Please note I will not be hosting any Public events from 31st January 2023. Nothing too drastic from our side, just need a break.
I’ll be providing updates when we’re back, here and on my social media platforms.
Thank you for all the custom and friendship this has brought me to date.
I look forward to seeing you all again soon, both new and old customers.
Month: January 2012
I thought it time I showed off a bit more of Doug’s fine work. This little beauty was commissioned back in the early 90’s. The conversion work here is quite brilliant, all done with a soldering iron, fuse wire, solder and a Dremel.
Doug's Polish command stand.
I’m not sure what the original figures were, Doug may be able to shed a little light on this. However I don’t recognise either of them, I have included a few more close ups to try and convey his work in conversion using the soldering iron and fuse wire.
Rear view, the reins and horse furniture have been converted to hang freely.
The work on the colour and the style of painting certainly compliment the work Doug does with the soldering iron, I have seen some of Dougs work before the paint touches them and I have honestly thought that it would look okay, but only okay. Once he has worked his magic with the brush however, wow, what a transformation!!
Well I hope you have enjoyed these as much as I do, more next week.
The Wargames Holiday Centre has recently replaced a good number of the veterans in the Russian army. The Front Rank figures we have used are exceptionally good figures, plenty of variety and when combined with GMB Design flags they are exceptional eye candy. I am toying with the finish right now, at present you will see that they’re finished in Humbrol Gloss, (for durability) however I was really impressed with the matt finish when I first got them from re-inforcements by post. Watch this space.
I have just a few of them here.
On the Pratzen at in our recent Austerlitz game.
I am going to be auctioning off the battalions which have been replaced. If you’re interested let me know.
More tomorrow.
The Russian troops in the North of the battlefield were hanging on!
Murat's Cavalry Corps pour forward again!
French Cuirassier leading the charge!
The French Guard was now assaulting their front lines and time was of the essence, they needed Bennigsen to complete his drive down the Pratzen and crush Soult and cut off the route back to Vienna.
Davout crossing the Goldbach in force.
Davout was now coming across the Goldbach in force to the south of Sokolnitz and cannonading the village of Telnitz. The Heavy Cavalry division was pressing the Russian support troops and forcing them into square, help was on the way with Russian light cavalry though.
Davout's Dragoons crossing the Goldbach.
Davout approaches Telnitz
Davout's lights engage Sacken's lights!
In the centre Oudinot was reeling from fresh assaults, the Russian Imperial Guard was now advancing practically unopposed across the Pratzen heading west to cut the retreat to Vienna. Soult was attempting to rally troops at the foot of the Pratzen, his troops in the Pheasantry were giving ground gradually but the Austrians were hot on their heels!
Giving ground in the Pheasantry.
Unfortunately after several turns of determined atttempts to rally Oudinot broke, smashed by allied cavalry and pressed by fresh infantry it was too much! Soult’s troops followed him with the entire French centre collapsing in!
The Allied troops flood down the Pratzen.
Davout was now thinking of covering the retreat and Napoleon would have to cut his way back through to Vienna.
The view of the Pratzen from the North west, you can see Oudinot's troops hurrying back in the foreground through the village of Puntovitz the Allies chasing them.
Fantastic game and a real teaser from the start, the mist played a decisive role in the game with visibility in the lower areas being reduced to just 18″ for 16 turns! Artillery therefore played a low part in the proceedings meaning that the Cavalry had a free rein and the infantry engagements were mostly at the point of the bayonet.
Tomorrow I will be presenting more images of the new figures to the Wargames Holiday Centre, with some more of Doug Mason’s work to come.
‘Til then!
The fighting in the Centre had rolled back and forth, the mist finally lifted in the lower areas south of the Pratzen. It was only turn 16!!!! So the Sun had taken it’s own sweet time burning off the mist, but finally visibility was at full. This would mean that Davout was in a position to start softening up his potential target in Telnitz.
In the centre on the Pratzen the sun had been up for a while, Oudinot’s division after initial success was now beginning to get bogged down in a slugging match with the Russians of Prebeshevsky’s column. Pinned by a battalion which broke after losing most of it’s officers and down to sixty percent effectives. It was now prey to Russian Cuirassier from Leichtenstein’s reserve cavalry. Kollowrath had succeeded in driving back most of Soult’s weary men and was now turning on to the flank of the attack columns.
Soult's troops Re aligning the line of defence from attack.
Kollowrath's advance toward the Pheasantry.
Kollowrath's Uhlans sweep down the Pratzen onto the flanks of Soult's attack column.
Kollowrath's troops pouring down the slopes of the Pratzen.
Oudinot on the Pratzen.
Troops from Kienmeyer's column moving into the attack against Oudinot.
Holding their ground after the initial success on the Pratzen. Oudinot's men reform.
The southern sector of the Pratzen, Kollowrath in the foreground moving on the Pheasantry.
North of the Pratzen the Russian’s hung on, they needed to buy time for the Austrians and the Russian Guard to punch through the weak line that Soult held at the Goldbach. The Austrians had cleared the front of the Pheasantry but were now slowed in turn by the Division of Dragoons from Davout’s command.
Murat rallies then rolls forward again in support of Lannes and Bernadotte.
Lannes and Bernadotte went forward in the Northern sector Bosenitz was theirs, Blasowitz was looking shaky and the Imperial Guard were pressing the gap between both villages. Turn 20, the Grenadiers of the Old Guard appeared! Heading straight for the gap between the two villages, unstoppable the columns rolled over the first line of Russians. Cossacks appeared on their flanks, but were dealt with by the Guard cavalry. The second line of Russians braced themselves, fought to the third rouns of melee and hung on. Grenadiers a Cheval thundered into the lines, breaking a battalion, cutting them down. Still they held!
