"Westfalia keeps on retreating (from Moscow)" Topic

I still have some really old flats (from the 30's I believe) that depict the grand armee on it's retreat from Moscow. Amongst them was a Cantiniere joining the firing-line.
Paul did this miniature for us a while back but 1 single miniature was not enough to release a dedicated set.
I am a little undecided on what miniatures I should add to a set of 2-4 and I'd appreciate input from the community.

Coming soon:

The Original:

We also have a Prussian Train-soldier to walk beside our Prussian carts coming up. I want to see the Hussar trying to snatch something away from this bloke.

I would buy that cantiniere as a single figure. It is fantastic.

Kawe, make the Russian retreat set match the sledge. Recreate poses in the artwork of the sledge on your site, or the flats above, all look great. The Prussian train soldier looks fantastic.

Off topic, but congrats on your win of one of Martin Kelly's painted 1813 Limited Edition figures.

I too would buy that cantiniere as a single figure. Beautiful work by Paul Hicks!

The cantiniere is a great figure in her own right. I like Condotta's idea. Also you could produce the little heroine as part of a set of female 'camp followers' defending themselves. That would compliment some of the other figures appearing elsewhere but could also be relevant to Eylau, Spain, 1814 etc. etc.

Lovely sculpting!

How about a group of soldiers encouraging each other on…I'm thinking something vaguely like the Vietnam Memorial group of 3…Maybe the guy in the middle without a musket or pack, and his 2 buddies on either side of him, one carrying an extra musket (his mates) the other guy on the outside carrying 2 packs…

Together could make a great vignette to depict a unit with extradinary cohesion or something….

Beautiful figures!

Gents,

Thank you for the feedback and the kind words. I very much like Sparkers idea. I'm currently pondering on if it could be applied to a sledge-crew which would kill 2 birds with one stone.

And Condotta, thank you. It really is the first time ever that I've won something.

You got to love these boys!!!

Raglan

I would suggest that you simply make copies of the other figures in the flats set to go with the cantiniere. Which is such a beautiful figure that I'd probably buy one as a singleton, just for the fun of painting her up.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions!

There's a painting by the French artist Yvan or Yvon, depicting "Marshal Ney sustaining the rearguard" during the retreat from Moscow, which should provide idea for a number of poses and figures (I'm sure it's pretty familiar, and maybe someone could provide a Link). From various figures, I've made conversions suitable for such a hastily improvised unit, including a dismounted Chasseur a Cheval of the Garde, a knapsack on his back and a carbine over his shoulder; this was made from one of Old Glory's Moscow Militia figures, with the skirts of the greatcoat pared away on one side and, on the left, carved to represent the sabretasche. This suggestion aside, dismounted cavalry seem a good bet for this kind of scenario, as are any soldiers wearing looted Persian rugs, sheepskin shabraques and several greatcoats, one over theother

Robert, excellent suggestions indeed. Thank you.

That painting is brilliant and, whilst the Ney figure has been modelled in 28mm, I'd love to see what you could do with it. There are several great poses in this picture for modelling.

Any figures based on the paintings of Faber du Faur would be great,he did a painting of Wurrtemberg artillery braking up their guns and limbers. I'd love to see figures of gunners spikeing/defending/dismantling the guns.

Mark.

Thanks again, I might be wrong but aren't the Perrys doing exactly that?

They are doing retreat from Moscow…and brilliantly. We are talking about reproducing figures from one particular painting, as a tableau. Anything but the rather effete hussar lying prostrate in front of Ney…see the pic and you'll see what I mean. Must stay PC, but he is a bit precious for a French hussar of 1812…oh now I think of it maybe……………

HOW ABOUT Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine from the retreat in The Duellists?

Often think when I see the Vietnam War memorial, shown above, the M60 gunner, …………the ammo belts. They are upside down. They would never be carried that way. One drops out and the feed stops………

I mentioned it to the tour guide in DC three years ago and she looked at me like I had crawled out from beneath a rock……..

I eagerly await my cantiniere, plus the mail coach, heads etc from these guys at Westfalia, but no rush. The in tray is packed!. Their output is so imaginative…….

The flats series about the retreat from Moscow is still available – check out the 'Berliner Zinnfiguren' website. An amazing series – several hundred figures.