Compatible Compatriots - Prussians

Back in the late nineties I was introduced to the Kennington Miniatures range, probably at a Napoleonic fair in Russell Square, London. Having lost any hope at the time of substantially increasing my Hinton Hunt collection, Kennington were a very welcome discovery. The figures are slightly larger than Hintons but not enough to notice en masse. Being modern castings, their crisp detail offered a distinct contrast to my usual Hinton painting experience. It was also during this period  that a very enthusiastic stall holder at the Napoleonic Fair persuaded me to ditch enamels for acrylics. I think the fairs only lasted a few years but were a really enjoyable mix of stalls with some wargames thrown in. Of course my main reason for going was to chat to the proprietor of Kennington and buy some more figures. When Kennington was eventually absorbed into SHQ they started including figures from Fine Scale Factory. I had previously dabbled with FSS figures in the form of their RHA Rocket Troop but found them a little slender. Latterly I recruited some Newline figures which, although very well cast and animated, are generally a little too small, especially when stood next to Kenningtons. I also have a some excellent French and British Qualiticast artillery, although the single unit of French infantry I bought seemed closer to 25mm so sadly remain unpainted. Anyway, here are my Prussian "compatible compatriots". 

Kennington 6th (2nd Silesian) Hussars

As usual the standard is hand painted on wine bottle foil

It makes a change for hussar models to be wearing their pelisses rather than across their shoulders.

Kennington cavalry command packs usually have an officer, standard bearer and bugler

The 6th Hussars were part of the 1st Cavalry Brigade at Waterloo leading the advance from Wavre

Kennington 6th Neumark Dragoons

6th Neumark were part of II Army Corps during the Waterloo campaign and saw action to the West of the Ligny battlefield.    

Newline 1st Koningin Dragoons also part of II Army Corps

These were finished just a few weeks ago. They were an impulse ebay buy a few years ago (I mistook them for Kenningtons)

Blucher by Kennington

SHQ generals

The light cavalry brigade

"Forwards my children, no prisoners!!" (Sorry....still stirred up by watching "Waterloo" again recently)

Waterloo in Reverse Part 3

 The final set of photos from this 2020 game.....

This is where we left it last time, the 2nd Nassau in square to the left of the picture and British/Brunswick troops facing artillery and advancing opposition. La Haye Sainte looks pretty secure in French hands.

Prussian 6th Hussars (by Kennington) join a strong push on the allied right wing

The initial British/Brunswick attack in the centre has evaporated but a rather lonely looking column of French infantry are all that remain after victorious lancers were blown and recalled. A fresh, strong mixed force of Spanish, Portugese, Prussian, Brunswick and British, are now on the right and centre of the allied line.

Further left, 42nd highlanders & 27th Inniskillings form part of a British infantry brigade

...and to their left Spanish Princessa line are on the retreat after temporarily slowing the French advance. 79th Camerons and 32nd Cornwall hold the line to their right. 

4th Cuirassiers and Guard Horse Grenadiers start their charge on the French right.

Marshal Ney can just be seen in the foreground leading the cavalry attack. Casualty markers show the Prussian Guard Grenadiers are now at 2/3 strength, the Prussian Jagers down to half and the Landwehr in retreat also 2/3 down 

The 12th Dutch column is also weakened but the Prussians have not been evicted from the orchard 

The 16th light dragoons look to be the only cavalry regiment remaining on the allied far left to take on the oncoming heavy cavalry 

In the middle ground the French dragoons have vacated LHS and remounted. Carabiniers support their rear.

Good old vintage HH line fusiliers lead the charge up the road

Sadly that's where my photos of this game ended! I know there were not many more moves as my diary tells me I packed the table up shortly after the last photo. I think that the fresh allied push on the centre and right proved too much and the French right wing became isolated. I do remember the French Dragoons being finished off trying to attack the artillery on the allied ridge. 

This has now given me the appetite to have another go at a refight of that area of the Waterloo battlefield (the right way around this time!)

Waterloo in Reverse Part 2

 

The second batch of photos from my game in 2020

Combined British and Netherlands batteries on the far left of the Allied lines. The British howitzers in the foreground are by Qualiticast.

The Guard chasseurs outside the garden of La Haye Sainte having already taken casualties and are now preparing for a cavalry attack. The line battalions just moving over the ridge have yet to take the hint.

