The British army at Waterloo for AOE / V&F rules in 28mm

 

AOE (Age Of Eagles rules) The infantry regiments of the Russo-German Legion in 28mm at Waterloo 1815

The Russo-German Legion is one of those Prussian units that breaks the "dull Prussian army all-clad-in- dark-blue" myth. Together whith blue infantry and Landwehr, white Berg infantry, black Freikorps, grey reservists and green skirmishers this is another unit that adds color to the Prussian army of 1815. The uniforms were Russian (paid by England) and the personnel were mostly German as the previous Belgian, Dutch and other POW from the Russian 1812 campaign were already dismissed. In this shape, without colors that only arrived in late 1815, the two regiments - 30 and 31- can block Grouchy at the Wavre under Thielmann's command. 

The hard plastic figures used were mostly Hat Prussians with a few Perry in the marching IR No30. 

Once again the Perry can be placed along the Hat miniatures and form very reasonably looking stands. The shako should be the Russian Kiwer but the Prussian with the oil cloth cover making a front peak is a close thing. The Prussian uniform of these days was also heavily influenced by the Russian one which makes Prussian figures a good model for the Russo-German regiments. 

There were no more drums from the command box so I converted some hornists with new arms and drums from Victrix and Perry. 

The Perry figure maching close to the right in the front rank had his head switched to a Hat one and the result is reasonable. 

Next: most probably a return to Poland 1939. 

The Prussian army at Waterloo for AOE (Age of Eagles) rules in 28mm

This one was possible when Warlord and Perry released their Landwehr and Line infantry plastic boxes. Even so you can see plenty of my usual conversions based on the 28mm Hat figures and many metal officers and characters. Still no artillery, that will come from Perry, but some cavalry and all the infantry are here.

AOE (Age Of Eagles rules) British 3rd /Foot Guards and Prussian 11th Hussar in 28mm at Waterloo 1815

 

By adding the Foot Guards and General Cooke miniature the 1st British infantry division is done. The problem is that its only the ninth Brigade sized group of the Allied army to be built and some thirty are still to go ... glups!...

In better shape is my Prussian army with all infantry done - only missing was this stand of Jägers - and a few more cavalry joining the ranks from today.

The Foot Guards are a mix of Victrix and Perry all with Perry heads. The sapper is a metal Perry miniature. 

By mixing Victrix and Perry you can even mix their arms and having a complete set of different figure from each other. 

General George Cooke was made from a Perry metal Colonel and painted with light colored hair as it shows in period paintings. 

The Prussian Hussars are made from horses and torsos from the French Perry Hussars with the addition of Perry Prussian infantry heads. The shabraque´s teeth were smoothed with a hot iron in Prussian style. 

Unfortunatly only one of these Jäger bases is necessary for the entire Blücher´s army as these Perry figures are cleverly built with the same torso but with moving arms and head which changes their movement dramatically. 

Next: a video on the Waterloo Prussian army.

AOE (Age Of Eagles rules) 7th Belgian infantry in 28mm at Waterloo 1815

 

The 7th Belgian infantry line regiment was part of Bylandt famous brigade that fought at Quatre-Bras and also, two days later, bore the brunt of the massive d´Érlon´s attack. Here, using brigade level AOE rules, the 7th Beçgian line represent the entire brigade. The 7th was a veteran unit with many soldiers that previously fought for Napoleon. For a good story of this unit, use this link: 

http://7delinie.be/en/history/

The figures are a mix of parts from Victrix and Perry British plastic boxes. The main changes is the usage of the stovepipe provided in two different Victrix boxes on Perry´s bodies and the erasing of the lace. This last one is particularly time consuming. The officer in a circular stand is a marker for advancing/breakthrough unit (Irregular Miniatures with a shako from Victrix). Next to it is a Perry casualty marker. 

The good thing about mixing brands is that you don´t get two figures alike. 

 If you don´t want to have this trouble you can wait until Warlord releases a number of plastic boxes of Belgian/Dutch infantry and cavalry. They are next on their On the making list and I found them by accident while looking for inspiration for these ones. 

The Command stand. The Flag is warflag and all typical British uniform details - the strips of lace on both cuffs and coat - were erased with a scalpel and  now look more like a French uniform as it should. The "French" cuffs were simply painted on. 

The Grenadier company. 

Centre companies. 

Light company. 

Casualty and breakthrough markers. 

Next: The British Foot Guards at Waterloo

The French army at Waterloo for AOE rules in 28mm size

This is one of the three Waterloo 28mm armies I´ve been slowly building since the cheaper plastics from Victrix, Perry, Warlord and Hat started to arrive. These plastics were coupled with some metal from Perry, Victrix and Irregular Miniatures. Perry Miniatures gave a lot of life to this period with plenty of characters of many of his top brass officers, specially for the French side (and that includes Napoleon, obviously). Many times I refer Warlord as the battalion commanders when in fact many are metal Victrix. As usual you can see many conversions as the engineers in the cover photo made with bodies from Hat, heads from Perry and Milliput trousers.

