Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Hungarian Grenadiers

The "300 Austrians" project has seen a lot of Line infantry battalions raised for the Kaiserlick cause, so it was time to paint up one of the Grenadier battalions. 

 

Historically, each grenadier battalion was made up of 6 (or sometimes only 4) Grenadier companies, each regiment in the army contributing 2 companies, so most such battalions would have a mix of 3 different facing colors.  Messy, messy, messy!


Therefore,  my Grenadier battalions are ahistorically uniform in terms of facing and button colors... in this case, Pompadour.


. I used Delta Ceramcoat "Dusty Mauve for the facings, and they have the pewter buttons of I.R. # 53, Jellacic, recruited in Croatia. 


Now, properly the battalion should be carrying a spare yellow Ordinarfahne of the senior regiment contributing companies to the battalion (these flags pretty much all look the same regardless of regiment anyway.) The only time the Grenadiers carried the white flags was briefly in 1805 during the Mack reforms, when the Grenadiers were returned to their parent regiments, 


During that time, the infantry regiments were reorganized to have three,. 4 company battalions, with the Grenadiers being the first 2 companies of the Leib Battalion. Well, at least "the unfortunate General Mack" had one good idea!  I have always liked the look of the Grenadiers (only) carrying the white flags, so history be damned!  In this Kaiser's army, that's how it is done. 
Whether you agree or disagree, the beautiful white Leibfahne seen here is by Adolfo Ramos. 

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Grenzer Regiment #3, Ogulin



Part of the "300 Austrians", these are once again "old" Old Glory figures.

 

Grenzer Regiment # was recruited in the Northwestern part of the Karlstadt region of Croatia. It was first raised in 1746.


 "Grenzer" is of course already plural in German, meaning essentially, "Borderers", men living and fighting on the border of the Hapsburg and Ottoman lands .


2 Regular  (I, II)and 1 Reserve (III) battalions fought in 1809, the 2 regular battalions, which included 44 artillerists, and 240 Schutzen, totaled 2,966 men, at least on paper. The Reserve (III) battalion had a nominal strength of 1,171 men. A Landwehr (IV) battalion was also to be raised, with a paper strength of 1291 men (six 200 men companies plus staff). 


The Regiment has light orange facings and brass buttons. Grenz units evidently were issued one white Leibfahne and one yellow Ordinarfahne to the first battalion, and 2 Ordinafahnen to the second battalion, same as the line regiments, but after 1807 this was reduced to just 1 Ordinarfahne per battalion and no Leibfahne. The yellow Ordinarfahne seen here is once again by Adolfo Ramos. 


The Ogulin regiment fought at the Piave, St. Michele, Tarvis, and was present at Raab. The III battalion fought at Gospic.

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Sea Peoples Army Review!

 

Here's my whole Sea Peoples Horde, deployed for Review. 


Army totals:  6 Light Chariots, 3 Ox Carts, 2 Peleset MI Archers, 4 Peleset Warbands,  6 Sardana Warbands, 2 Sherdan Warbands, 3 LI skirmishers (and many more available, if needed, from the generic Canaanite troops), 9 command/heroes (2 are missing in action here, but were later discovered and added to their fellows!) 

In all, that makes 189 figures, plus the chariots and carts. 


As can be seen from the different basing, about 60 figures plus some leaders are from Bill McHugh's collection. 


They stand ready to fight against (or allied to) Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, Libyans and the like!


View from the rear!


Left flank.


Left Center.


Right Center.


Right Flank.


All of the Sherdan and Sardana figures in one 4 liter Really Useful Box.


The Peleset figures in a 2nd box (the Chariots and Oxcarts, and remaining single figures are in a third box). 

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Dismounted French Napoleonic Dragoons

 

My original French Napoleonic Wargames army, mostly painted back when I was in High School, contained a unit of Dismounted Dragoons that I was quite fond of. Those figures were by Hinton Hunt. 


As my current French Army has grown to epic proportions, I can allow myself the indulgence of including some Dismounted Dragoons once again. 


These fine figures are from Brigade Games, and were purchased a number of years ago at the same time as my French Gendarmes a Pied. 


The scarlet facings mark them as belonging to one of the first 6 Dragoon regiments. 


The vertical pockets on the back of the coat further narrow the possibilities down to the 4e, 5e, or 6e regiments. The solid scarlet collars further narrow the possible units to the 4e or 6e. As is often the case for heavier cavalry, the gloves obscure the cuffs so no further refinement is possible. So, let's call it the 4e Dragoon regiment... a pied!


Due to alack of mounts, several regiments fought dismounted during the 1805 campaign. The Dragoons formed the bulk of the French cavalry in Spain, where their capacity to fount dismou8nted was often useful. As a result, the Dragoons were not destroyed in the 1812 Retreat from Moscow debacle, and were thus arguably the best of the French cavalry in 1813 - 1814. 

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Sea Peoples King, and Sardana repurposed











I think this fellow was in with the Old Glory Seda Peoples, but in any event he looked like Royalty to me!


I assume he has outfitted himself with the latest Purple dyed cloak from Tyre.


Probably looted...


A few flowering tufts of suitable colors.


He does look rather determined!


Meanwhile I re-based by Sardanna so that they could be used for or against Egypt.


That freed up a few figures that were used to flesh out the numbers in some of the other Sea Peoples units.


Tremble ye Canaanites!


Your doom is upon you!


Wait, who's this Ramses guy you're Babbling about?


He's big into statuary, eh? Our numbers are like those of the waves of the Sea that we spring from, and we will crash upon his shores!

Monday, June 7, 2021

Sea Peoples - Sardana Warband #3

 Here's the last of the new Warbands. As has been said, Orange is the new Black!  :-)


Supposedly, the Ancients didn't recognize orange as a color; to them it was just a shade of red! 


Once again these are Old Glory figures, with the hornist and leader being by Newline Designs. 


Pumpkins on Parade... better be afraid!
(With apologies to Teddy Ruxpin)


This is the last of the new Sardana Warbands... almost ready for the Army Review!

Thursday, June 3, 2021

IR #44: Bellegarde

 

The Inhaber of I.R. #44  from 1792-1799 was Ludwig, Feldmarschalleutnant  Belgioso; from 1799-1801, vacant, and from 1801-1845 Heinrich-Josef-Johannes, Feldmarschalleutnant Graf Bellegarde.


The regiment was recruited in Galicia, and had Madder Red  (or Krebsrot - "Crab Red") facings. This natural red die could result in a wide variety of red and orange hues, but it seems that a deep crimson to maroon to even brown color was what the Austrians meant by this; I have used Americana Deep Burgundy. 


In 1809, it fought as part of Hohenlohe's IV Corps at the Battle of Teugen-Hausen. It suffered heavy losses in the actions before during, and after Eggmuhl, thereafter retreating across the Danube at Ratisbon (Regensburg). 


The regiment fought at Essling as part of Rosenbergs''5th Column. 


At Wagram, the regiment fought on the Austrian left as part of Nordman's Advanced Guard.