"More 40mm figures!" Topic

My collection of 40mm Peninsular Napoleonics continues to grow and has now hit 500 painted figures with more in the pipeline. The majority are sash & sabre filled out with a good sprinkling of Perry Miniatures. A few pictures and a link to my YouTube short video featuring most of them as it's easier to run a camera along the ranks than take loads of photos. Please excuse my faltering commentary and background noises! Since this video I have added quite a few more figures including some Spanish Guerrillas and gun crew plus more French infantry.
Cheers,
Lee.

The YouTube Video.
YouTube link

And finally my blog:
napoleonictherapy.blogspot.com

Excellent work. You have a very impressive collection.

7 figures to a base seems an odd choice?

Thank you WarWizard.

d88mm1940 – only the skirmish units are 7 to a base, or 6 in the case of my 60th Rifles. The line battalions are each of 24 figures, 12 on a single front base and 6 for two half bases in the read. Like this:

43rd Monmouthshire light infantry on lleft, 60th rifles at right.

And a line regiment, 1st foot guards using Perry miniatures, all 40mm scale of course!

As an aside, the flags on the latter are just cheap printed examples found on the net, all my flags are due to be replaced with high quality GMB flags. It has been pointed out to me that in the British Foot Guards regiments the colours should be reversed with the red flag becoming the Kings colour and thus the flags switched round. I will do this when I replace them, useful to know though.At least I did get the drummer correct, no reverse colours in the Guards!

Cheers,

Lee

Guards had various lace distinctions as well as the (at first glance) seemingly odd arrangement of the colours. You have done the laced edge to the cuffs, which many miss.

However your grenadiers and any light company would have blue wings on their shoulders, laced white. Other very minor changes for Guards, but not worth it. Officers had plain blue cuffs, with just a gold lace edging, which is hardly worth changing now.

Oh yes, maybe a gold regt badge on the black cartridge pouch. Easily added and looks good.

Great work. Often thought I would love to try a few 40mm……

Beautiful! Wish there were people around here to do that kind of gaming.

Thank you Deadhead, I should say I'm not great on my research just a figure painter of 40 years mainly, but those details are noted with interest, The castings are of course standard British line infantry and I was aware of the lace patterns and shape of the belt plate. Might try to touch up the wings, something else I have learned :)

Only problem with 40mm is the lack of complete ranges, which is why I'm currently trying to get some bespoke additional figures added, starting withe RHA crew featured in my other thread here. Longer term I hope to produce more additions.

You might be able to help me with a question Deadhead,Sash & Sabre produce some fine 40mm Guard lancers, would these work as Vistula lancers in the Peninsular or just too elaborate for Poles? Anyone?

Cheers,Lee.

I was under the impression the Vistula Legion lancers had sheepskins rather than shabraques, but I could be wrong.

4th Cuirassier – thank you, I believe you are correct! I'll need to re think that idea then.

The Czapka is more ornate for Guard and the Vistula chaps did not have the front plate. The cut of the jackets is very similar, but again Guard had their distinctions such as the aigulettes. It all depends if the figures start out as on campaign or parade rig. The former would be dead simple.

Correct…… sheepskins rather than shabraques, but no lack of the former I suspect in 40mm to swap.

I cannot find any images of the lancers produced by Slash and sabre but am greatly impressed by the range.

I do hope you do have a go at this unit. Not that often seen and always confused with Duchy of Warsaw cavalry.

Deadhead – I can't find any images of the S&S lancers either, seems such a shame not to show images of the full range, at £45.00 GBP for the pack of 7 troopers and £19.00 GBP for the 3 command figures my 8 figure cavalry units don't come cheap and it would be nice to be able to see what I'm ordering before I buy!.

However they are actually advertised as Polish Guard Lancers, part of their Peninsular range, and as that regiment was in Spain until February 1809 I might just go with that.

Cheers,
Lee.

Oh there are few units that are quite so striking as the Polish Guard Lancers. Second Dutch Regt simply not in the same league for colour scheme (funnily, I think they look far better in campaign rig).

Guard Lancers in 40mm. Might well be tempted myself for a change! Just do one thing for me. Do not send them up that hill in Spain, even if you do think there are only a few cannon to guard the pass.

I went with Polish Guard lancers myself but you can also do Lancers de Berg. The figures are amazing, look at the June 6th 2019 entry at Old Glory UK's Facebook page: facebook.com/oldgloryuk

Sash and Saber 40mm are under appreciated and the founder is a most excellent sculptor but he needs to tend his garden and issue quite a few packs to flesh out the Peninsular Range, including but not limited to:

1. Kneeling British infantry flank companies
2. Another British infantry command set for variety
3. British Light infantry
4. RHA crews
5. British Hussars
6. Portuguese line and lights
7. Spanish 1808 infantry
8. Spanish Volunteer infantry sets
9. Spanish cavalry of several types
10. Spanish artillery
11. French high command
12. More French musicians
13. French Horse artillery crews
14. French Legere including colpack heads
15. Command sets for the French Cavalry sets which lack them
16. Mamelukes
17. Vistula Legion
18. Gendarmerie D'Espagne Lancers
19. French dragoons and dismounted dragoons
20. Some Confederation of the Rhine units or kits.