In the middle ground the British 69th & Brunswick 2nd Line in column. The 1st Foot (in line) are severely weakened. To their rear the Brunswick Leib battalion move towards the ridge while their 1st Light comrades to their rear have already been sent packing. The 2nd Nassau Line to the top right of the picture have formed into square to receive an the attack from the French lancers and dragoons.

Red Lancers of the Guard and Empress Dragoons charge in towards the Brits and Brunswick. Infantry columns to their rear move down the slope.

The battle rages around LHS. From the left: Prussian and Dutch Belgian columns move towards the  ridge; Prussian Jagers attack the buildings from the left while Prussian line maintain a hold in the orchard. The dragoon defenders have steadily been reduced in number. French line move down the road to reinforce Guard Chasseurs (usually the other way around!); Carabiniers have moved from the ridge past LHS perhaps to threaten the Prussians from their rear; Guard Grenadiers behind the carabiniers hold their line while a second battalion can be seen retreating back up towards the ridge; Light Infantry Voltigeurs move in to take their place.  

The action further to the right. The retreating Brunswickers look to have left it too late to form a square as the Lancers close in.

.....and as seen from the Western edge of the battlefield. At this stage the allies look strong on their left flank but decidedly vulnerable in the middle ground. 

Will those Prussian Guard Grenadiers take on their counterparts or leave it to the cavalry? 

The dragoons are near to exhaustion but the occupiers of the garden are untouched. 

The view from the middle of the French line

Further to the left, French cavalry can be seen at the top left of the picture approaching a seemingly weak section of the allied line

Horse Artillery of the Guard in the centre of the picture are poised to let fly at the British columns

I'm actually no closer to remembering the outcome of this game....let's see if the memory comes flooding back during the next post! 

"Waterloo" in Reverse Part 1

This was a game from 2020 where I used my Waterloo terrain but reversed the position of the armies. Apart from the terrain it intentionally bore no resemblance to the actual battle. It was however an opportunity to field my entire collection at the time, including some Spanish and Portuguese. I used my random deployment method for this game i.e. a roll of the dice determined where and when the unit/brigade entered the table. I think I may have given dispensation to some freshly painted French Dragoons which I wanted to defend La Haye Sainte.

Just a quick word on the terrain: heavily influenced by Siborne's larger model, I sculpted slopes from foam approximating the topography. For road texture and the sandpit I used railway model filler. All sections were first spray painted and then covered with scenic scatter. For the middle ground I used hex tiles, some reversed and sculpted with a cobbled road effect. All terrain made to fit my 7x5 ft table. 

I made no notes of the game at the time so hopefully the pictures will most of the story where my memory fails.

2nd Dragoons arrive at the gates of LHS. These are Clayton Hinton Hunt from 1997 except for a Kennington officer and the bugler (manufacturer unidentified). LHS dates from early 1970s, modified in accordance with a Terry Wise article in Airfix magazine. 

They'll soon dismount and be replaced by their alter egos.

Forces mass on the allied left. Newline 1st Life Guards and Kennington Light Dragoons in the foreground. Hinton Hunt Prussians to their right.

The Old Grumblers making an earlier than usual appearance at the crossroads

The Guard start to move forwards past "Wellington's tree" or should that be "l'Arbre de Napoleon" 

1st Life Guards 

A major Prussian assault on LHS about to be "worried" on their flank by the Guard. British cavalry on the left move towards the ridge.

Meanwhile in the centre of the field a British brigade moves steadily towards the French line.  Brunswick/Nassau troops to their rear are moving down the slope into the valley.

Newline 16th Light Dragoons in the foreground in their old style Tarleton helmets 

A line of Young Guard voltigeurs and tirailleurs wait for the British columns who are beginning to be threatened to the right of the picture by a column of Guard Grenadiers.

  

Dismounted dragoons defending LHS while Guard comrades march past to tackle the Prussians

 

The allied cavalry Brigade yet to press on to the ridge 

  

Over on the allied right the Union Brigade have reached the bottom of the slope but face Hussars and Chasseurs de Cheval (out of picture) 

In the centre, half of the British columns have veered off to the left to confront the Guard. The rest of the columns press on, now supported by the Brunswick/Nassau brigade

 Lancers and Empress dragoons (just visible) on the French left advance across ground recently vacated after the Union Brigade/Hussars melee (I can't recall how that action was resolved but there were probably withdrawals on both sides). Massed columns of line infantry follow on. (1st Lancers on the left are by Kennington)

More pics of the battle in the next post.