French Young Guard - Recruitment

Last year I picked up some Alberken/Minifig FN20 Young Guard Voltigeur advancing however well short if what I needed to form a complete unit. I thought it unlikely that I would be able to find any more.  But I lived in hope that some would turn up.

I was very pleased therefore that
this week I was able to complete the unit after an ebay purchase.

The YG are now added to the awaiting a bleach dip/painting  pile.

Included in the ebay lot was one of those odd figures you get with classic Napoleonics. This is a FN23 YG Officer charging. Although why this pose is described as charging is beyond me. He looks like he is directing traffic. I will try bending the arms and perhaps his head to see if I can get a better pose.

Classic Napoleonic - Spring Manoeuvres

It was a year ago this month that I started collecting classic Napoleonic wargame figures. During the course of the year I have been renovating, stripping and painting.  The numbers have grown, with the help of the Oxfam haul, to two balanced forces.

As spring is in the air it seems appropriate a hold my first annual review not only to record progress made but also ti act as a record for next years Spring manoeuvres.

Most of the figures are original HIntons with some Alberken/Minifigs. The French gunners are 25mm Minifigs.

The French have 96 foot and 7 mounted figures.

The Anglo,Austrian, Prussian and Portuguese have 108 foot and 8 Mounted figures.

In all I have collected 204 foot and 15 mounted figures plus numerous artillery pieces.  The next few months will see more Cavalry and French Guard Artillery and perhaps some more mounted commanders to swell the ranks.

Flanqueurs-chasseurs of the Garde Impériale

In September 1811 Napoleon created a two battalion regiment of Chasseur Flankers of the Young Guard. They fought in the Campaigns of 1812 to 1814.  They look rather nice in Green

I am thinking that a batch of Alberken/Minfigs I have will be rather splendid as Chasseur Flankers.

Do I paint these next or do some more Prussian Lancers and French Hussars. I also have a Napoleon, Wellington (both original Hintons) and a JC recast Blucher in the queue along with 3 battalions of Prussian Infantry, 3 battalions of French, 2 battalions of British plus some riflemen. I also have 1 1/2 Austrian units as well as some French Guard and Guard Horse Artillery.

These are a mixture Hintons, Alberken/Minifig, Der Kreigspielers, Rose and Les Higgins

Decisions decisions - so what do I paint next ?

5th Regiment De Ligne

I have finally finished my 5th Regiment de Ligne 3 weeks later than planned.

This unit is made up using Alberken/Minfig 20mm figures.

The 5th was originally the Navarre Regiment in the old Royal Army and I choose this unit for its role in the 100 days campaign and the scene in the film Waterloo.

The elite companies are a rather nice figure. The previous owner had chopped the plume down to make a pom pom.

Inspired by WM flags I had a go at a making a flag using an old Coke can. I found it easy to cut using a pair of scissors and the metal is thin enough to bend an fold without any problems. Painting is not too difficult although I had to do embroidery twice after my first attempt ended up with the letters too large.

The 5th Regiment only had one battle honour - Wagram. This made it a easier to paint this side of the flag. 

French Elite Infantry - Progress

I have been making slow progress on the elite companies for the 5th Regiment. I have got to the point where I am the white bits (cross belts,straps and piping).  Its at this point I feel that I am finally getting somewhere at the end is in sight. 

For this unit I am also doing a coke can flag.  I have the basic colours added.  The next part will adding the embroidered details. This may take some time.

I hope this will be completed by the weekend ready for varnishing and basing.

Once this unit is done I will have enough figured done for a small game of Austro/Prussian/British vs French.

I plan to paint some cavalry next.

Classic British Napoleonics - comparison

A recent Ebay purchase has added to my British Napoleonic refurb pile. I now have a few figures from a number of the ranges available in the early 70s.

The first image shows figures which I am fairly sure are Alberken/early minifigs.  The codes I believe are left to right:-

BN4 Rifleman Officer
BN3 Rifleman on Guard
BN23 Light Infantry Firing ?
BN22 Light Infantry Advancing ?
BN26 Line Infantryman on guard ?

