French Revolutionary Wargames 1789-1802: Demi-Brigades

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.

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

Monday, 6 April 2015

Legion des Allobroges, 1792

My number of light troops continues to increase with sixteen green coated skirmishers belonging to the Allobroges Legion. This unit is known to have changed its uniform on several occasions, brown and also blue in later years. I have decided to stick with their original colour. Its establishment was set at fourteen companies of light infantry, formed into two battalions, three companies of light? dragoons, a company of artillery, and a section of foot gendarmes. Raised at Grenoble in August 1792 from Alpine folk, the recruits actually came from the Alpes, the South of France, Toulon, and possibly also the Pyrenees. The corps formed part of the Army of the Alpes. In later years the legion was broken up with the foot joining the 4th Light Demi-Brigade, the cavalry serving in the 15th Dragoons. I couldn't find anything on their flag, except a claim that they had raised the tricolour on Mont-Blanc, which I assume is propaganda. So I have used a flag which appears on a engraving of the battle of Montenesimo, 1797. With their almost entirely green uniform they may look a little drab, but the French player will no doubt find them useful. MGB