1812 Houses and French

 For the 1812 Retreat from Moscow project I have completed painting the houses and the French forces.

While the houses are not strictly correct for the period they are close enough for me. They come with a courtyard so the houses can either be placed independently or as part of a fortified farm. This will give a bit more flexibility in any future snowy games.

The French I have painted as pretty much in their summer blue uniforms as that is what has come. Some infantry I have painted grey to represent wearing their greatcoats. But they look OK I think and I can pretend that this is early on in the retreat. 😁It still looks pretty dismal!

I have based them all on clear plastic counters and have painted numbers on the bases so that the individuals can be distinguished.

Trudging along the road to Paris. Led by some lancers and with some at the rear to guard against Cossacks

Some civilians hoping to join the procession

Another view of the dispirited team. At the cross roads a forgotten standard is stuck in the snow. This is used in the fourth scenario.

Drone or crow's eye view

Another closeup

 Well half done now. Just the Russians to do.

British Napoleonics Artillery

 Finally I get the first part of the British Napoleonic's completed .... all having been primed for about 3 months.

Two Horse Artillery Limbers, three Horse Artillery guns, and three Line Infantry guns.

The Pendraken Horse Artillery included an outrider for each limber, but as these would not fit on the bases I had in mind they were both given battlefield promotions to ADC's for Wellington.

Horse Artillery Limbers

Line Artillery

Line Artillery side view

Horse Artillery

Horse Artillery side view

Painted with a combination of contrast and normal paints.

List of figures and units.  All Pendraken figures, as are the flags.

Figure

Number    Type                                Units        Percentage completed
180            Line Infantry                   6x30            0%
32              Light Infantry                   2x12            0%
30              Rifles                               1x30            0%
15              Lancers                            1x15            0%
30              Dragoons                        2x15            0%
3+12          Line Artillery & crew        3            100%
3+12          Horse Artillery & Crew    3            100%
2+8            Horse Artillery                  2            100%       
5                Commanders                     5               0%
6                Wellington with aides        1             0%

Next up:  back to 1812.

1812 Overture (no cannons)

 Having received my 1812 The Retreat from Moscow rule book I got straight to work on gathering the necessary terrain - which is helpfully listed in the rule book.

Luckily I had my snowy mat already (aka white table cloth)

I had also purchased earlier this year 80 n-scale pine trees for no real reason other than they were cheap. Some of these needed to be sprayed with a little white paint and based in snow.

Also in the terrain mountain were some n-scale tree armatures which with spray and basing would be snowy deciduous trees.

Some fences that I had bought last year from Pendraken that had been unsuitable for the purpose in mind would also be handy.

I needed to buy 6 buildings so went for my favourite cheap ones. The same as that had recently been featured on the blog as Chinese farm houses. While there were some card ones available, these would nearly be the same price with postage from overseas.

I also needed snowy rivers and roads/tracks. I already had these in paper terrain so printing them out and adding to magnetic paper, a bit of white paint and snow flock and I am done.

To cross the rivers I will need three bridges. These were built up out of toothpicks.

Then come the various markers that need to be made up. These I have made from small coloured discs and simply labeled.

Some piccies!

I  have set up the largest scenario which is meant to be four foot square. As I am playing in 10mm I have converted this to 50cm square. Everything is there but the buildings are not yet painted. Excess trees are on the left.

A bit of a closer view. Not quite perfect to the design but it is all there. REP markers are where the Russians arrive from and blue exit markers for the French to reach.

Roads are a bit iffy where they are overlaid but being magnetic they should not slide about too much.
The fences don't quite match the scenario layout but are close enough for me.

Another overview. In the top right corner is the French entry point, a Russian Entry Point, and a second green marker which identifies the last place Russians appeared. This is necessary for determining where they will appear next turn.

Loot markers added, not necessary in the last scenario. I have made a simple Regimental Eagle to add for the last scenario.

Closeup of my trees. I am quite pleased with these, although the the pine trees are a bit bright.

One of my bridges. As I was adding the snow piles I realised I could add one, two, or three piles each so they can be easily identified if ever necessary.

The figures have been readied for painting. They are in their summer uniforms, but at this scale with a bit of paint this will not be a problem.
I am going to base them on some clear plastic discs which should make them stable enough.

So now I am nearly ready. I am currently painting the British Napoleonic artillery and once done the 1812 troops are next. So fingers crossed a game before winter is over (down here)