Monday 31 October 2022

Here Come the Cavalry

 I left the double square of the 73rd and 30th half complete, but have now finished the 30th, with the results shown below.  I think it gives a good sense of scale and, when put along side the other finished squares, will look great on the completed diorama.

The square sits on some unpainted teddy bear fur.  The green fur is after it has been painted with a dilute acrylic paint.

The figures are mostly Revell, with a range of other makes scattered among them.















With the squares now three quarters complete, I thought it would be a good moment to take stock of the Cuirassier regiments which are either complete or under way.  There are eight regiments shown below, about 3,200 sabres.  There are still many more out with the painters.  To these must be added those that are not shown here - the two regiments of Carabiniers, two regiments of Line Dragoons and all the Guard Cavalry, making a total complement of 20 regiments that charged with the Reserve Cavalry.  This figure is weighted towards the Guard Cavalry which were vastly larger regiments.

The figures are a mix Zvezda, Art Miniaturen, Strelets, Qualicast, Les Higgins, RSM, Kennington, Newline, Airfix, Esci, CTA and various lesser known metal brands, plus conversions.  





Not shown are trumpeters, or a large number of casualty figures.

I'm extremely grateful to all those who have painted figures.  They look a little clinical on this table, but once deployed on the diorama, the effect should be spectacular.

Sunday 23 October 2022

Update

 The team has been very industrious in recent weeks with some great progress with various cavalry regiments and other units.  I'm not attributing names, but the painters know who they are and my thanks to them for some terrific work and demonstration of talent.


First up, some more Chasseurs for the Service Squadron, by Art Miniaturen, with pelisses added.


These Hagen dismounted figures have been brilliantly converted.


A very fine Brunswick square.





Empress Dragoons, both for the Service Squadron and the main body of the regiment.  These are Qualicast mounted on 3d printed horses.




Beautifully done tete de cologne for a French infantry regiment.




A squadron of Carabiniers.





Horse Grenadiers

You can never have enough ambulances.


My thanks to all involved!


Wednesday 21 September 2022

2/73rd Highlanders and 2/30th Cambridgeshire Regiment



The 73rd Highlanders were originally 2nd Battalion 42nd Royal Highlanders but became a separate regiment in their own right in 1786, before being reunited with the 42nd to become The Black Watch under the Childers reforms a century later. It is not perhaps surprising that, in both the Rotunda panorama and Henri Phillipotaeux's famous painting, the 73rd are shown in Highland dress. 

 In fact, the depopulation of the Highlands meant that it became increasingly hard to sustain so many regiments so in 1808 the 73rd and some other units lost their Highland distinctions, so at Waterloo they must be shown in English dress.   

During the battle, the 73rd formed square with the 30th and so you see the beginnings of a double battalion square. Unlike their comrades in the 42nd who wore blue facings as a Royal Regiment, the 73rd wore green facings.

I haven't got to the 30th yet, but they are next on the list.






Along side the other square of Hackett's brigade, the 33rd and 69th.