Christmas Eve in the Burrow

 

Gnomeland Security agents move in on suspected illegal immigrants .

Merry Christmas to everyone and here’s wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2026. 

Danish Napoleonic Light Battalion

It’s turning out to be quite a productive week, as this battalion of Danish light infantry heads off to barracks. Not the hardest of uniforms to paint but boring. These are of course 28mm Perry Miniatures.

There is one more battalion infantry on the painting desk and when they are done the Danish corps WILL be finished. 

Norwegian Ski Troops and early Bavarian Jäger.

Why not?  These ski troops have been laying around my painting desk for at least a year so I thought I’d get them finished. These are Steve Barber models and I’m unsure how to utilise them on the tabletop. Could be fun…..I have another half a dozen to do if I have a mind to.

I also managed to complete these Bavarian jäger for the early Napoleonic Wars or late Revolutionary War. The minis are I believe Bicorne Wurtemburg jäger, but the headgear is wrong as they ditched the Rumford’esque helmets for a sensible hat. No matter as I have a brigade of 1800 Bavarians for when I decide to refight Hohenlinden, so they now have some jäger with more or less the correct uniform.

Piano Wargames Wurtzberg Artillery

Adding to my growing collection of minor German states, here we have the Wurtzberg artillery, again 3d resin prints off Piano Wargames. As with all the other goodies from Piano they are splendid miniatures. I already have a battalion of Wurtzberg infantry completed and the light cavalry regiment is on the way, again they are Piano miniatures.

Apart from the brown uniforms and the brass bits, everything else on the gunner minis was done using paint pens –  use those from Sharpie and a superb white I found on Temu. 

The Køngens Livjaegerkorps

Just to prove I am getting back into actually painting some miniatures, no matter how obscure they might be.

Køngens Livjægerkorps (The King's Life Jäger Corps) was an elite unit formed as a result of the British bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807, when Denmark allied with Napoleon. They were a volunteer, bourgeois force, similar in spirit to other Jäger units across German-speaking states.

These are Steve Barber Miniatures designed specifically as the korps with their distinctive czapzka-like shako.

Kingdom of Wurttemberg #2

Here we have some of the remaining troops of my Wurtemberg division. There is a battalion of light infantry and the guard battalion. The Guard never saw action as far as I know but the uniforms are simply stunning so cannot be overlooked. There’s also a regiment of light cavalry. They are all 3d prints from .stl files acquired from Piano Miniatures. The quality is stunning but beware knocking off bayonets and swords. They are easy to reattach so not such a big deal.

Now all I have to do are the bases of four line infantry battalions and two limbers, of which I have a surfeit.

Birth of the Byzantine Army 476–641 CE

The Birth of the Byzantine Army, 476–641 CE by Philippe Richardot, presents a concise examination of the formative period of the Byzantine military apparatus following the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire. Published by Helion, the third in their new ‘A Time of Knights 476CE–1453CE series’, volume 1 asks a pertinent question; still Late Roman? The volume continues the publisher’s commitment to producing accessible studies that nevertheless maintain analytical rigour. This is volume 1 of a what I hope will be a long series.

The author traces the evolution of the Eastern Roman army during a period marked by profound political and social upheaval. Rather than engaging in perhaps contentious academic debates (which are more than likely way over my head), the work offers a lucid and well-supported narrative of how the Eastern Empire constructed a distinct military identity. This process is contextualised within the broader challenges posed by external threats, including my two favourite ‘enemies of Rome’ the Goths and Sassanid Persians as well as interminable and recurrent internal crises.

Particularly informative are the sections devoted to the development of the comitatenses and limitanei, which are presented with clarity. The explanations are unambiguous, and provided me with a better understanding of these key military formations.

The book is further enhanced by a variety of illustrations, including detailed colour plates (each with an attached commentary), map and diagrams. These visual aids contributed to my understanding of the material culture and organisational structure of the Byzantine army, and will be of particular interest to both scholars, war gamers and enthusiasts of military history.

In sum, Birth of the Byzantine Army, 476–641 CE serves as an effective introduction to a transitional era often overlooked between the ‘Late Roman’ and ‘Byzantine’ periods. The work succeeds in providing a concise, digestible overview of the army’s transformation, making it a valuable addition to Byzantine military studies.



ISBN: 978-1-804518-28-1 291 pages. Paperback

AI - Curious

Being AI-curious I thought I’d have a play. I selected this photo of my Swedes facing off against Danes, Dutch and some French in an imaginary 1808.

This is the original photo.

 

The first version managed to turn the garden into a battleground!

This final version is pretty good though I say so myself.

Now, I shall never get those 20 minutes of my life back but at least I’ve now scratched my AI itch (you can get a special cream for it) and get on with more important things like painting ships, basing Wurtembergers or sorting out my France 1940 stuff.

Gamers Grass Basing Boxes

On a whim I sent off for these recently-released basing sets after seeing a review on Wargames Illustrated’s Obervation Post last week I think. 

What do you get?

A nice box….

Three sheets of small tufts.

A couple of sheets of green tufts and some fern leaves.

A large box of resin rocks.

My honest opinion is that at  a little over £45 the set is grossly overpriced for what you get; indeed you’d pay a fraction of the cost of this set for tufts and rocks off eBay or Temu. Not value for money in my view and very disappointing. I shall not buy again.

The Armée des Princes book review.

 THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE CRACKER AND WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SHIFT MY FOCUS BACK TO THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY WARS.

    

French Émigré Armies of the Revolutionary Wars, volume 1, by Hughes de Bazouges and Alastair Nichols is the 150th book in Helion’s ‘from Reason to Revolution 1721–1815’ series. From the moment you crack open this book, you can feel the authors’ enthusiasm leaping off the page. Rediscovering the French Émigré Armies.

