Wednesday 20 January 2016

3rd Battalion, The Reval Infantry Regiment

As many will be aware, by 1812 Russian Infantry Regiments consisted of three battalions: two field battalions (1st and 3rd) and a depot battalion (2nd). The elite companies from a division's various 2nd battalions were sometimes also mobilised to form composite grenadier battalions. In the case of the 3rd Infantry Division, these served with the division, but more on that another day.

Next up is the 3rd battalion of the Reval Regiment, sometimes referred to as the 2nd field battalion.


Unlike 1st battalions, 3rd battalions carried two 'coloured' flags. The other main distinctions were the colouring of the shako pompoms, sword knots, and banding on field caps. The latter had white bands on the crown in 1st battalions, but sky blue in the 3rd. I'll save pompoms and sword knots for a later post.


Although I've been sticking with Black Powder of late, these are based according to Peter Gilder's Grand Manner Rules, which would also allow them to be used in General de Brigade etc. As you can see, the four companies each consist of eight figures, but the two platoons of the elite company have been based separately to allow them to form up on either flank when in line. This also allows the command company to sit squarely in the centre when in column.


Whilst I painted the first and elite companies, the second and third companies were beautifully painted by Steve Hall of Hallmark Figure Painting


Finally, a rear shot of the first and elite companies:


Friday 8 January 2016

Grave Wardens

In way of a break of all things Napoleonic, I squeezed in some Grave Wardens for my ever growing Death Guard.


The right pauldron is bare in anticipation of the new transfer sheet having destroyer symbols, but the sergeant is good to go.







I've another five to do, but will probably do something else after completing the next batch of Russians...

Wednesday 6 January 2016

Marshal Durak Rask, Siegemaster of the Death Guard Legion II

As part of my on-going re-basing programme came the turn of the (not so) good marshall. So it seemed only right to give him a bit of a touch-up:




Some deal on my Moritat:







Monday 4 January 2016

1st Battalion, The Reval Infantry Regiment

I'm launching my 2016 project with 1st Battalion, Reval Infantry Regiment; 28mm metal miniatures by Wargames Foundry, flags by GMB, and mounted on Warbases. Organised in four companies of eight figures, the elite company has been slit into two half bases to allow them to form on the flanks in line. The second and third companies have been beautifully painted by Steve Hall of Hallmark Figure Painting Service.



Reval was the old germanic name for modern-day Tallinn, which is Estonian for either Danish castle (Tanni-linna) or Winter castle (Tali-linna).


During the campaign of 1812, a solder of the Reval Regiment captured the fanion of 1st Voltigeurs of the (Young) Guard at the Battle of Krasnoi (17 November 1812). Some four weeks into the retreat from Moscow, Kutuzov caught the French Grande Armée as Napoleon sought to withdraw through Krasnoi towards Orsha.



Un-nerved by a French rearguard made up of the Imperial Guard, Kutuzov allowed the bulk of the French force to escape. Massively outgunned and outnumbered, some 6,000 young guardsmen held for the better part of a day. Acting on Bennigsen's orders, a combined arms Russian attack caught the 1st Regiment of Voltigeurs as they launched a counter attack from Uvarovo. Forced into square, the Young Guard battalions held off two attacks by Russian cuirassiers only to succumb to a third assault, which included the Reval Regiment.





Saturday 2 January 2016

Project 2016

With the French heavies safely out of the way, I can now turn my attention to my major project for 2016: A Russian Infantry Division c.1812. Again in 28mm, but as the Perry infantry are in plastic, I've reverted to the miniatures they did for foundry for my foot. Artillery and cavalry, however, will come from Perry Miniatures. Flags from GMB and mounted on Warbases as usual.

Given that my French Infantry are based on Ledru's 10th Infantry Division, now supported by the cuirassiers of 1st Heavy Cavalry Division, it may not come as a surprise to learn that I have chosen Russian 3rd Infantry Division: their main opponents at the Battle of Valutina Hill, aka Loubino, fought on 18th August 1812.





Battle of Valutina Hill by Peter von Hess

Considered the model division of the Imperial Russian army of 1812, Pyotr Konovnitsen's force followed the usual pattern of four infantry regiments and two rifle regiments, supported by a large field artillery brigade. Unusually, the two infantry brigades were reinforced by the division's combined grenadier battalions, which were formed from the elite companies of the depot battalions of each regiment. However, in Kickstarter parlance, they are one of my stretch goals. Frankly, even the basic twelve battalions plus command and skirmishers looked beyond me. So Steve Hall of Hallmark Figure Painting Services has kindly agreed to paint the line companies of each battalion, leaving me to crack the command and elite companies, artillery, command, and cavalry. Here's a link to his website: Hallmark




Mounted support will come from half a regiment of hussars with another stretch goal of doing the whole regiment, i.e. eight squadrons, plus a regiment of dragoons.

If I (or indeed Steve) still have any energy left after that then there is always the option of adding an elite brigade from the other division in 3rd Infantry Corps - 1st Grenadier Division.



Near Valutina Hill by Faber du Faur


So no photos of painted toys today, just the orbat, and painted totals reset to zero:


Battle of Valutina Hill (Loubino), 18th August 1812

3rd Infantry Division (Pyotr Konovnitsen)

1st Brigade (Tuchkov III)
Murom Regiment
Revel Regiment
1st Combined Grenadier battalion

2nd Brigade (Voeikov)
Tchernigov Regiment
Selenguisk/Kapor Regiment
2nd Combined Grenadier Battalion

3rd Brigade (Prince Chakoffski)
20th Rifle Regiment
21st Rifle Regtiment

3rd Divisional Artillery (Tornov)
III Positional Battery
V Light Battery
VI Light Battery

1st Grenadier Brigade (Tsvilenev) from 1st Grenadier Division
Life Grenadier Regiment
Count Arackcheiev Grenadier Regiment

Brigade from I Cavalry Corps (Uvarov)
Nizhinsk Dragoon
Elizabethgrad Hussar Regiment