Eureka Miniatures French Infantry

Today I finished basing these, and I am happy to be able to share some photos with you.

I had painted most of these figures last week, but I was a fusilier shy (broken musket), and I wanted to add elite companies, so I spent a few more days at the painting bench. I know French line infantry of this period did not have integral voltiguer companies, but I want to be able to use these for other periods.

I honestly don't know how the historical wargaming world is not going crazy over these figures. If these are not the best sculpts I've ever seen, they are close. All the detail is there, and it is in sharp relief to ease painting. The poses are natural and they work well as a unit. The proportions are outstanding. I have nothing bad to say about these figures, and I hope sculptor Alan Marsh continues to produce miniatures of this quality.

If it reads like I'm gushing over these figures, well, they're just that good!

GMB Designs makes some beautiful flags for the Wars of the French Revolution. I've tried almost all the flag manufacturers, and GMB is still my favorite.

When I ordered my WFR flags, I snuck in a few for other projects. Here are the Front Rank legere from a couple posts back with a shiny new flag.

WIP: Eureka French Infantry

I've finished painting the figures, but I haven't started basing yet. I'm waiting on a flag from GMB before I base these.

A full review will follow.

28mm Front Rank French Legere

Here are the first figures I've painted in a looong time. 2011 is not going to be a very productive year for me.

French Legere Chasseurs

I bought these figures from my friend Wally before he died. He had planned a big Napoleonic project that he never quite got started. The figures had all been primed white, and many of them had an unfinished block paint job.

Rather than strip them, I just sprayed primer right over the existing paint jobs. Wally was a world class modeler, and he had put a very thin coat of paint on these, so they took another coat without losing much detail.

I had planned to put a very basic paint job on these figures, but as usual, once I started, I could not hold back. I gave these the full treatment everywhere but their hair, which only got black shading.

Regular readers will know that I prefer march attack poses for my infantry, but Wally had ordered advancing poses. It was a challenge to fit the figures onto their bases, and I doubt they will ever be able to form a tight march column.

I was going to just slap on a flag from Warflag.com, but now that I spent a week on this battalion, I will order a flag from GMB. I just couldn't wait to post some finished figures on my blog. It has been a long time since I had anything to show.

A Miniature MacPhee Woman

Here's the newest edition to our line. Born today and doing marvelously.

Regimental Fire and Fury: Iuka

Last Saturday the fellows came over to refight the Battle of Iuka. This was the first game I have hosted at my new home. My son helped me set up the battlefield the night before.

Iuka was a classic meeting engagement, and I am surprised it doesn't get played more often. Jon started us off by moving his Union brigade to occupy the high ground in the center of the board.

Don brought up the lead Confederate brigade while Scott R. menaced his flank with a small regiment of cavalry.

As soon as Don's guns came within range, Scott's cavalry charged! He quickly eliminated one section of artillery.

Jon shook his Union brigade into line, while Don moved forward to engage him.

Jon withdrew from the hill, leaving it to the Confederates. Scott's rampaging cavalry destroyed the other Confederate gun section, then tied down two regiments of dismounted Confederate cavalry.

By now the battle lines were pretty well formed. I had moved my Confederate brigade out to threaten the Union left, but Jon had deployed to meet me. Scott R. had moved his Union infantry brigade up on Jon's right, and Jon had a third infantry brigade moving up in reserve.

Don threw his crack Confederate troops into a series of charges on the Union center and right. He succeeded in pushing back portions of two Union brigades, but the Union troops did not break.

Scott R. kept lengthening his line, always presenting Don with a solid front.

By now my flank attack was starting to make headway. I had three regiments up and one in reserve, and I was driving the Union left back on its main line.

After twelve turns, both sides reached "heavy casualties," and we both started failing maneuver rolls. Almost all the regiments were worn, several were spent, and the troops started backing away from each other.

Our Iuka was a drawn battle, although the Confederates had a slight edge on points. They destroyed two Union regiments and lost one battery. The Union had five spent regiments at the end of the game compared with two spent Confederate regiments. But nether side was able to meet their objectives.

This was one of the better games we've played, and we like Regimental Fire and Fury well enough that I doubt we ever play the old version again!

Moving Moving Moving

So the blog has gone dark for the past month. It's unlikely to get updated any time soon. My wife and I closed on our new house at the end of May, moved in two days later, and have been feverishly busy getting our old house ready for sale.

I haven't painted a thing since the beginning of May. With our next child due to be born around July 4th, I'm unlikely to have much painting time until August.

I promise this blog is not dead! I will return to painting and posting as soon as I can.