Age Of Eagles (AoE) - Bussaco 1810 in 20mm (part 18) - Allied cavalry and artillery

This is the last post of the Bussaco series. It concerns the Allied artillery and cavalry of the Anglo-Portuguese army. The artillery is 9 batteries that represent the 60 guns present. The cavalry represents the two squadrons of the British 4th Dragons, the only Allied cavalry close to the action.

The British horse artillery is a mixture of the Esci and Airfix sets.

The British foot artillery is mostly Esci converted figures with infantry shakoes from Hat.

The Portuguese artillery is based on the Revell British artillery set. The limber is Airfix with drivers and passengers with infantry heads. 

The 4th Dragoons is based on the Italeri Prussian Cuirassiers with a few cuts and a careful paint job.

Next: more DAK. 

Age of Eagles (AoE) - Bussaco 1810 in 20mm (part 17) - The three Portuguese Independent Brigades

The three Portuguese Independent Brigades form up on the reverse western slope of the Serra of Bussaco before occupying its positions for the battle (this is of course bullshit, as they were spread in the Sula part of the Battlefield making its picture difficult to get). 

Campbell's Brigade had Infantaria 6, Infantaria 18 and Caçadores 6.

Typical of many of my Portuguese figures I used the bodies of Esci French with British heads like here in Infantaria 18. These were made before Emhar produced proper Portuguese infantry.

Coleman's Brigade (Infantaria 19, Infantaria 7 and Caçadores 2) are mostly Hat Belgians and Revell British with a proper paint job. The Caçadores here are Revell Riflemen bodies with British Waterloo infantry.

Pack's  Brigade  (Infantaria 1, Infantaria 16 e Caçadores 4) is more of the same Esci conversions and Hat and Revell figures. 

Some of the Caçadores in these three Brigades have Russian and French Esci bodies and heads from Esci Scots Grey as I intended to show the covered barretina.

Next: wether some DAK reinforcements  or Allied artillery and cavalry for Bussaco. 

Age of Eagles (AoE) - Bussaco 1810 in 20mm (part 16)- Crauford's Light Division

 While the Caçadores and the 95th rifles retreat in an organized way from Sula, the combined light regiments of the Light Division prepare the deadly trap for Simon's infantry.

Crauford  stands  close to 'Crauford's rock' and to the right you can see its famous windmill. The 43rd and 52nd LIR are Hat with the usual Esci conversions for the standard bearers. Crauford should be on foot and the LIR regiments didn't carry their flags. 

The Caçadores 1 are Revell rifle's bodies with Airfix Belgian Shakoes. In 1810 the Caçadores still didn't receive the newer Stovepipe Shako and still sported the Barretina. Funny enough this one would be the main influence for the British 'Belgian Shako' of 1812. 

The same happened to Caçadores 3 this time with Esci British heads.
The 60th rifles figures of the first photos stand for the 95th rifles that are still not painted.

Next: return to France 1940.

Age of Eagles (AoE) - 1810 Battle of Bussaco in 20mm (part 15) - Leith's Division

Leith's Division approaches its area around the Santo António pass. To the right the Loyal Lusitanian Legion (LLL) starts its move to the far end of the line close to river Mondego and Penacova, in the center stands Spry's Portuguese Brigade and finally Lt.-Col. Barne's Brigade. The Division was engaged in driving back Reynier's II Corps.

Barne's Brigade is made of the 1st, 38th and 9th foot Regiments. The figures are some of the usual Belgian Hat and Revell and Esci conversions with Stovepipes made of EverGreen plastic tubing.

Here is the infamous Tomar Militia Regiment the only allied unit to have fled the battlefield with the first shots. This Militia regiment was attached to Spry's Brigade.

The bodies of the figures are Italeri Austrians (1st box), the ideal uniform for the Portuguese as our 1806 uniform was based on the Austrian 1798 uniform. The heads are completely different: I used ACW Confederate hats and a crest made of GreenStuff.

Like this they became quite close to the original you can see in this drawing by Bob Marrion in Charles Grant book 'Wellington in Defence 1810'.

Here Charles Grant clearly mentions that the crest was also used by the Militia (in fact it was an official part of the uniform) and I opted by using it.

This is the rest of Spry's Brigade with 3rd, 8th and 15th Portuguese Line Regiments. The

models are Revell, Esci and Hat.

Once again some Italeri Austrians were used as Portuguese with heads from surplus Hat 'Red' boxes of British Peninsular infantry. On the back the old but trusty Esci figures.

Now for the LLL. This large unit was made of Portuguese immigrants in England. The figures are Esci and Hat Belgians. The officer is a Revell figure from the riflemen box as this unit was in a fact Light Infantry.

Next: transport for the Schützen of the 7th PD in France 1940. 

Age Of Eagles (AoE) - 1810 Battle of Bussaco in 20mm (Part 14) - Picton's Division

Picton's Division awaits the French assault coming from Pendurada. The environment is the area of the "ledge of rocks" in Chandler's book. In this place some of the most dramatic events of the battle occured and the Portuguese infantry  finally earned Wellesley respect with one of the most famous charges downhill of the entire Peninsular campaign. 

Starting with Lightburne's Brigade and left to right you have the the 5th foot. The figures are mostly Revell Esci minis with Stovepipe shakoes and Hat Belgians painted as British Peninsular as they nicely suit them. 

Now the 83rd foot again with Revell conversions, Hat Belgians and a few Esci conversions.

