The Stutterheim brigade at Wagram for AOE/V&F in 20mm

 

The Stutterheim brigade at Wagram was constituted by the 2nd Jägers, the 5th Chevau-Légers and an artillery battery. During the battle the brigade was involved in the fighting around Aderklaa, defending the place, then loosing it and later recapturing it.  

I placed some of the Jägers with the old Raupenhelm of 1805 which, I think (or hope), that was still used by some units. The skirmish bases are not intended for brigade size wargames with most of the line infantry in Age Of Eagles having the SK mark showing skirmishing ability. The problem, at least for me, comes when a brigade only has infantry made of Jägers, not being very logical to show these troops in rectangular bases with 6 figures or even less. So I like to use these smaller stands that can be spread a bit all over. Another advantage is using them in smaller scale actions using other rules. 

The majority of the Jägers were changed to have the newer Corsican hat. The figures used were Esci British and Russian figures without shako. The trumpet came from the Esci Prussian and the third figure from the left is Italeri with my last Hat Corsican hat from their Austrian Landwehr box.

The brim of the hats were made from small pieces of card glued on the head. Then on top a piece of Belgian shako (without the top part) was glued. All Jägers, including the ones with the Raupenhelm, got a backpack. The rifles were also cut down to show the Jägerstutzen short rifle 1795 model and the Jägerkarabiner 1807 model. 

Klenau´s Chevau-Léger Regiment is made from the Revell British Life Guards, less the plume, on top of Airfix Hussar horses, due to the rear pointy shabraque. 

The more I paint these old types of plastic figures the more I get convinced that the figure designers of Revell, Airfix, Esci (and Italeri to an extent) were thinking to provide the basic types of equipment used in the Napoleonic wars and then trusting in its soft plastic for the conversion of whatever necessary by modellers and wargamers. In fact they had their hands full was they were making figures for all possible periods of history and thuis choice seems totally logical. Then StreletsR and Hat changed all this by making everything you need. In fact the British Life Guards can be turned easily into Austrian Dragoons or Chevau-Légers simply by changing the horse, cutting the plume and ignoring a bag under the canteen. Almost all horse´s legs in the air were glued to the base in order to provide a sturdier stand. 

                                 

Karl Wilhelm von Stutterheim was considered one of the best Austrian commanders of the 1809 war but he killed himself in 1811 at the age of 41 due to an unknown scandal while writing a book on that famous campaign. 

Next: French Cuirassiers

Austrian Uhlan Archduke Charles Regiment and Sommariva Cuirassier regiment for AOE/V&F in 20mm

 

The Austrian bug continues to bite. Painting Austrian cavalry is a very relaxing thing as the uniforms are not complicated and some beautiful units can be formed. 

The cuirassiers on the back row came straight from the Hat box but really challenging were the conversions made on the Mars box of Austrian Uhlans.

Even so the Hat Austrian cuirassiers had to have some changes as there are only figures holding a sword. One of them got his right arm bent in order to old a flag; another one became an officer with enlarged crest and different painted cuirass; the last change was the cornet who lost his sword, had its arm bent in order to hold a cornet. 

Heavily engaged on the 2nd day of Wagram, the Sommariva regiment participated in the frontal clashes against Davout´s III corps. 

The Mars Uhlans are more troublesome. With only four poses these figures are (L/R) an officer, two lancers holding high his lance or his sword and another one falling from his injured horse. There is a separate sprue with rifles, muskets, sword but only 3 lances. Like this you would have only 3 lancers, 3 swordsmen with others being officers and wounded Uhlans. 

Some changes had to be made then. One of the officers became a cornet...

... and nine others got plastic broom bristles for the lances and paper pennants after some changes on the arms. The falling horses had its front legs cut from the base and glued in a more natural position together with its mounted figure who had its right arm taken from the reigns and got a lance The Archduke Charles Uhlan regiment was not at Wagram but participated in the actions of Aspern-Essling a few months before. 

Next: 1809 Austrian Chevau-légers and Jägers