Wargame Rules, Ratios, etc


RAISING MINIATURE ARMIES FOR THE LATE 18TH CENTURY

I am very keen to keep my wargame rules as simple as possible, yet capture the character of the 1790s. Morale dominates the games as the opposing sides are very different. Most of the French troops are 'levee' battalions, which I have chosen to base in column as their ability to change formation on a battlefield must have been limited, nor do I believe their volley fire had any great value. Of better quality, able to change formation, will be white-coated regular and blue-coated volunteer battalions, aided by a fair number of skirmishers. The British, Austrian, Dutch and German armies are often outnumbered, but they maintain the discipline and order of typical 18th century armed forces. Interestingly, French revolutionary cavalry have little in common with their later Napoleonic counterparts, the former are few in number, often poorly mounted, and no match for those in the service of the Allies. All figures are 28mm in scale, using a 1=25 ratio.

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Saturday 6 June 2015

French Regulars, more white-coated infantry for the 1780-90s

In the early 1990s I raised a fairly large collection of Wargames Foundry figures for the French Revolution, only to then sell them on. Last week I made contact with my old friend, John Tuckey, who regularly wargamed with me during the 1980s. He had purchased these figures from me, but with his interests having returned to model railways, he kindly offered to let me buy them back at about the same price I sold them, 65p each. Well I couldn't allow this generosity to pass, it has been my intention to increase the new collection by raising more battalions in white uniforms. With the exception of an improved way I paint faces and hands, the figures only need rebasing. I'm very pleased with these additions, restored to my collection. Here's a photo of the figures awaiting orders to be formed into their respective battalions. I should add, I also picked up a unit of Garrison Miniatures dragoons, previously mine, and  I will write more about these on a future post. MGB

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6 comments:

  1. Dave Huntley (sheepman)6 June 2015 at 12:13

    Excellent, well done. I wish all painted figure still cost 65p each, ah halcyon days!
    Dave.

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    1. MGB6 June 2015 at 15:28

      Thanks Dave, I don't buy painted figures as a rule, so picking up about 175, nearly all formerly my own, will make their integration very quick and easy. My line battalions are somewhat small compared to yours, at twenty strong. With some reconstituting, it has furnished another five white battalions, and one grenadier. All the odds and some spare blues I have should furnish two levee battalions. This gives me a potential of six demi-brigades, and a horde of light formations. Michael

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  2. James Fisher6 June 2015 at 20:35

    What a fabulous story. You had the joy of painting and using them, then your friend put them to use and now they will "ride again"! They look great too!

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    1. MGB7 June 2015 at 10:01

      Hi James, have already cleaned their bases, rebased with stiff card and filler. Will wood glue some sand and fine rubble, paint, highlight, and then add some flock. Have sold on many figures, thousands, but this is the one collection I wanted back, got about 70%. Very pleased. Michael

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  3. Captain Brummel22 June 2015 at 11:45

    I have spent the last few days reading this blog from the start to this latest post. Absolutely inspirational, beautiful scenery and figures. ...and there is nothing wrong with simple rules y'know :-)

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    1. MGB23 June 2015 at 12:31

      Thank you Sir, that's kind of you to post such. Busy commanding some British troops in several American Revolutionary re-enactments this Summer, but I am excited to return to my 18th century miniatures as the collection is beginning to come together. Inspired by the Wittenberg blog, I have some fun ideas for wargame objectives too. Thanks again for the kind comments.

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