Monday, 26 December 2016

Bremen and Verden Battalions




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General Graf von Kielmansegge

It's been a while since my last post, but I haven't been idle - this is a much larger project than before and done from scratch.

Kielmansegge's Brigade was posted just to the west of the crossroads and was formed in two double battalion squares.

There are a few issues with my Hanoverian Landwehr which those in the know will quickly pick up on.  The first is that I have formed this double square of the Bremen and Verden Field Battalions.

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This is a useful secondary source, but I can't find any primary evidence of this headgear

The battalions are shown in Feldschmutze, the depiction of which has become increasingly fashionable in recent times, but where is the primary source evidence that this was the case?  Siborne is clear that all the Hanoverian battalions wore shakos, either Belgic or conical, but I have gone with the Feldschmutze, largely because I was after a different look.  But my suspicion is that only a few wore Feldschmutze and the majority wore shakos.  I have shown this battalion in blue facings, although Siborne states they were black.

Finding enough 1/72 infantry in Feldschmutze is difficult - there aren't any plastic Napoleonic figures, other than the 8052 Hat Prussian Reserve Infantry and the Airfix Landwehr.  So to make up the numbers I have enlisted a great many plastic American Imex figures and metal Kamar and New Line figures.  

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Feldjager Corps

I've added in some Feldjager Corps - I have shown them in Litewka largely because I have adapted the Airfix Prussian Landwehr set and because the Feldjagers wore Litewka when they were first raised in 1813 and carried on wearing them until 1814.  While it seems likely that by Waterloo they had been issued short-tailed British Riflemen's jackets, other sources state that they retained the Litewka and this seems a good place to use up the sedentary Airfix Prussian set in this square.
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This is my first double battalion square, which gives a good sense of the extra space that these took up.  Kielmansegge's brigade wasn't the only one posted in this way: Colin Halkett's Brigade did the same.

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These are New Line Sikh War British adapted as Hanoverians - each one has had a knapsack added.

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The mounted officer is a Waterloo 1815 Prussian 

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A mix of manufacturers


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Various staff officers - Italieri, Odemars, Kennington and Hinton Hunt


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The Drum Major and Colour Party are Kennington conversions.  The drummers are Revell conversions

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A Revell Prussian officer in the foreground

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The whole square - about 600 figures

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Siborne states that this battalion wore blue trousers

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The mounted officer is an Italieri Prussian Dragoon

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The Feldjager mounted officer is an Airfix WW1 RHA outrider

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Sunday, 13 November 2016

2nd/1st Nassau

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I posted my Hat Industrie battalion of Nassauers a few weeks ago and am now following up with the 2nd Battalion, the bulk of which I painted many years ago, consisting largely of the old Airfix French set, but have since added some more modern figures.

The Airfix French set was definitely not their best but has a certain retro charm.  And because these are kneeling, loading and firing figures they are better suited to a square than to attacking French infantry at Waterloo.

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The mounted officer is an Art Miniaturen Dane

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The full square

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The Nassauers are shown in the white shako covers which drew fire and were taken off about 1700hrs

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The pioneers are Hagen, the drum major is Franznap.  The Ensign is an Italieri conversion.


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Line company

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Musicians

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Airfix officer on RHA horse

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Grenadier Company

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The Grenadier company are Hinton Hunt, S Range and conversions fro all sort of plastic figures

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Airfix Imperial Guard conversion

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All the squares