British Heavy Dragoons

I painted this unit of Heavy Dragoons from Waterloo 1815 to see how I liked them, compared to the Hat models. These are definitely better sculpts, but I knew from the Plastic Soldier Review that their detail was not very crisp, so I feared they might not paint up very well.

In the end I quite liked the result, and will be getting a lot more of these guys for additional regiments for the British. My main complaint about them is the brittle plastic. Quite a few parts were broken on the box, a few others snapped on handling, so there was some gluing and fixing involved here. 

One corversion I did was giving the wounded  rider a sword. I believe his stance is supposed to represent him falling foward, as his horse ducks, but by giving him a sword I think he passes well for a rider urging his comrades forward (he's the 6th guy from left to right, front rank).

Swedish Line Infantry - Kronobergs

More Swedish infantry painted. This time the Kronobergs regiment:

Swedish Royal Lifeguards

The last unit of cavalry for the Swedish army is painted, the Lifeguards:

Swedish Horse Carabiniers

More Swedish cavalry painted, this week the Horse Carabiniers, which together with the Cuirassiers I showed here previously will make up the Heavy Cavalry Brigade of this army.

I did a few conversions here as well, basically turned some of the heads to varied directions, to make them livelier, and gave the trumpeter his instrument of office, in place of a sabre.

Swedish Cuirassiers

Another unit of cavalry painted for the Swedish army. The first of a couple units of heavy cavalry: the Cuirassiers.

There is a single pose of the cuirassiers in the Hat Swedish Cavalry set, so in order to creat some diversity I repositioned several of the heads - they're originally all facing their right.

For the trumpeter, I did a conversion using the body of a carabinier, so to have a unarmored torso - I'm assuming the swedish trumpeters did not wear cuirass, as the norm of the other armies of the period.

I also converted his hand to carry a trumpet, and painted his helmet crest white, same of the officer - here again, I'm not sure which color the trumpeter's crest should be, but I've seen some visual references of the officer's white crest, and decided to do likewise on the trumpeter.

Battle of Saltanovka - Part II of II

We finished the first part of our battle report with the Russians halting their push on the Saltanovka village, as they watched the build up of French forces in the area.

The battle on the outskirts of the village of Saltanovka.

The Russians decide to probe the other flank, and Paskevitch's division is ordered forward to take the village of Fatova.

Above, the French watch as the Russian columns march forward, followed close behind by their heavy cavalry

The Russians advance quickly toward the village, and their infantry ford the river unnoposed on both sides of the bridge. The Russian Cuirassiers stand close behind, waiting for an opportunity to also make the cross. The outnumbered French choose to hold their ground where they were, rather they split their forces to try and delay the enemy.

Above, French Infantry face the Russian grenadiers on the village of Fatova. 

Sensing the growing danger to his right flank, Davout dispatches the Young Guard to reinforce Fatova, and the battalions march at double pace to relieve their besieged countrymen. French artillery opens fire in support and lay havoc on the Russian columns still trying to cross the river at the left side of the bridge.

On the village of Saltanovka, the fighting dies down slowly. The Russians now have the advantage of numbers, with the Young Guard ordered elsewhere, but alas, the threat of French cavalry lingers on, and fatigue mounts accross the ranks, making the prospect of another advance an enterprise of questionable judgement.

The Young Guard arrives at Fatova and is immediatelly unleashed against the Russian infantry brigade that bravely crossed the river under relentless artillery fire. The brigade is then ordered to hold their ground at all costs, buying time for the grenadiers to clear the village off the French infantry still resisting there. 

As the situation on their right flank deteriorates, the French order their Cuirassier Brigade there, leaving the Dragoons on Saltanova, to deter any attempt on advance from the Russian infantry at that site. Meanwhile, the Russian Hussars on the bridge, unable to push through the French square, finnaly break under heavy artillery fire.

The Young Guard hit hard at the Russian infantry, breaking a brigade, but also suffers heavy losses. By the time the French Cuirassiers arrive to support, the Russians already have a hold on the village of Fatova, and are hastily pushing their cavalry cross the bridge. The brigade of French Cuirassiers and Grenadiers a Cheval charges the enemy heavies, and carnage ensues, with both brigades sustaining horrible losses.

In the end, the French fail at pushing the Russians back from Fatova - both sides are exausted, and the forces under Davout fall back to reform just out of the village.

The game ended in a draw. Both armies broke at the same turn, and calculating victory points we realized the Russians had 1 point advantage overall - a minor lead in this scenario, insufficient to claim a victory!