Russian Dragoons

Here are the first two squadrons of the Finland Dragoons. Interesting that they were raised and so named a year or so (I think) before Finland was conquered. Three more squadrons (18 figures) to finish. Flags on their way.

Russo-Swedish War 1808-1809

Best laid plans and all that, but the game set up for Saturday (today) was postponed due to me needing to look after Mrs Carryingonupthedale as she has a prolapsed disc, this on top of everything else. By way of compensation I give you a parade of the armies for this project, as had things gone to plan they would have seen action for the first time. I’ve just realised that I still have tufts and stuff to add to most of the Swedish bases but never mind for now as I’ve run out apart for lots of vivid coloured flowers which need to applied very sparingly if at all. All these figures have all been done since the beginning of the year and they look, in my somewhat biased opinion, good en masse, if less so when under microscopic scrutiny. Photos seem a bit washed out but it has been very sunny here today…..so far.

First of all the Swedes (and mainly Finns):

And now the Russians:

I’ve got about three or is it four more battalions of Swedish infantry plus the Savolax Jäger to complete. If I really wanted to - which I do - I have the figures for another unit of dragoons, a squadron of guard cavalry and several rifle companies detached from their parent regiments.

The Russians can look forward to a bit (six guns I think unless I buy some more artillerymen which is unlikely at the moment)  more artillery, another 12 infantry battalions, including a grenadier regiment and another of jägers (three battalions each), and some skirmishing jäger. Command figures are on the painting desk in various stages of completion, but I do have a load of 1799 Russian generals I could use temporarily. I’m also in the middle of a dragoon regiment, and have cuirassiers and hussars to add to the cavalry arm, plus of course some Cossacks. Of course all this Russian cavalry is no good against the Swedes ie there wasn’t much deployed to the forests and lakes of Finland, but will come in very handy when facing the French! I’d better get painting.

Why I’m attracted to this little war, given I also have 1939 Finns and Russians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baHsoEAAMZU

Today’s Displacement Activity

Despite my best efforts I’m still doing almost anything except paint Russian Napoleonics, particularly cavalry. I’ve been distracted by a frenzy on eBay selling a remarkable amount of excess (never needed) unpainted figures, a bit of tidying up and finishing these odd pieces to decorate the table.

First up, a Russian senior officer and his Cossack aide. I thought I could use these for the Crimea, but also for any of Bismark’s wars as a Russian Military Observer to one side or the other.

A Prussian general in hussar dress, either for 1866 or 1870/71. 

An Austro-Hungarian General or just something to decorate the tabletop. He could also join the ranks of my growing international community if military observers.

They look ok and do the job they’re supposed to. All of them together with the Lioness of the Burrow eying them menacingly , thinking “if you don’t tickle my tummy I shall trample all over these men and kick ‘em on the floor where the puppies will eat them!” As if she would …..🐲

I will hopefully get the first two squadrons of Russian dragoons finished tomorrow…..but I’m itching (if that’s the right word) to start my 3D resin cuirassiers.

Russian Velikiutsk Regiment Complete

I’ve just completed the third battalion of this regiment for my Russo-Swedish and early/mid Napoleonic Wars collection. Here are all three formed up ready to into garrison under the table until needed. They certainly look an impressive sight.

Then of course I acquired a dog-eared copy of this long out of print book. In it Nafziger describes Russian regimental organisation for the period I am interested in as something different to what I decided to go with. Essentially instead of three battalions of four companies including one of grenadiers, there were three battalions, of which two were musketeers and one of grenadiers. It’s an easy fix should I decide to reorganise them but it’s not something that will contemplate soon as the overall visual effect remains great and I suspect the grenadiers were grenadiers in name only.

 

Anyway, good book and a very productive day. 

Russo-Swedish War - Swedish Commanders

 

Just a quickie before the meds kick in and I have to go and get my hair cut. I completed these three command stands for my Swedish army, which means I now have sufficient to lead the army in a ga,e as soon as I get the Russians to a similar position.

The castings are a mixture of Perry (Swedes and Danes) and Eagle Figures.  I think they look ok although I’ve just spotted a mistake I must go over before I forget.

28mm Russian Cavalry 3D prints

As readers may know I’m building an early/mid-Napoleonic Russian army. Most of the figures were as someone might recall, bought on three successive Foundry Xmas Sales, the up to 25% off one. Long term army planning supreme.

Then I saw these 3d resin prints on eBay sold by Hoplite Miniatures. They do a wide range of miniatures beyond these Napoleonic ones, but the ones that got me going were these Russian cuirassiers. Also in the range are dragoons, hussars and a variety of infantry. A set of 12 cavalry costs about £28, sometimes as little as £26, so not much more than £2 a figure. Compared to the price of a similar metal casting these are a no brainer for a pensioner such as me, e.g. the same money would get you a mere six Foundry cavalrymen, and not many more for most manufacturers.

All 36 of my prints were all clean and the details pretty good; ok not as much depth as a metal figure but  enough for me. They’re quite robustly made and feel strong too. Anyway see what you think…..

The Other Partizan

 John and I attended this event on Sunday. Despite the foggy conditions we arrived before 10:00 and although there was a bit of a queue didn’t have to wait long to get in. As usual the place was rammed full of games and traders and was incredibly busy. As a consequence of the unseasonably warm weather and the event being in an aircraft hangar it was also hot and sweaty inside, until the main doors were opened. The heat wasn’t an issue for me and everyone I almost ran over with trundleator was very kind in moving out of the way. My only gripe (and this is aimed wholly at the showground people)  was that for an event space with such a large capacity there were only four disabled parking bays, which is in my humble opinion totally unacceptable). 

The games were almost all good and many were outstanding. Here are some photos - I didn’t take many - of some of the games, in no particular order, which caught my eye. The omission of any others does not mean I didn’t like them but more probably that I missed them or the photos were not good enough, and given the low bar I set myself sometimes that is saying something!). 

Like A Stone Wall’s Game set in Spain in the late 11thC. The city was completely 3d printed.

The biggest game of Risk I have ever seen. A great idea and visually impressive but I think if they kept playing they’d still be at it at the next Partizan in May 2024!

Zulu War

Crimean War set on the Danube in 1853, before it became the Crimean War.

Very nice castle indeed.

A nice touch here was the mirror at the table edge giving some depth to the fortress wall. Game of Thrones game.

An awesome Indian city.

Never Mind the Boathooks.

Perry twins Franco-Prussian War using a variant of Valour and Fortitude.

I’m 

My purchase amounted to a few tufts, some MDF bases and a German WW2 horse drawn limber off Early War Miniatures. 

The best part of both Partizan shows is the chance to meet up with lots of acquaintances and old friends, and to chat with what felt like hundreds of others during the course of the day. This was no different and it was great to catch up and to put names to faces of others only known to each other through the bloggasphere, Facebook and even eBay. 

Big thanks to John for giving me a lift and for the ice cream.