Mackinnon's Brigade starts with the 74th foot. This was an Highland Regiment but only the officers dressed typical Highland uniforms. The figures are mostly Hat British with an Italeri standard bearer and a Waterloo1815 officer on horse.

The 45th foot with a mix of brands and some Revell and Esci figures with Stovepipes made out of EverGreen tubing. This can be easily done with 2,4 mm tubing and a tuft from GreenStuff. 

The famous 88th foot with the brands above indicated and more EverGreen tubing for some of the shakoes.

Campalimaud's Portuguese Brigade starts with the Infantaria 9. The figures are Esci and Italeri French bodies with British Belgian shakoes. The 1812 French uniform particularly suits the Portuguese because of the tight boots both armies used. In the long gone days of this making there was still no internet and this flag is hand painted. 

The other Regiment of Champalimaud's Brigade is the Infantaria 21 composed of Hat Belgian infantry and Revell's. 

General Picton is the Waterloo1815 figure without the tall hat and with a blob of GreenStuff instead to simulate the red nightcap he apparently used during the battle. On the same stand I opted for a trooper of the 4th Dragoons as its bodyguard (figure is a Waterloo1815 with a Hat bicorne). In the other stand is Brigadier José Joaquim Champalimaud, a figure from the box of the Italeri Austrian/Russian Staff.

Next: more Blitzkrieg or more Bussaco depending on Santa's whishes. 

Age of Eagles (AoE) - 1810 Battle of Bussaco in 20mm (part 13) - Hill's Division

Gen. Hill's Division was not engaged during this battle and was posted on the extreme British right not far from Penacova on the Mondego river. I pass on the IP3 road almost everyday with the Bussaco ridge on my left and I'm sure I can see Hill's men on its top!

This is Col. Duckworth's Brigade. It had (L-R) the 31s, 3rd, 48th/1st battalion, and the 66th foot regiments. The figures are mostly Hat. 

A few of the stands of the 3rd foot regiment. The figures are Hat but the standard bearers are Esci conversions from the figure using the rifle as a club.

The Brigade commanders are Revell figures with new heads form StreletsR and heated arms for some variety. 

I also used one mounted horse for the 39th Foot. The figure is the Airfix Waterloo British officer with a new head and Revell Horse. The standard bearers are Esci and Revell conversions.

Again some more Revell figures for the 60th rifles. 

Now for Inglis Brigade with the 57th foot. Mostly Hat but with an officer that you may recognize as an Austrian figure from the Esci set of Austrian/Prussian infantry with a new head and an NCO from the Airfix Waterloo British infantry with a new stovepipe shako from Hat. 

                               

The first row is the rest of Inglis Brigade with the 29th and 48th/1st Battalion of foot. On the back is Wilson's Brigade with the 39th, 28th and 34th foot Regiments. Mostly Hat again. 

Next: Plenty of Polish AFV's and artillery for the 1939 campaign. 

Age of Eagles (AoE) - 1810 Battle of Bussaco in 20mm (part 12) - Spencer's Division

Nervously awaiting the French assault here stands Spencer Division, solidly anchored on the western part of the battlefield, close to Sula village. This division has some of the most famous British units of the Napoleonic wars and also provides interesting uniforms. 

Wellesley itself came to pay a visit to General Spencer and check for the last time the defensive line. All figures are Italeri with a coated officer from Irregular Miniatures.

Scattered on the slope there are several companies of the famous 60th Rifles. Figures from Revell. 

On reserve stands Lowe brigade with the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th KGL regiments. Figures are mostly Hat with a few boy-drummers from Esci with new Stovepipe shakoes. 

I organized the bases of the Anglo-Portuguese with only two ranks, reflecting the British practice (the French have three as you can see in the previous posts). 

Blantyre's Brigade can be seen here with the 61st, 24th and 42nd 'Black Watch' regiments. As the units were small I didn`t use any flags on them. Again mostly Hat miniatures with the Scottish being Esci, Airfix, Italeri with a converted officer.

Packenham's Brigade presents here the 23rd Line, a fusilier Regiment. Even if they they didn't use their bearskin hats in the Peninsula I portrayed them like that (who doesn't like the cover of Chandler's bible on the Bussaco battle?). The bodies are Revell and Esci with French Esci bearskin hats. This conversion has to be careful as you need the peak of the shako for the correct shape of this headdress. 

Another Packenham unit is the 79th Line, another Scottish regiment from the same sources as the 42nd.

Finally the 2nd and 3rd Guards from Stopford's Brigade. Mostly conversions from Revell with a few Belgians from Hat in the middle.

Next: wether more British for Bussaco 1810 or more Polish 1939.

Age of Eagles (AoE) - 1810 Battle of Bussaco in 20mm (part 11) - Armée du Portugal artillery and 8th Corps Cavalry

This post ends the French army for Bussaco 1810 and concerns the full French artillery and Saint-Croix cavalry division. 

The artillery is mostly Esci with conversions and Hat limbers. The cavalry is Italeri. The are also some very old Airfix guns and crews, some converted to horse artillery. 

The artillery gun of this foot artillery battery is Esci Guard artillery with shakoes from the line infantry. The officer is Ykreol. The limber is the very useful Hat model. 

The horse artillery crew is Esci from the British Horse artillery set, again with French shakoes. The limber and d rivers are Italeri. 

Saint-Croix cavalrymen represent the 4e, 9e, 14e and 26e Regiments de Dragons. All figures are Italeri with a trumpet from StreletsR (26e Dragons, top right). 

Next: The British- Portuguese army for Bussaco 1810.