"Old Glory15s "Italian Infantry" (1859-1866)" Topic

On display is the first of what I hope will be several battalions of "Italian" (Piedmont) Infantry from the OldGlory15s line manufactured by Nineteenth Century Miniatures. I intend to use these figures for scenarios from both the 1859 and 1866 wars.

A total of 3 different infantry packs include skirmishing, advancing, and a command pack. My own preference is to get as much variety as possible in the ranks, so I've mixed the poses from these packs together. Unfortunately, OldGlory15s never released Bersegliari nor any Italian cavalry.

All in all, I think these are among the best of the mid-18th Century European armies offered in the OldGlory15s range. Each pack comes with multiple poses, the figures are very solid, and the bayonets pretty durable (with the exception of one 'loading' pose that needs reinforcement with glue). It is evident that the sculptor used many of the same bodies as the FPW French infantry. Equipment is identical, although these figures have shakos instead of kepis and no epaulets. The rifles are also different as well. I should add that there are some original poses not found in the French packs. The shakos are plain with a pompom.

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I used these images as a general guide to painting:

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Cheers,
Don

Very Very Nice :-) thank you for posting.

Hunlion

Very Nice indeed.

Great job! I finally ordered these myself and am looking forward to receiving them.

I have just about every pack for all the armies that OG15s make in this range (except some of the skirmishing packs). I ordered a pack of each of the Italian cavalry and artillery from the Rank and File 19th century figs they produce to go along with the infantry. I was thinking of using the figs from Mirliton for the Bersaglieri, although they only do (IIRC) four poses (advancing, running with rifle at shoulder arms, standing and kneeling firing).

I love these figs, but I wish OG15s had finished off the Italians (at least the Bersaglieri), and a few other items like French Horse artillery crew (although I plan to add these from the Rank and File figs, too) and French line infantry in greatcoat without epaulettes (for the Republican phase of the war).

I have enough figs for the French to do the French Imperial Guard Corps (for 1870 in bonnets de police), the 1st Army Corps (this corps had all the Zouaves and Turcos at the beginning of the war as well as having four infantry divisions and a three-brigade cavalry division), and at least one other regular army corps (three infantry divisions and a two-brigade cavalry division) with enough Guard Mobile, sailors, etc., to do a couple of corps worth of Republican troops instead with selective subbing of Guard Mobile for line infantry, so I can game the Republican phase of the war.

I only have enough Prussians to do a regular Prussian Infantry corps, the Baden Field Division, the Wurtemburger Field Division and one of the Bavarian infantry Corps. So basically enough for three total Infantry corps. I plan to do the Prussian Guard Corps and probably the XII Corps (made up of the Saxon army) a little further down the line.

The Austrians I have are enough to do an Infantry corps in 1859 (in the white kittle jacket), and two Infantry corps for 1866 (in the gray greatcoat). I figure I can use both groups in either situation to have a three corps force.

The Italians I ordered will be enough to do all five Infantry divisions for 1859 or one large infantry corps for 1866.

BTW, my base units are regiments with each three-fig base equaling 200 men. I plan to use the Furia Francese adaptation for the ACW Fire and Fury rules since I am familiar with those and like them very much.

Good luck building your armies for this period!

Russ

Thanks for sharing your own experience with these miniatures, Russ. I'm glad you have found them to be as entertaining as I have. Maybe you can post some photos as well?

It is a mystery that Old Glory 15s never added a pack or two of Bersegliari to this range, especially given their reputation and significance in Italian armies in this era. I purchased some from Freikorps 15 (QRF). They are acceptable but do not have the same distinctive style that (to me) makes OG15's so special. I have not yet purchased any Mirliton's, but have heard good things about them.

I have large numbers of French and Prussians from Old Glory 15s supplemented with Essex and Freikorps. My own armies are scaled to the battalion level with each stand = 40 actual men. I really like to maneuver troops at this level, and also enjoy the look of massed battalions of 50 to 60 figures clashing on the table.

Don

These are very nice

From what I remember the sculptor of this line was Perris here on TMP. I think there were plans to do even more armies in the line so I bet Perris always planned to finish the Italians and then some. For whatever reason it didn't/never happened. I would love to see more 19th-century armies sculpted by him.

I also have some of the Minifig French. Great figures, too, and paint up great, but only one pose. For some photos of some of the Austrian packs go to the Timecast website. They have some.

Russ

I got my Italians today! Great looking figs! I ordered 6 packs of advancing infantry and 3 packs of skirmishing infantry to mix. I love the variety of poses (6-7 per code), but OGs collation leaves something to be desired. Of 6 poses in a bag you may get differing amounts of each. Something like 12/12/10/6/6/4. When the same ratio (or even sometimes MORE unbalanced) is carried out over several bags of the same code in one order you sometimes get what I did with my Bavarians – 75 of one pose left over after mixing all the others together in a reasonable ratio. I don't have any Bavarians skirmishing so if I ever get some I will probably mix these in for variety, but it is still a little irritating.

The Rank & File figures looked good, too. The cavalry are serviceable. The artillery pieces appear to be the same as those in the OG French pack. The crew are in what appears to be a French kepi. Maybe another recycled pack used for both? I may have to try Mirilton's Italian artillery, too.

Really looking forward to painting some these!

Russ

Russ, I have also noticed the disparity in poses in OG15s packs. My guess is that is not deliberate on the part of the casters/packers, but is rather how the mold was made.

I was not pleased with the quality of the Rank n File Italian artillery. So, I plan on modifying the OG15 Austrian artillery in greatcoats to serve as Italian (Piedmontese) artillery.

Please post photos when you have painted some.

Don