"Calpe French" Topic

Well I've actually seen these in the flesh, Peter F's new French range. As you would expect these are of the same high quality as the Prussians and not far from general release either.

This is just the beginning of a huge line of miniatures that will set the bar when it comes top end sculpting. I was also lucky enough to inspect the French and Saxon artillery models. I believe that these maybe the first French system XI (M 1808) guns that have produced. Real works of art.

Thanks for the heads up. I will inform the 17-year-old that she will be forgoing college after all.

Well the one I saw were in campaign dress including turned back greatcoats, great stuff.

I hope they will be better researched then the Prussians.

wha??????

Which uniform were the French in? Pre-1812 or Bardin?

I have hundreds of the Calpe Prussians and they are my best looking figures, in my collection. If the French look only half as good as the Prussians – I am still going to buy them. Welcome news.

I hope they will be better researched then the Prussians.

This is a joke right?

The ones I have seen are in Bardin campaign dress. The guns are terrific as well.

So hopefully no tiny square cartridge boxes, the right shape of collars, no brake my wrist in 90 degrees bent fingers around the stock, no square back packs.

They should by be all means better than the Perrys, which I doubt.

Not a customer (only do 15mm Bavarians in this period), but economically, it seems an odd decision – why duplicate the well-received and comprehensive Perry range (or, from another perspective, the very limiting Bardin uniforms)?

I wish the guy well, as his Prussians are obviously very popular (and extremely well done – he's an example other manufacturers would do well to follow), but I would have thought covering more of the ignored minor German states would be more commercially rewarding and better suited to his existing "brand".

It would be a shame if they are all in Bardin dress as from what I have read there were a great many units (the majority?) still in the pre-1812 uniform in 1813.

answer to von Winterfeldt-

I feel I must answer this gentleman as he is having a go at my research which I take very seriously.My cartridge boxes are the same size or larger than the Perry's. Which collars is he talking about the 1808-1814 or 1815? I have Paul Pietsch's book on the Prussian army open infront of me and I see no error in my portayal of the Prussian collars.Backpacks were square in 1808-14 and squarer in 1815! Finally, the existing line infantry figures were sculpted in milliput (which has it's limitations) over ten years ago. Hence the need for the new issue of line infantry now coming out sculpted in Duro and Procreate.

Finally I would also like to issue an open invitation to anyone who comes up with new research data on Prussians Saxons and French to contact me directly through the Calpe site where we can discuss possible errors in my research in a more amiable manner.

OK – I will get in touch with you

regarding the size of the Prussian cartridge box and other matters.

Its a pity this debate is, it seems, to be held in private!

With Peter F's permission, I've posted some additional information on my blog:

link

In my view Peter's figures are exquisite. They have been referred to as being the gold standard for Prussian Napoleonic figures. Peter's research is clearly thorough, Calpe figures being more the product of his own interests rather than for purely commercial gain. I applaud his persistence in overcoming considerable practical problems in producing ranges to this quality. I find von Winterfeldt comments entirely unacceptable. Having read several of this gentleman's periodic rants, for example on the length of gaiters worn by some obscure individuals in centuries past, I find his obsessive pedantry rather creepy to say the least.

@Calpean

The first batch – about the Prussian cartridge box is on the way, including some attachments of photos of an orignal.

Oooh, French! I'm interested.

hussarbob1746.webs.com

I find von Winterfeldt comments entirely unacceptable. Having read several of this gentleman's periodic rants, for example on the length of gaiters worn by some obscure individuals in centuries past, I find his obsessive pedantry rather creepy to say the least.

Yes I tend to agree, although I would hesitate to use quite such strong terms – he is entitled to his opinion, after all!

But he certainly seems to be in a minority of one here. The Calpe figures are very much the gold standard, and to criticise Peter for inaccuracy after the agonies of meticulous research that he goes through almost seem designed to hit him where it hurts most. Having followed Peter's trials and tribulation on the various blogs I feel quite upset on his behalf – and tempted to use the perhaps immature, but I think relevant rebuttal to Von Winterfeldt 'Wheres the comprehensive range of Prussians that have no inaccuracies whatsoever that you have produced then?'

This would be a purely rhetorical question you understand, I am confident that the Calpe range will continue to exceed my expectations for many years to come, particulary in view of his eagerly anticipated French…

I don't know how much more Peter could possibly do in his efforts to give us meticulously researched, designed and produced range before some people are satisfied. Give a minority happiness on a plate and they'll find something wrong with the plate. Off course it's always easier to snipe than to actually get out there and produce a superior range! I will continue to add to my Calpe Prussian collection and am delighted and grateful to Peter for all his hard work and dedication.

