1813-15 battles in 20mm for AoE and V&F - (part 40) The French Tissot, which were always on time, and Bellair brigades

These two brigades were based on the Emhar French infantry. These figures were made for the Peninsula campaign but are better for other places as they look too neat for the harsh conditions of the Peninsula warfare. But with a cut (or two) on the tail of the coat and the front red lines of the plastron lapels painted Bardin style you can have some reasonable late French infantry. Emhar is also good for this as the detail is very fine and not carved too deep in Esci style.  As usual there are a few figures with overcoats from Hat, a few from Kozak 3d and Esci, one from Odemars and one from Airfix. Not counting the Airfix and Odemars, all others go very well as a group as they have shakoes of the same size. 

Last week I got these Emhar figures from Paul´s Dublin Model Shop, an amazing small place in this beautiful city, a bit far from the center but worth a visit (or renting a room nearby, I wish). Here I also got a few more Hat boxes (French 1805 and the Wurst wagons) and a number of bags with figures (Waterloo1815 Sioux indians; Airfix Cowboys and the 7th cavalry and Italeri AWI French). The Sioux for example came in a big bag with 100 horses ( from Nexus which is much better ) and 100 horsemen for 20 euros, that means some 9 boxes total for a bit more than 2 euros each! My lack of Sioux horsemen for Little Big Horn is solved.  Paul bought a large batch of 1/72 from a closing shop, so large that he didn´t have space for everything. His solution was taking all figures from the sprues and selling them at discount inside small plastic bags. And there are still dozens of them pinned and hanging from the shelves.  

I also visited two other shops, the also very good Mark´s models and Banba Toymaster and got my hands on a few more Italeri French and artillery sets and some paints, solving definitly my issue with the lack of French to finish this Waterloo project. In total I managed to pack some 20 new boxes everything divided in small bags into the younger kid´s backpack (which went empty for a good reason), Ryanair oblige, together with a few Osprey Campaigns from Hodges Figgis, a hell of a book store. 

Here you can see the cut off  tails of the Emhar figures. 

One of the Emhar figures came with a broken rifle but he quickly learned how to play the drum. The flagbearer is Odemars. 

The Emhar figures have broad shoulders in Airfix style which is helpful if you want to turn them into elite companies by painting epaulettes. The only things you need to add are the sabres which came from old Esci grenadiers. 

Next: the last French artillery

DBM - Battle of Cannae 216 BC in 20mm. The Manipular Roman Legions made up to now

The Battle of Cannae in the year 216 BC is one of the biggest events of ancient times and the most terrible defeat of the Roman army ever. In the end of the 2nd  of August in the plain of Cannae, not far from nowadays Bari, only the Triarii were alive and virtually all other were dead - around 80.000 men! The genius of a certain Carthaginian called Hannibal worked once more and again with a much smaller army. 

I´m still far from the end as I need a total of 16 legions and all I have up to now are these 6 you can see. So a bit more than 1/3 of the way done with only the weak Roman cavalry complete. This mean 500 figures already painted but still close to 800 to be painted. Many will be the newer Zvezda which are true beauties.

The Roman legion of the period is the pre-Marian one still with four lines you can see here: Velites ahead, followed by two lines both of Hastati and Princeps and finally one line of Triarii. 

Most of the figures are Hat from all their sets, but you can also find some NewLine Designs, Odemars and Italeri and even some Esci manipulus and officers from Empire days which suits this period too. 

Now the full Roman cavalry for the battle: one of the reasons why they lost as the Gaul and Numidian cavalry were much more and will brush them aside with ease. In this picture you can see the Allied cavalry, an Hat unit with a few Italeri mixed in. 

The Roman Citizen cavalry itself. All Hat miniatures again.

Now a quick review of the six Legions done up to now. The last row of this Legion has Triarii from Italeri with broom sticks spears replacing the original Pila.

Again a foot Esci imperial officer (on foot) enters this Legion as he still carries the bronze cuirass.

Here you can still see a number of different standards. Only the Eagle will survive with the later Marian reforms. 

The basing of this Legion was made with Basetex. Half of the command group is NewLine Designs.

                            

Again the command group has a few NewLine designs namely an officer and the Tubicem. 

I chose to paint each Legion with one pattern of both tunic and shield. Still there are many debates on the issue but at least  this method speeds painting.

Approaching their terrible fate...

Next: probably British for Early Desert 1940.