the central part is dominated by the Hovels 15mm model. I really can not use the concept of Lasalle BUA (1 BUA equals 3 BW) as laid out in the rule book because of the size of the model. Because of this, I felt that it was reasonable that the maximum number of models that could occupy the walled Hougoumont complex at one time was essentially no more than a battalion (up to a 1000 men, so a 6 base unit is reasonable), that 2 battalions could occupy the formal gardens and that no more than a French brigade (6 battalions) could attack at one time. There is a zone of control (area which is barred to non attacking units) of 6 BW and that no more then 3 battalions can be in the ZOC on any one side of the Building-Formal Garden complex. The complex and the walls around the formal garden are impassable aside from the hedge row at the northern part of the formal garden.The gates and the walls can be destroyed as noted in the scenario specific rules. The walls are all hard cover. Movement within the complex and the formal garden is unrestricted and all units are in the complex are in the town deployed formation, but in the garden are regular formation. The 2 internal gates within the complex are not impediments. Movement out of the complex and through outer gates is in march formation. Woods around the complex are defined as rough terrain and soft cover. If using a smaller model, as defined by the Lasalle rulebook the building complex should be 1 BUA and the formal gardens 2 BUA. I would then half the turn entry for reinforcements ie. bring Soye's Brigade and 2nd Coldstream Guards in at Turn 8 rather then turn 16.

Lasalle Optional Rules:

Officers Tactics and Casualties, Irregular Units (Hanoverian, British elite companies, 1 French légère), Half Battalion Deployed (British Guards), Superior Commander (McDonnell), Irregular Units Recovering and Engineers are in play.


Scenario Specific Rules:

In the Engineer demolition rule, I have added the ability to demolish the walls around the formal garden and the 3 outer gates. The wooden gates will be treated as the equivalent of a wooden bridge so an engineer may re-roll a failed attempt. The engineering bases are attached to specific units and can only carry out a demolition task. They do not utilise their assault enhancement. They are sent in once their parent unit is within 1 BW of their target. They are removed if the infantry unit to which they are attached is destroyed or when they carry out a demolition task.

Although the walled garden is graded as regular terrain, the Allied troops graded as irregular do not suffer their firing penalty when within the garden.

French units can contact the southern or western wall if they are charging through after an engineer has made a breach. To assault a breach an unit has to be in Attack Column.

French units can also attempt an escalade if they are in contact with a wall that has been abandoned by Allied troops (Allies are not in contact directly with the wall). If the Allied forces fail to recontact the wall in their next turn, then the French can roll one D6 for ALL of the units that are in contact with the wall. If 3 units are in contact then a throw of 4 (5 or higher for 2 units and 6 or higher for 1 unit) or higher causes 1 unit to escalade the wall. Failure to pass the test causes 1 French unit to fall back (use the Fallback rules for combat).


Victory Conditions:

The game will last 48 turns or ends when one side fails it's Morale test. Use the regular method for determining the Morale test, but divide the turn by 3 (if at turn 45, then the total needs to be 16 for the 5 die to pass the test). There are no bonus turns. If the game ends and the British are still holding the Hougoumont complex and walled garden they have won.


Action Report:
Starting positions
Allied Reserve Forces
La Colonel Tiff waiting for the assault to take place on La Haie Sainte
1/2e légère approach the wall, Hanoverians start their withdrawal.
Prince Jerome splits Bauduin's bde in two with the 1e legere attacking to the west of the compound and the 2e legere to the south. The Guard's light companies form line with the Hanoverians advancing to their assistance. Both these units are irregular, thus suffering a firing penalty as they are not in rough terrain, neither can they charge. Lord Saltoun though is +1 for vigour and tactics so the Guards will have a significant advantage in combat.
The 3/1e legere is repulsed and maneuvers to defend itself against an Hanoverian charge in to it's flanks.
A series of skirmish actions take place and Soye's bde enters in turn 17. The British Guards and Hanoverians are now facing multiple French battalions and start to fallback, there retrogarde progress is slow. On turn 23, combat ensues between the Guards and the 3/2 legere, the Guards win decisively, but Saltoun is killed in the crossfire. Multiple French forces are firing at the Nassau. The Coldstream Guards enter the fray and advance into the garden to support the Nassau.
Soye is advancing with 5 battalions to the north west, he has to be careful as there is a 6BW ZOC around Hougoumont. The light companies of the Guards and the Hanoverian start a brilliant withdrawal. Combats are fought and troops are fired on, French battalions fall, but their numbers are overwhelming.
Meanwhile to the south the Nassau have held off the French attack to the south, but they have taken many casualties, the Coldstreamers advance is slow.
The allies have been extremely fortunate with their dice throws (especially the Fallback throws) and seem have escaped from the French attack to the west. The light companies make ready to enter Hougoumont, while the Hanoverians cover their maneuvers. They also have been able to recovery some DISR as McDonnell as arrived to rally them.
Unfortunately at turn 31, the Nassau fall and have to retreat. Prince Jerome has reordered his forces to the south and the Coldstreamers are about to undergo a sustained attack from 3 French battalions. McDonnell hurries back to support them. The 3rd Guards have been sent into to support the Allies at Hougoumont.
The light companies now enter the compound and rush to the garden to assist the Coldstreamers, who are taking very heavy fire and are about to fail.
The Coldstreamers fail to hold the wall and are destroyed, the Allies reach their breakpoint. Jamin's bde has now entered from the east, the RHA start to sight their cannon. (I discovered a problem with the scenario rules here, as the southern wall is unmanned, so the French should have an opportunity to enter the garden, thus the escalade rules were added)
Not in range yet.
The 3rd Guards engage the French ligne in combat. The Allies pass their morale tests.
The advance units of Jamin's bde take fire from the RHA, he sends half his forces to attack the eastern wall and the other half are sent north. Fortunately for the British, turn 48 is rapidly approaching ..........
...........and they have held Hougomont.
Summary:
This was the best game I have played to date. I am absolutely amazed that the Lasalle rules played as well as they did with such an asymmetric battle. It was a lot of fun and although 48 turns seems like a lot, I spent around 5 hours at the game, two people could easily play it out in less then 4 hours. Tinkering with the rules is ok but as noted above, I did not anticipate what should happen if the Allies were not manning the walls, thus my invention of the Escalade rule. I planned the game to run only for about 3 hours into the battle, so I suspect that the British were saved by the clock. I also did not get a real chance to play Jamin's bde. Some adjustments may be needed with the reinforcement entry and I could have easily ran some more turns. But that is enough for now, I am sure I will dust off the model in a few months and replay this great scenario.


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