The world of the French émigré forces, so often tucked away in the margins of history, finally gets its time in the spotlight. Instead of being mere footnotes, these units are front and centre, and the result is genuinely eye-opening and refreshingly different. The authors certainly succeed in opening up a hidden chapter of revolutionary history.

What really stands out is the sheer depth of detail. Whether it is the makeup of the regiments, the political intrigue swirling around them, or the nitty-gritty of their campaigns, it’s all here. Yet, the writing never feels heavy-going. Whether you are a seasoned historian, a wargamer or reenactor, or just someone with a passing interest, the story flows beautifully.

Let us talk about the visuals—maps, illustrations, and especially the uniform plates. These are not just pretty extras; they bring each of these short-lived, colourful yet lost regiments to life. With 24 pages packed with images each with an impressively detailed commentary, you can almost imagine yourself marching alongside the Armée des Princes.

The émigré armies were a colourful, dramatic bunch, and their story is rarely told with such care. This book fills a real gap, weaving together sources old and new to offer fresh perspectives.

In short, if you’re curious about the French Revolutionary Wars, counterrevolutionary movements, or the wild world of eighteenth-century European military culture, this is the book for you. It is both a joy to dip into and a solid reference you will want on your shelf. If this first volume is anything to go by, the rest of the series promises to be something special.


ISBN: 978-1-804515-38-9

269 pages

Paperback

Battleground 2026 - a grand day out

I managed to get myself to the Battleground show in Middlesbrough on Saturday. It is literally five minutes from home so no excuse permitted. It was only a brief visit of an hour or so but I had the opportunity to make several circuits of the hall and meet up with lots of friends and acquaintances ( including Doug from Falkirk who used to  be in the Durham club, and my old friends Robbie Roddis and John Reidy. 

Anyway, there were plenty of games (demo and participation) some of which are pictured below. I didn’t find the lighting especially good for photos but it was better than some shows I’ve been to, and may just be my eyes! There were also event was very well organised as is to be expected from Leon and his team. I believe that there were 900 people through the door which is pretty impressive. 

There were also a significant number of traders, big and small, but there was nothing I was tempted enough to buy so I returned home without having spent a penny. Not a condition I would hope to repeat! 

Here are some pictures of a selection of the games, some of which I actually know what they are….

This and the one above are from a Waterloo game using Wofun figures in 10mm I think. 

It had Covenanters in it……

Several photos now of the best game at the event. Mark Naylors wonderful 7YWgame with his beautiful collection of flats. Awesome. I didn’t realise at first that they were flats till I moved Roy d the table. Gorgeous!

Durham Wargames Group did a Masters of the Air game. Very effective ‘terrain’ which I believe was actually o photo of Berlin from the air in 1945.

Andy of Old Glory UK gave us a Shiney Waterloo game. Lovely figures

The Battle of Raphia.

Also, next door, a different take on the battle of Raphia.

There were obviously loads more games and more to see but the photos don’t do them justice. I have to say that despite onLy spending a couple of hours at the show and not spending a penny I had a great time. Just what I needed to get my mojo fired up. 

What more to say. Great show. Good games, lots of trade. Excellent event.

I might even get a game in before Christmas……we shall see.

Frontier Soldiers of New France 1683–1760 Vol 2

 

Another Helion book arrived a couple of weeks ago — this time Frontier Soldiers of New France, Volume 2 by Kevin Gélinas. Like the first volume, it’s beautifully produced and absolutely packed with detail, but this one takes things further into the real life of the Compagnies Franches de la Marine and other colonial troops in New France. Unlike the first volume it is not co-authored by the late Rene Chartrand, but his influence is apparent.

Gélinas goes beyond just discussing regulations and standard gear, offering insight into how soldiers truly lived and fought—think snowshoes, moccasins, and tough leggings. The book provides an intriguing perspective on the ways European military practices adjusted (or sometimes failed to adjust) to the North American wilderness. Each chapter tackles a different aspect: from campaign clothing and gear for summer and winter, to cookware — like the curious ‘marmite cooking pot’ which I will not explain here — and shelters, bivouacs, and even officers’ unofficial equipment choices. The illustrations, photos, and colour plates are top-notch, making this resource invaluable for wargamers, modelers, and reenactors alike.

If you enjoyed the first volume then this is for you. It’s another cracking addition to Helion’s From Reason to Revolution series (No.145 in fact), and essential for anyone interested in the French and Indian War or the colonial frontier of New France. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-1-804516-79-9                227 pages, paperback.

Interesting find on Temu

 

I stumbled across this on Temu. They’re about five quid and are 20” x 20” and certainly look the part. I bought another four to add to the original two, so we shall see what they’re like en masse. Equally they will be effective breaking up the tabletop or surrounded by hedges or woods. Just a nice item with lots and lots of potential.

Kingdom of Wurtemberg Division by Piano Miniatures #1

My mate Togs from the LaSW group 3d printed me a modest collection of Wurtemberg troops to round off my allied contingents for my French army. These are all off .stl files from the wonderful Piano Miniatures. 

Shown here are a battalion of jäger, light infantry skirmish bases, foot and horse artillery and the 2nd Chevau Legere regiment of cavalry.

A few bases of light infantry.

Chevau Leger Regiment

Horse and foot artillery 

The Jäger battalion. I’ve done them in skirmish order.

Some commanders.

And some more commanders.

I have a couple more battalions to do that are wearing the earlier casket helmet which was replaced around 1806-1807, maybe a bit later? Somewhere in the Shed of Despair there is a unit of light infantry also in the Rumford’esk helmet. Might as well get them done.

The ONLY thing I would say is that the minis are a little fragile. However a bit of care sorts that out. 

#2 to follow soon with line and light infantry and the guard, just as soon as I’ve finished their bases.