Wow!
Calpe French would be fabulous!
Much as I like Perry's and Front Rank they don't quite match the standard of my Calpe Prussians in terms of both variety and quality.
It would be great to know when the artillery crews, guns and limbers are likely to be available.
Hopefully very soon indeed.

Peter

Any chance of making your excellent Prussians in 15mm

huge Calpe fan…………level of detail second too none,
total passion for the period ,dedication to his art and
undoubted flair ,the best prussians on the market in 28mm

Calpe is not as realistic as the Perrys.

Yet for me its the best range out there. And even if that was mentioned before: the sheer amount of highly dynamic poses, the high level of detail and the good overall quality make Calpe miniatures a pleasure to paint, own and play with.

Now there will be French. I think that's just brilliant.

@Ammo-box: Die Patronentasche is spot-on. This goes for the older prussian models as much as the new ones.

Shame this discussion was sparked here but will be held under-cover.

Just like to add my vote of thanks to Peter for providing the figures that inspired me to get into Napoleonic gaming in the first place. I've spent more hours painting his beautiful figures than actually playing and enjoyed every minute. Really looking forward to raising some French opposition. Keep up the great work Peter.

Of course the French figures would be in Bardin uniforms. The Prussians are from the 1813-15 period. Why would he sculpt French infantry that are not compatable?

My understanding is that the older pattern uniform was being worn right up to 1814 alongside those units who were dressed according to the Bardin regulations.

@ KaweWeissiZadeh

@Ammo-box: Die Patronentasche is spot-on. This goes for the older prussian models as much as the new ones.

So can you be son kind to tell me more about the size of the new Prussian model and the old Prussian ones?

I am looking forward to your answer including your sources and quotes.

Otherwise, yes I am discussing with Calpe some details in a much more amaible manner which is seemingly impossible to do on TMP in general.

I was reading Rousselot a couple of nights back, and from that it appears that the Bardin uniform only made it into the field during the autumn 1813 campaign. The earlier spring 1813 campaign saw the men in the older long tailed coatees – even the young conscripts received these uniforms, as that was all that was available in the regimental depot stores. Therefore I think its correct to assume that both uniforms would have been seen up to and throughout 1814, particularly because of supply issues during 1814. Presumably new formations would have been dressed in the new uniform, but It was probably only during 1815 that Bardin was effectively universally worn.
I'm sure Peter's research will confirm all this, and that his figures will be attired quite as varied as his Prussians.

npm

For a good discussion see

Napoleon's Last Grande Armée.

vW – me, I like to see an opposing view on TMP if it is accurate, so please continue to shoot at inflated targets. I am not a great fan of Calpe, but that is style for me not accuracy, so it will be interesting to know what is wrong with these figures from a technical perspective. Of course, people are entitled to buy them (after all, people buy Perry figures with those telgraph poles that fingers cannot wrap around, so it is a wide world).

But do share your knowledge as well, don't keep it all private. Thanks

@Winterfeld:

I'd normally be so kind, yet you claimed they are "tiny" without providing any source that would proof that, now you expect me to make a solid proof for what I said in return to you?

Also I suspect yo know very well what I was talking about, and I have the feeling that you mainly adressed me to get into some selfrighteous offtopic-discussion.

Otherwise, yes I am discussing with Calpe some details in a much more amaible manner which is seemingly impossible to do on TMP in general.

I would be willing to bet your discussion here would have been more amiable had you not led off by taking a generalized shot at Mr. Fitzgerald's research.

Just a thought.

Anyway, I am looking forward to Calpe's release of Frenchmen. It's been a long time coming.

@KaweWeissiZadeh

"@Winterfeld:

"I'd normally be so kind, yet you claimed they are "tiny" without providing any source that would proof that, now you expect me to make a solid proof for what I said in return to you?

Also I suspect yo know very well what I was talking about, and I have the feeling that you mainly adressed me to get into some selfrighteous offtopic-discussion.
"

Your suspission is wrong – in case you can provide essential data on research – I would be interested to know, here what I found out about the Prussian cartridge pouch of 1809 – by no means a word for word tranlation but more a summary

Prussian Cartridge Box M 1809

Article by Jakob Ziegert

Circulaire 2 / 1994, Die preußische Patronentasche M 1809, pages 19 – 22

The original is from the collection P. Freyda, the pouch belt plates are form the Blücher museum of Kaub.

The new cartridge box did not have any longer a insertion of leather which could hold 60 cartridges but instead a white metal container and was smaller.