Press on the cry was in the Allied centre, attack the French at Sokolnitz and the Pheasantry, break the line then press on to Vienna.
The battle was certainly turning!
In the centre Soult had advanced some of his troops on to the Pratzen to support Oudinot and his combined grenadier division.
Murat leads the French Cavalry reserve into the gap between Bosenitz and Blasowitz
On the French left, north of the Pratzen, Lannes had pushed past Bosenitz. It was here the first signs of the French Guard were seen, first Squadrons of Grenadier a Cheval emerging from the rear of Lannes Corps. Shortly after this the Chasseurs a Cheval could be seen advancing in support of their heavier brethren. Mind you this did not mean that the infantry would be here, although the tiles at the rear of Lannes formation had yet to be revealed.
The troops of the French Guard can be seen in the background with Bernadottes infantry in the foreground.
South of the Pratzen the Austrians and Russians were moving up their reserves to keep the pressure on Soult. Davout was preparing to cross the Goldbach near Telnitz, while his Dragoons crossed between Sokolnitz and the Pheasantry.
Soult's troops occupy Sokolnitz
The French infantry Figures are from the Elite Miniatures range, the Bavarians are from the Connoisseur range.
The fighting in the centre now took the full heat of the battle, troops from Soult’s corps became embroiled with the Russians defending the heights, visibility was excellent on the top so charges were declared and the two crashed together hundreds of figures went a full three rounds of combat but the French verve could not win over the Russian tenacity and both sides reeled from this initial combat.
Soult's troops engage the Russians on the Pratzen
Oudinot crashed into the Russian column’s on the summit, the carnage was immense with the initial Russian counter attack being repulsed! The Russians rallied though and came on again into the French Grenadiers, drums beat the charge and both sides ploughed into each other again!
Oudinot's troops before the charge across the summit of the Pratzen.
The eagle eyed among you will spot that these are actually Middle Guard, still they are a fine representation for the combined Grenadiers. Figures are from Bicorne, painted and based by Doug Mason.
The casualties mounted, the Russian tenacity saw them hold until the third round, eventually giving up the ground while the French retired to re-organise. Soult had won some of his combats south of this melee of Oudinot’s but not all.
Taking the initiative to fall back to the Goldbach
French troops started to fall back to the foot of the Pratzen, while others took the initiative and fell back on the Goldbach.
Kollowrath wheels on to the flank of the troops supporting Oudinot.
These are from the excellent Elite Miniature range.
Kollowrath’s Austrians poured down the slopes and looked to take the Pheasantry on the east side of the Goldbach, with some of their troops wheeling on to the flank of the French infantry supporting Oudinot.
It was still very much to play for!
The battle was certainly picking up pace, the Northern sector ner the Sabton and the village of Bosewitz south to Blasowitz saw more infantry action than anywhere else. The French infantry from Lannes Corps diving head long into Bosenitz and the surrounding area. Due to the mist, this was all really short range and at the point of the bayonet! The Russian dogged nature really shone here! The melee’s saw casualties mounting!
Rules schmuules! The General Lannes showing his blatant disregard for the rule system!
Of course the literature is presented the correct way up inside, this is the duff copy from the printers with the jacket upside down. Herr Gratz very kindly allowed me to publish this good natured photo.
At Blasowitz the artillery duel thundered with the Russians gaining the advantage, the French horse battery was practically wiped out! The remaining foot batteries of the Line and the Guard responded in their turn, smashing the Austrian infantry to the south of Blasowitz and pounding the village itself along with the Russian battery.
Lannes Corps approaches the Bosenitz area.
The Russians wait!
The Grenadiers of Oudinot’s force had begun the climb to the top of the Pratzen. The Russians had moved to engage them, however they hung back from the edge to avoid the eventual lifting of the mist and the subsequent artillery bombardment from the plain below!
Part of Murat's corps this Westphalian Cuirassier regiment is acting as a French counterpart..
These Westphalians are being used as replacements for French, I do realise that the uniforms are for 1812 and that the Kingdom was yet to be created in 1807. We actually have nine regiments of French Cuirassier so there was no shortage on the day. Hey they look really good though right?
On to the Plateau stepped the gallant first battalions and straight into a volley from the Russian defenders, the ranks thinned, but not dramatically. Russian volley fire was living up to it’s usual standard.
A rear view of one of our new Front Rank Russian battalions.
This is one of the new battalions of Front Rank Figures Russian line. All painted by Reinforcements by post, great figures and a great service in my humble opinion!
Davout moved to the Goldbach, and began to size up the opposition toward Telnitz, crossing the stream could be tricky, he had sent his Dragoon briagade to cross the stream between the Pheasantry and Sokolnitz as there were less troops east of here, although this was hard to determine given the mist. He had deployed a battery of guns and got one round of fire before the Russians melted away back into the mist. So something of a stalemate had developed.
Real French Cuirassier take on the Lithuanian Uhlans of Liechtenstein's Cavalry reserve.
The infantry of his lead divisions began to mass at the allotted crossing point south of Sokolnitz. It would need careful timing.
Bernadottes Corps attempts the first rush toward the Russian battery between Bosenitz and Blasowitz.
It was now turn twelve and still the mist clung to the ground in the lower areas! This was going to take a good deal of timing and luck.
