28mm Spartan Vignettes

As promised and somewhat a little later than I had anticipated are some Spartan vignettes I finished a while ago. All miniatures are 'Wargames Foundry' with a few commanders from Gorgon Studios ancient range.

Starting with the Command vignette of Spartiate leading class commanders of the Peloponnesian Wars.

 One of these minis is 'Foundry' the others are 'Gorgon Studios' minis.

 One of the shield designs (the red gate symbol with white snakes) represents the 'dokana' δόκανα of the twin brothers Castor and Pollux.

 The shield with the inverted V is a typical Spartan Lambda symbol.

And the third of course represents the legendary Gorgon's head. I've noticed that many ancient representations of the Gorgon's face seem the be almost Indian in style.

Next we have the pre-battle sacrifice of a goat,

Before battle was brought, Spartan priests divined whether it would be auspicious to bring battle by studying the entails of sacrificed birds, pragmatic Spartan commanders on the other hand could continue to let the priest sacrifice a number of animals until the 'Good' omen was found and only then 'give battle'.

The battle-line draws up

 Doughty Spartans ready for battle with their Lambda emblazoned shields, famous for their old fashioned beards and long hair.

 The battle-line draws up, these are wearing the pilos helmet used during the Peloponnesian Wars.

And then!....oh....the enemy appear to have scarpered!

ENDEX, time for tea and biscuits, the Spartans break for camp,

 Some cotton wool dyed with black enamel paint thinned with white spirit provides black and grey smoke for the camp fire. I suppose I could have added some red sparks painted on the smoke, I will experiment with that idea in the future.

Anyhow some Thirty Years War Generals are next up on the blog.

I have been painting a variety of stuff this month such as: 1/3000th WW1 and WW2 naval, 1/1200th Anglo-Dutch naval, Warhammer 40k, 15mm Marlburians. 15mm medievals, 28mm Wars of the Roses, 28mm Napoleonics some for Ebay, 28mm Fantasy and 20mm Napoleonics for customers, so I've been a bit busy.

All the Best
Peter.

Napoleonic Belgian Infantry & Carabiniers

At last the Belgians are finished and photographed, these minis will provide the Belgian element to add to the Dutch-Nassau contingent for my 'Waterloo Hundred Days' mini campaign. They represent the Belgian commitment against the re-emergence of Napoleon Bonaparte's Empirical ambitions and thwart his march on the city of Brussels.

28mm Napoleonic Belgian Infantry.
Apparently owing to political tensions the Belgians weren't too friendly towards the Dutch during the 1815 Waterloo-Hundred Days campaign.

Uniforms were blue jacket with white facings on every regiment, grey overalls, Belgic shako with white cords and plume except for the light infantry (skirmishing company) who had green and the grenadier company who wore red.

The flank companies also wore blue with white striped wings on their shoulders. These two Belgian battalions will form the bulk of the Belgian contingent.


28mm 2nd Belgian Carabiniers.

Present at Waterloo, I chose this particular regiment because I liked the steel helmet with brass fittings, thinking this was a lot more interesting than the other carabinier regiments (1st & 3rd) which apparently still wore the old bicorne.

This completes the heavy cavalry for the Dutch-Belgian-Nassau army.

Next I need to finish some more French Imperial Guard infantry, Dutch line infantry and Dutch artillery.

Any how I have just finished some Spartan vignettes last night so they'll be uploaded very soon.
All the Best
Peter

52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry

28mm Napoleonic British, the 52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry.

Time for some more Napoleonic British, namely the 52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry Regiment. This regiment has an impressive record culminating in being instrumental at repulsing the French Middle Guard at the battle of Waterloo 1815 specifically the 4th Fusilier-Chasseurs on my previous post.
 
Under the command of their colonel Sir John Colborne, they were part of Adam's 3rd Brigade, together with the 95th Rifles and 71st Highland Light Infantry during the Hundred Days (Waterloo) Campaign.