The cartridge box depicted at Pietsch, page 117 has almost nothing in common with a typical Prussian cartridge box at all.

The box itself is made of leather and has a width of 22 cm, a height of 13. 3 cm and a depth of 7 cm, the lid is covering the box – being about 23, 5 cm wide at the top and 25,5 cm at the widest part before swinging in the rounded and pointed end.

The white metal container itself is 20 cm wide, 5.5. cm high and deep.

On the left hand side of the pouch there is a strap of white leather, 7 cm long and 3.5. cm wide – so that the pouch could be buttoned onto a button the fix it better (like the martingale of the French cartridge box).

The Guard star at a shako of the Blücher museum of Kaub is 11 cm high and wide, most likely the Star on the cartridge pouch for the Guards had the identical dimensions.

The Guard star shown at Pietch, page 117 cannot be classed, there it looks differently that those at Wolf and Jüger and the originals.

The oval plate (trophy shield) – - made of brass – the original at Kaub, is 12.4 cm high and 10.6 cm wide.

The imprint on the pouch flap of the original (which is absent on the original pouch) shows a height of 12.1 cm and a width of 10.5 cm.

Another original in the collection of Kube had the height of 12 cm and with of 11 cm.

In case you like to know more details, visit the napoleon-online.de there you can download the whole article.

The only man seemingly not that offended is Peter Fitzgerald – along with whom I can do a good discussion without rancour.

@lebooge

"I would be willing to bet your discussion here would have been more amiable had you not led off by taking a generalized shot at Mr. Fitzgerald's research. "

I agree that it was a stupid remark I did and I apologize for that.

I like my Calpe Prussians very much. The variety of poses and animation is very good. Such sets as the Prussian Brigade and Corps command are excellent. All the figures paint up very well indeed.

I have not seen the new sculpts yet but I think what follows may have already beed addressed.

I do find the old heads a bit large and the faces very uniform. If these can be supplied with more facial character and a bit smaller the range would be very good indeed.

Are you people really argiung about the cut on the corners of a Prussian cartridge box on a 28mm figure?

Adult men discussing the accuracies of military accessorizing. Staggers the imagination.

Now I know why world peace will never be visited upon the human race.

But,but if you don't get that box right you might as well be playing your little toy miniatures game with fantasy figures.Just make sure you get that shade of blue right or they may be mistaken for orcs!
I'm not real sure what is worse though, the Napoleonics board or the ACW board.

1812 uniform did get into the Grande Armee for the Invasion of Russia. If in doubt have a look at Fabre du Four (apologies if I've misspelt his name) who was there and at the finds from Vilnius for one. Yup certainly it wasn't across the whole army-probably only certain units in 1re Corps-which ones it was to would be pure guesswork.

1812 uniforms did not get into Russia – Faber du Faur shows cleaarly round lapels and long coat tails for the French infantry – pre Bardin coats, neither I am aware of finding at Vilnus confirming Bardin, contrary all uniforms I did see so far captured by the Russians are pre Bardin for the infantry.

Well said Capt S!

can't wait for Calpe french!

Lord Hill, Your pacifist sentiments have no place on a Napoleonic board, as you well know. Shame on you! Now about those Spring 1812 button holes…

Von Winterfeldt.
This may be a bit of a radical idea, but. If you don't like them, don't buy them.

Stick em all in greatcoats and be done with it…….

The question I have in all of this is do we need yet another 28mm French manufacturer, no matter how accurate and gorgeous they may be?

Given how many other options there are with the 1813 northern theatre of operations I am afraid I cannot get pant-wettingly excited by this. Now if they were Danes, Swedes, RGL, Hanoverians, Italians…

K

Not to completely derail the thread but 1815Guy, might you happen to be Geoffrey and if so how might I drop you a kind line off-thread?

Cheers,

The Bandit

Some of us are in this hobby for fun and prefer to steer clear away from researching the peculiarities of the types of cartridge boxes or the color of regimental underwears (campaign or dress version).

To me if the figures looks good, then it is good enough for me.

Unless one was actually present on the field marching along side the French in 1812 or with the Prussians in 1814 with an I-phone or I-pod taking color pictures and texting them back to miniatures sculpters, there is no way for sure to ascertain exactly who worn what on which day.

Cheers :)

<Q>Unless one was actually present on the field marching along side the French in 1812 or with the Prussians in 1814 with an I-phone or I-pod taking color pictures and texting them back to miniatures sculpters, there is no way for sure to ascertain exactly who worn what on which day.</Q>

He He

And lets hope our boys in Afghanistan are doing this so that in 20 years time, we wont have such arguments.