28mm AOE Casualty Markers Waterloo 1815

This Landwehr casualty markers are Irregular Miniatures napoleonic casualties. There is added Greenstuff to produce the lower part of the Litewka and rolled blankets.

Prussian line casualty markers, again Irregular Miniatures, with some added Green Stuff.

Perry Miniatures plastic casualty markers that are inside the heavy cavalry box. Some have different head gear and one of them is a Irregular Miniature figure.

Same with the british.

28mm French 7th Hussars Waterloo 1815

I like to imagine de Co figure as Baron the Marbot, the same that was present and described in detail the Bussaco campaign and battle, just some km from my hometown, Coimbra. He actually commanded the 7th Hussars at the Waterloo campaign, 5 years later, and kept leaving some fantastic accounts of the napoleonic campaigns.

All figures are Perry plastic miniatures, straight from the box.

28mm AOE1815 Waterloo- Marcognet Division

Marcognet Division with General D´Erlon himself leading. There is a mix of metal and plastic Perry minis and Victrix.

Flags are out of the box paper flags by Perry Miniatures.

The Aide de Camp of D´Erlon is also Perry metal. A nice moving figure climbing atop of his horse.

Some figures, like the 1st voltigeur, has Victrix and Perry parts.

The famous FN 100 Perry reference (plastic french Inf.) has loads of modelling possibilities allowing the Pokalem and the Bonnet the police to be portrayed in many figures, besides being able to create many different moving and firing figures.

"General D´Erlon, the British Heavy cavalry is coming . We are F******"

Drummers and flag bearers are Victrix plastics.

Hat-Perry hard plastic figures 28mm comparison

This post is to be read by people who like to buid armies and not for those who like to spread jealousy all over with their painting and modelling skills. If you are in the 2nd group, read no more.

 I´ve watched with a certain surprise, or not, in the last few years, the democratic birth of hard plastic 28mm historical figures: the scale of the "true" wargamers. Suddenly some "true" wargamers were painting and playing with inferior quality figures made of metal, when compared to the Perry Miniatures or Victrix plastic range for instance.

Well,  this "true" wargamers scale is constantly forgetting that besides Perry (the finest hard plastic without any shadow of a doubt), Victrix (the finest...also),Warlord (very,very good) and a few more I didn´t buy yet, there is another poor manufacturer who in the last few years produced hundreds of fantastic boxes of 20mm figures covering dozens of conflicts, and with an average excellent quality.

 More important to this short information of this truly yours, Hat also produce 28mm hard plastic figures (Napoleonic and early middle ages)! Yes, those you can cut and glue different heads and stuff, while the opposite is impossible in metal!! Some 20 boxes up to the moment!! Yes, it is true, they do, believe me!! Ok, their napoleonics aren´t as good as Perry´s. But hey, the Perry brothers are probably the best sculptors in the world so the competition is one sided. Also with surprise, in the main british two wargames magazines there isn´t a single word about Hat 28mm in the vast majority of their articles when they say something about hard plastic 28mm figures ("England will prevail", Churchill Dixit). Well everyone knows one of them is dependent and the other is independent, but both strongly and understandably ( I wish the same happened in Portugal...) defending their own cottage industries.

 Specially for those outside UK, Hat figures- U.S, but made in China- are easily available and  deserve a word, better, many photos. To my knowledge and humble opinion, Hat 28mm figures aren´t inferior to many metal manufacturers, and they are many times cheaper and easily available with French, Bavarian and Prussian infantry in different marching, in action, and command boxes, and with many more nations on the pipeline. Hat only loses when compared to manufacturers of the Perry Miniatures caliber.

Nevertheless, judge for yourself.

Perry Miniatures 28mm Prussian Infantry, left, Hat 28mm prussian infantry, right.

I mix Perry and Hat  figures in the same stand (see other posts) or even switch heads and I think Hat fits well with Perry.

Next photos are dedicated to Pedro Casimiro, the enlighter.

I know the photos aren´t good (I´m a great and humble modeller and painter but a lousy photographer) but in groups, small or big- as you can see in previous posts- Hat figures goes reasonably well with others. They are true 28mm figures and not 30mm as many tend to say.

Yes, I wish Hat produced them a bit larger, but they are cheap, realistic and very well researched figures, not to Calpe standards it is true, but figures you can paint easily and build armies with.

 And have fun, which is the most important aspect of our hobby.

1815 British / allied army 28mm

Here goes what I have up to the moment regarding Wellington´s army in Waterloo. Still plenty to do.

69th foot; Halkett Bgde; 3rd ID (Alten). Perry miniatures.

Lunebourg Battalion; Kielmansegge Bgde; 3rd ID. Victrix and Perry all mixed up.

British Foot artillery. Victrix and Irregular Miniatures.

79th Highlander. Victrix.

14th foot; Collville/Mitchell Bgde, 4th ID. Perry miniatures.

Verden Battalion; Best Bgde; 6th ID. Mainly Victrix with the headgear made from burned shakos up to the present form, modelled with the finger while hot.

The farm on all pictures. A Hovels model offered by Jorge Faria (O Brigadeiro). Very easy to paint and with an added wood base.