This regiment seems to have kept their old stove pipe shakos (hats) from the peninsular wars rather like the 28th Gloucester regiment. Their facing colours (cuff and collars) were a light buff, buttons were silver. Shako badges were probably brass (bugles) but could be silver (bugles) for light infantry. The Green plume denoting light infantry status.

Trained to operate in loose skirmish order as well as close order, just as regular line infantry, forming squares against enemy cavalry charges as necessary, the regiment number 1,130 rank and file at the battle Waterloo suffering 168 wounded and 38 killed during that engagment.

The 52nd Regiment elected to carry their 'colours' (flags) during the Peninsular wars, other light infantry regiments did not. During this period the regiment acquired the battle honours: Hindoostan, Vimeiro, Corunna, Bussaco, Fuentes d'Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vitoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse, Peninsula and Waterloo.

In my opinion I regard the Light Infantry to be one of the most useful and versatile regiments to be fielded in any Napoleonic British wargames army on the table, second only to the 95th Regiment of Rifles.

Next on the painting table for my mini Napoleonic campaign are two Battalion of Belgian line infantry, all Perry miniatures.

So until then,
Tally ho, Peter

28mm Napoleonic Middle Guard Chasseur-Fusiliers

It's been quite a while since my last post, something to do with my computer going pop. Anyhow I'll upload a mishmash of the stuff I've finished over the last few weeks starting with Napoleon Bonaparte's Fusilier-Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard, these troops were considered to be the 'Middle Guard', veterans who are most likely to be promoted to the Old Guard assuming they'll survive the rigours of campaign long enough.

In 1815 these troops made up the 3rd and 4th battalions of Chasseur a pied of the Imperial Guard, the 1st & 2nd battalions being Old Guard troops.

 As it is these troops have a mix of uniforms and equipment giving them an adhoc appearance, all should have a variety of ranks and campaign stripes/chevrons.

Fusilier-Chasseurs of the Middle Guard.

Anyhow more British and some Belgians next,
oh and have a Great Summer holiday
Best Regards,
Peter.

28mm Napoleonic Prince of Orange 1815

William The Prince of Orange at the battles of Quatre Bras & Waterloo 1815.
At last I've managed to find some time to finish my Dutch-Belgian command base for a 'Hundred Days Campaign, featuring William the Prince of Orange. William has come in for some stick over the years but his Chief of staff namely General Baron de Constant Rebecque saved Wellington's reputation by ignoring his order to deploy westward away from Bluchers Prussian army and instead blocked the road to Brussels at Quatre Bras to the French Corps led by Marshall Ney.

 William chats with General Chasse, an aide de camp hovers within reach. The figures are all 'Perry miniatures' cos they paint up a treat.

Based on a 75mm diameter round base gives sufficient room for three mounted officers.

The grass tufts and small bushes I made using my flock box (or shock box as I've affectionately call it after touching the charged copper plate on numerous occasions).

Dutch Staff for the Hundred Days Campaign.
General Baron de Constant Rebecque's decision to ignore Wellington's orders and deploy the Nassau and then Dutch-Belgian forces at 'Quatre Bras' saved Wellington from an almighty screw up. General de Rebecque  authorized General Perponcher to move one of his brigades, that of Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar to Quatre Bras to challenge Lefebvre-Desnouettes advance of 2000 cavalry on Frasnes just south of Quatre Bras. 

General Perponcher on foot with map,General Baron de Constant Rebecque on foot pointing, ADC handing message to mounted Guide and Guide on foot holding Generals horse.

Dutch Militia.
Just two battalions of Dutch militia will suffice for my campaign in addition to one Belgian battalion (almost painted), one Dutch line Battalion and maybe some Dutch light infantry (Chasseurs) to go with a battery of Dutch foot artillery, a regiment of Dutch Hussars (featured in an earlier post) and a regiment of Belgian Carabiniers. So I still have a lot of painting to do.

Anyhow have a Great Bank holiday,
All the Best,
Peter.