Saturday, June 28, 2014

Artillerie a Pied de la Garde Imperiale

Rolling off the painting table with a few weeks to spare before their appearance at Historicon is this battery of French Imperial Guard Foot Artillery. An earlier post covered the organization of the Guard Artillery, so we can skip right to the pictures!


These are 28mm Essex figures, once again purchased recently from Wargames, Inc, as part of their ongoing sale as they clear out their inventory of this line. Napoleon was thrifty, and so am, I! :-)


The front figure with a slung musket is painted as a drummer - solid red lapels, gold trim on the lapels, cuffs, and turnbacks. 

You can barely see it, but the gunner at the lower left has the chevron of an NCO on his sleeve. 


Napoleon nicknamed these 12lbers his "beautiful daughters". Overall, I think I prefer brunettes, but they are handsome!


Group photo with my 1st battery of Guard Foot Artillery, also Essex, painted approximately 10 years ago. 


The first battery has the white gaiters worn for full dress; red cords were also worn on the bearskins for such formal occasions! The new, second battery will make its debut at Montmirail in less than 3 weeks.


La batterie d'Austerlitz
A bit of a play on (French) words, as the term "batterie" can apply not only to an artillery battery, but also to a piece of music, usually intended for military maneuvers, typically played on drums, sometimes accompanied by fifes. This particular drum piece is a famous one from the Empire, and it is interesting to see all the tricks the drummers use to execute it - using far more than just the drumhead!

19 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Dean. I was very happy with how the "new" battery came out!

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  2. Your newly recruited guardsmen are outstanding! Effort worthy of the IG. Your older artillerymen with white gaiters looking smashing as well. White leggings over dark blue is a handsome contrast.

    Less than a month to go...will you make your painting goal?

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    1. Thanks, Jon. I have yet to ever miss a paiunting goal for a convention game, and the 2nd Grenadiers are all but finished, and will appear here shortly; that will complete the exansion of the Imperial Guard needed - Barry's Front Rank Russians will now have some Frenchies their own size to fight!

      I do have some more space ships to finish, but expect them to ready as well...

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  3. Excellent work, splendid batteries...and post!

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    1. Thanks, Phil. I enjoy the military music of the Republic and Empire - still have a couple of 40 year old vinyl LP's of same!

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  4. Excellent work. I have four guns if the guard just painted in 6mm, also needed for a game in three weeks, whats the odds?

    Ian

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    1. It will be Quatre Bras and I will load the images of the figures either tomorrow or Monday.

      The game is for a 6mm only show called The Joy of Six in Sheffield

      Ian

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    2. Excellent; look forward to seeing both the units and the game!

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  5. Tha's funny, Ian! Well, the Emperor made Herculean efforts to raise new troops in 1813 and 1814; I suppose we can do no less for the 200th anniversaries, eh?

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  6. Excellent work!

    Essex figures? Great now I can accurately identify the same gunners I have recently finished for my own Guard Army.

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    Replies
    1. Guard Artillery seems to be the Unit of the month for June!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thankls, Joe. This expansion of the Guard wasn't planned until the past few months...

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  8. Replies
    1. Thanks, Lawrence; I am pleased with how they came out.

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