Stink Bug Invasion

Just a quick post before I head off for a weekend trip, springtime is here and so are the nasty stink bugs that get through every obstacle and make Central European people's lives miserable...

When I opened up the box full of swag from Drum&Flag (a very friendly online retailer if you are interested in 1/72 bits like I am), I was quite surprised. I ordered one box of used HäT Renault FT-17s, which should have contained two tanks according to PSR, but there were four instead. I got them for the hefty sum of £3.50. In this dark olive green state of theirs they remind me of the dumb little stink bugs that crawl around aimlessly. And their speed also matches.

I had to use sprue rubble melted down in paint thinner for glue, as I ran out of superglue and of course completely forgot to refill. But still, here they are, holding up quite well. 

More Ottomen

Just a small update with some Ottoman auxiliary forces, light cavalry, less light elephantry and bowmen.

The elephants and archers are made by HäT, the akincis are RedBox set #2.

Rheinbund Reinforcements

Here's another few Napoleonic bits, mostly HäT figures from the larger participants in the Confederation, and then some Zvezda French skilfully converted. 

Left: Württemberg light cavalry and Berg Lancers

Middle: Bavarian light infantry, Saxon Leibgarde and Württemberg artillery

Right: Saxon cuirassiers and Württemberg (/Bavarian?) chevauxlegers.

Austrian big battalions!

Here's another big batch of figures not yet photographed together. I just finished the infantry recently, but the cavalry is from earlier and you could see some in the Eckmühl AAR.

My 1806 Prussian army - almost complete

There were no pictures submitted yet about one of my larger undertakings, namely creating a Prussian army for the 1806-1807 period. Now here's the bulk of that army, minus elites and specialists.

The Merchant Ship sets sail

Apologies for the delay, I just had no setup to make good pictures. It turns out that the flash on my old Fuji camera is actually working, I just have to pry and keep it open with my fingers.

Anyway, here it is, with removable top masts and a small crew fit to serve a merchant vessel. All the sails except one are made from cloth, the masts are bamboo kebab sticks, which is a really awesome scratchbuilding material if you find the right quality.

Ottomen on the Horizon

(For the less linguistically inclined, Ottomen is the plural of Ottoman.)

I have not been as idle in recent times as the lack of updates suggests. I suspect mainly the fact that the camera is still broken deters me from taking loads of pictures. Anyway, the Napoleonic Ottoman army is almost complete (which army ever is?), so I thought I'd take them out to the sun and show them to the world.

Russian artillery for the Secret Project

The flash is still dead, so here are more grainy pictures of some HäT horses and gunners. I have 11 Russian guns and crew with these, which is just the right amount for my evil plan.

Mother Russia sends more troops.

Here's the dozen dragoons, six guns and twelve crew, some of which you could spot in the previous post. They're all made by HäT - not the prettiest figures, but the price was OK and they were easy to paint.

Russian Guardsmen and Herdsmen.

It is rather rare that I post something from four different manufacturers, but this is the case right now. In enlarging my Napoleonic Russian army, I have completed the following units, from left to right:

• 2x12 Jäger, Italeri and Zvezda figures, plus a single HäT figure in the rear rank.
• 6 Guard Lancers, of Esci make, on Italeri hussar horses.
• A 16-figure unit of Pavlov Grenadiers by Italeri.
• 2x16 Opolchenie by HäT, plus a single Pioneer base/marker.

Grenadiers à Cheval

I've complained before about having too many Guard units in my Napoleonic French army - this fact will not change today. These are HäT figures, and although less elegant than the output of Italeri or Zvezda, they are not bad at all. 

It is also some consolation that these horsemen were very active in many battles, so paint is hopefully not wasted on them.

Swag is for boys - Raupenhelm is for men

Two units of Bavarian infantry and one of Chevaulegers join the collection. The cavalrymen are Esci Polish Lancers, with sort of the right uniforms, and green stuff helmets - I just had too many actual lancers (the other half of the set will be Russian Guard Lancers, actually).

Spanish reinforcements

Not strictly related to the 1809 project, I received a box of HäT gunners as part of a trade deal, to be used as Spaniards. While at it, I found some of the venerable Italeri Prussian Cuirassiers - the best multi-purpose set in my opinion; and then some Zvezda Prussian hussars which were used in one game then set aside for good. 

I stripped the hussars of their previous Prussian garments, and sculpted tarletons on the Italeri horsemen - after some strenuous work I had a unit of mounted Cazadores and Infanta hussars.

From the fringes of the Empire

This is the final batch of HäT figures, and then some Italeri hussars on Zvezda horses. As mentioned before, the Grenz are actually 1806 Prussian fusiliers, and the line infantry and Insurrectio is 1805 Russians in flat-top shakos, with the big plumes cut off.

More Austrians

Here's a few more figures for the 1809 project. In the foreground, a unit of Hungarian Insurrectio foot and two Grenzer, in the back, a 24-figure battalion of regular infantry in helmets.

An actual Post

The fruits of my labor: two units of guerrillas, two limbers and some Russian Opolcheniye. Totally fitting together.

I'm working hard on the French and Austrians, and find it amazing what shows up from the bottom of my plastic pile (for instance, a complete unit of Voltigeurs).

More Opolcheniye

Two more units of this big box of HäT figures were completed recently. They are very easy to paint , with chunky details and simple uniforms.

An Opolcheniye

My painting output has decreased somewhat, fortunately I've had this pair of units I have not yet showcased here. They're the last of the Italeri bunch of line infantry, and the first of the big HäT Opolcheniye box.

More Russian hordes

Another large group of 1/72 Napoleonics are finished, mostly horsemen. 

Austrian reinforcements

I just couldn't give up and produced more Austrians. All of these are conversions/scratchbuilds: three cavalry artillery cannon with the 6pdr barrels from the Zvezda French artillery set; a unit of 16 Grenzer, Italeri figures with their helmets switched to shakos; and eight cuirassiers, Zvezda Saxons, this time on their proper horses, with helmets from the Italeri infantry set.