Update.  I have added a link to Old Metal Detector blog which shows the first 2 figures in an old Alberken boxed set.

http://theoldmetaldetector.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/alberken-painted-sets_22.html?m=0

The full list can be found here:-

http://www.vintagewargamingfigures.info/rblack/minilist20.htm

The next image is a comparison of some the classic figures, from different manufacturers, I have awaiting refurb.

Left to right these are:- Hinton Hunt, Minifig, Minifig,  Rose, Les Higgins and Garrison.

The Higgins figures are a bit wooden and The Garrison is taller.

5th Regiment de Ligne

This morning I finished varnishing the first 2 Fusilier companies of the 5th. This unit will be formed using Alberken/early Minifigs and will consist of:-

14 Fusiliers (FN30)
8 Elites (FN15)
1 Eagle bearer (FN26)
1 Line Officer (FN25)

I decided to do a paint restoration on these figures rather than a full strip as the original figures had the main block colours completed.

This is how the figures started out.

These figures do not have the detail that is found on similar Hinton Hunt figures but will mix well on the table.

I decided to form these as the 5th Regiment de Ligne after the scene from the film Waterloo where Napoleon strides out alone in front of the bayonets of the 5th regiment, crying: "If you want to kill your emperor, here I am!" 

They defect to him immediately.

French Fusiliers

Over on the Hinton Spieler blog Matt has been showcasing his new Battalion, of rather nice French Infantry, using Garrison miniatures.

The Garrison figure pose is a classic used by many of the figure makers of the time. In all I have 4 different Fusiliers in a similar pose in my lead pile.

From left to right they are Garrison (FN7), Alberken/Minifig (FN30), Les Higgins (NF11) and finally Hinton Hunt (FN5)

The Alberken  and Hinton figure are stylistically similar. The Alberken was I understand designed by Peter Gilder and does appear rather similar to the HH one.

I think they are close enough that I may even mix Alberken elites with HH Fusiliers in the same unit. Is this sacrilege ?

Of the 4 figures the Les Higgins figure has the crisper detail but, as is common with this range, has a rather wooden demeanour.  I have enough Higgins figures to make a couple of French units in the lead pile.

The Garrison figure has one difference in that he his advancing with his weight on the left leg. His body is moving forwards whilst the other figures seem to be in a more defencive posture.

Does this make the Garrison figure more Gallic?

I  am currently painting a French Alberken unit and hope to have the first figures finished for the New Year.

UPDATE.

Following the comment by LG I have added a few more photos of the FN5 figure.  The underside of the base has the HH code.

I have compared the figure with another FN5. They look similar but.

The pose is different with the head position and shako size shown up below.

So its the figure in white a Hinton Hunt ?

As I intend to mix them with Alberken/minifigs in a unit the answer to that question is perhaps not important.

French Fancies

Over on the Hinton Spieler blog Matt has posted on his  old Alberken/ Minfig Austrian figures.

http://thehintonspieler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/amateur-austronomy.html?m=1

Well I have thought I would share my collection of old French Alberken/Minifigs. 

I recently received a nice selection of figures from Bob as part of a trade. These include Voltigeurs, Fusiliers , Young Guard as well as a few different Officer codes.

These Fusiliers do look rather familiar.

A Minifig (FN30) and Hinton Hunt (FN5) side by side. These figures could easily be used in the same unit.

In addition I also have my old cleaned up Voltigeurs.

Interestingly I have 2 figures which are identical. The figure on the left is a FN16 French Voltigeur with boots. The figure on the right is the same but without the boots and I have been unable to to find this variant in any lists.

In all I have enough figures to make 3 units for my French forces.

General Hill

As part of my Oxfam haul I picked up an old Alberken/Minifig General Hill.

I have been rennovating/painting this figure off and on over the last 6 weeks. More off than on if truth be told.

Anyway finished him today.

And this is what he looked like.

Refurbished Westphalians

A few weeks ago Styker kindly sent me 6 painted Minifigs (Alberken) Elites painted as Westphalians.

I have just finished the paint refurbishment of them. They are now ready for basing. More on that subject in my next post.

I do not intend on having a full battalion of Westphalians and will use these as an independent skirmish company

They had looked like this.