New miniature period on the horizon!

A couple of days ago I got very excited after my regular visit to Lead Adventure Forum.
Aly Morrison, of Warhammer and Rogue Trader fame is preparin a new line of historical miniatures that will be manufactured by Great War miniatures.

The new range maybe will be called Potemkin Wars and of course will depict Russian troops from 1786 to 1796. Here, I post three greens: Two russian and one swede.



Well, that's a dream come true. One of my favourite periods is the French Revolutionary wars and the years after the Old Regime and the Napoleonic wars, with all the differences in uniforms and múltiple campaigs. Just think on the interesting campaigns where they fought:

Russo-Swedish war (1788-1790).
Russo-Turkish war (1787-1792). With Suvorov, the siege of Izmail and the Black sea cossack fleet.
Russo-Persian war (1796), now I have an excuse to buy the superb Westfalià miniatures Persians.
The Kosciuszko uprising (1794). This is my favourite with the poles fighting for their liberty (again).

Anyway, I don't know from were I'll get time or Money to collect them but I feel that I need them.

Simple and cheap village

This month of August I have been Building a village (well only 4 houses) from my peninsular/italian/mediterranian buildings. You can find them at warbases and come as small lasercut modules that you can combine to form bigger structures. The idea is good because each module cost between 2 and 4 pounds and come with doors and Windows. I also bought arched doors (I think are more typical) and a couple of balconies. So for two single storey squared modules, 3 single storey rectangular, 2 two storey rectangular and one three storey squared module you get:



Well, not a lot of houses, just 4 but shown from diferent points of view. After some fast and simple painting, I added plastic roof from plasticard and railroad modelling materials and... I'm quite happy with the results obtained:

Fortresses of Pisa

When I got married in 2009 I went to Pisa (apart from other places).
Pisa is a beautifull place with the well known inclinated tower. But from a wargaming/militar history point of view, Pisa has some defensive constructions of interest like The Citadella Nuova that was started in 1440 and suffered heavy changes in 1798 when it was converted into a residencial palazzo.



Even more interesting is the Torre Guelfa and the Citadella. The tower was built in 1406 during the first Florentine domination, almost destroyed in 1944 and reconstructed in 1956.



By the way, the beautiful lady that appears in one photo is my wife who still loves me after 6 years of taking pictures of forts, castles, walls and baluards.

2nd Battalions of the 1st and 2nd regiments of the Garde de Paris

1808

The second battalion of both 1st and 2nd regiments of the Garde de Paris formed within Dupond’s Corps, Barbou Division. The II/1st with 707men and the II/2nd with 747 men. They depart to Cadiz in May 25. The first battalions fought in northern Spain

June: the two battalions fight at Alcolea (18/6) taking the bridge and suffering heavy casualties with 14 officers dead and wounded. The 21 of June at Andújar with 893 men.

July: Battle of Bailen (19/7) with 10 officers dead and wounded and both battalions as prisoners. They ended as prisoners in Cabrera Island in very bad condition with low supply of food and water committing in some cases cannibalism.

Note about the uniforms. There is some debate as if the uniforms where red and green (the old ones) or they had the new white uniforms (with green turnbacks for the 1st regiment and red turnbacks for the 2nd). As Francisco Vela points in his book “Bailen 1808” ed. Almena, We know for sure that they were dressed in white because Pedro Agustín Girón, Marques de las Amarillas, who fought them at Alcolea, tells in his memoirs “the French were dressed as my grenadiers” he was the coronel of the Provincial Grenadiers (whose uniform was white faced red)

CREDITS: 28mm Victrix miniatures painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter products. Flags from Maverick Model Flags.

Chasseurs de Montagne des Pyrénées Orientales

The whole battalion was in Catalonia between 1808 and 1811 fighting its detachments in countless small actions. It also fought as a complete unit in some important batles.

1808

The unit enters Catalonia with Reille’s corps.
August: A detachment of 40 men fights at Campmany near Girona (06/08).
October: As garrison at Figueres fortress.
November-December: Siege of Roses (7/11) and frontier action at La Junquera (3/12). Transferred to Gouvion Saint-Cyr’s 7th Corps, Dv. Chabot counting 564 men.

1809

The battalion spends the year garrisoning Barcelona and takes part in several small actions out of the city.
January-March: battle of Molins de Rey (20/1), action at Monistrol near Montserrat (16/2) at the end of March the unit has 313 men fit for service.
August –December: Under General Ordonneau fights in several actions around Barcelona: San Boi (12/08), Montealegre twice (9, 17/9), Badalona (17/10), Coll de Montcada (18/10) and the whole unit at Santa Coloma (6/11).

1810

The whole battalion fights at Vic (20/2) but by the end of June, it only has 267 men fit for service. It is post as garrison at Montjuich fortress in Barcelona.
August-December: Small actions around Barcelona: Viladecans (19/8), Montcada (4/9), Pallejà (18/11), Sant Andreu (21/11), Montgat (28/11). The unit finishes the year with 126 men.

1811

The unit is re-founded into the 1ere Bon Chasseurs de Montagne and fights at Sant Adrià (21/1), Montealegre (22/8) and Montgat (12/11). Finishes the year with only 50 men.

1812

No important notices

1813

Finally amalgamated into the 18eme légère.

CREDITS

5 Victrix miniatures painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter products.