If you do the Lancers of Berg for the Peninsula then I am afraid that the simply beautiful white and amaranthe uniform shown by Old Glory will not do. They are simply a superb unit as shown on Facebook, but they never carried lance while wearing this early rig.

For Spain you will need the green coat with amaranthe facings. Still nice but not………

I thought we were trying to see what the figures look like?

What do you mean, that they never used the lance while in white, or never in the peninsula?

No, sorry if I was not clear enough. Berg Chevaulegers started in a wonderful white uniform with amaranthe facings…but did not carry the lance then, only a sabre.

I think the Old Glory figures shown are simply wonderful, but not strictly historical.

In Spain they only turned out in green, with lances. What I meant was…. Still a nice outfit, but not quite the same.

I dont see where it says these figures are serving in the Peninsula but under Murat in Naples, they seem to have retained their white uniforms until 1815 while using a lance.

Plus, no wargamer wants them in green, then they just look like humdrum lancers.

Not sure I follow you. (Ah I do now after writing all this. "…….Peninsula. But under Murat in Naples……." changes the meaning)

I don't think anyone is suggesting they served in Naples (Spain and Russia, plus a remnant in Germany, yes). Murat was the Grand-Duke of Berg, but he left the unit behind in Spain when made King of Naples. They never were so lucky as to enjoy southern Italy.

All my sources tell me that the white uniform went in 1808 and only then did they get the lance. Such a shame. I agree the green is humdrum, but full dress does allow that amaranthe on facings and czapka (if you know how to reproduce it of course!)

Also, note that the Guard "lancers" of 1809 didn't yet have lances either. They were just guard light horse at, for example, Somosierra.

Now that I had forgotten completely. Another good reason not to send them up that hill as I said earlier. How odd to think of the Poles in the Guard, without lances (at least in the front rank) but how true……

Well done!

@deadhead

I suppose that sentence might be hard to follow; if English is one's second language.

When Murat went to Naples, he took some Berg lancers and reconstituted the unit. They wore the cream uniform until 1815 and carried the lance. It might serve you well to expand your sources.

In any case, I am trying to understand the original purpose of your comment. Your error aside, are you suggesting that, for example, a French hussar regiment that never served in the Peninsula cannot be used in a tabletop Peninsula wargame?

@4th Cuirassiers

For wargaming purposes, the fact that the Polish Guard lancers were in Spain at all is enough authority to use them in counterfactual Peninsular battles set throughout the war.

Same for the Old Guard Grenadiers etc.

Wow piglet, turn down the vitriol dial just a bit there. I think Liam is trying to be helpful but you are coming across rather sharp

No worries. I just misread the sentence, it is the "eats shoots and leaves thing" about where you put the commas.

I looked up some more about Berg lancers and,sure enough, a small cadre did eventually go with him and, no doubt, did indeed wear the white uniform. The link below, after ref 30, covers just this;

link

Which means one can indeed display them as lancers, but I am not sure they are still called Chevauxleger Lanciers de Cleve-Berg. Did anyone like Knotel ever show them in Neapolitan service?

Plus, any wargamer may well chose to deploy any unit, in any setting they chose, in any variety of uniform…of course. But there is no harm in mentioning what we think is the historical evidence (even if one is wrong). Without your response I would never have known of a unit in "Polish" style lancer dress, in those colours, carrying lances

No worries. I just misread the sentence, it is the "eats shoots and leaves thing" about where you put the commas.

Oh, please dont even mention it old boy. Perhaps your grammar book resides on the same shelf as your Berg lancer sources?

Which means one can indeed display them as lancers, but I am not sure they are still called Chevauxleger Lanciers de Cleve-Berg. Did anyone like Knotel ever show them in Neapolitan service?

So very sporting of you. I would imagine Lanciers de Cleve-Berg is an acceptable synecdoche for this type of unit whether it is serving in Spain, Germany or Naples and under either Napoleon or Murat.

H. Boisselier certainly illustrated them in white/pink in Neapolitan service.

Plus, any wargamer may well chose to deploy any unit, in any setting they chose, in any variety of uniform…of course. But there is no harm in mentioning what we think is the historical evidence (even if one is wrong). Without your response I would never have known of a unit in "Polish" style lancer dress, in those colours, carrying lances

I dont have a problem with observations on accuracy, even if they turn out to be wrong. However, I do wonder why on a rare thread about 40mm figures, when enthusiasts are excited about exchanging images about what figures look like, why you considered that particular comment to be useful?

I merely ask.

Well you were right!

and I was not wrong…..

Just not as right as you were.

Found them on this site 5th picture down.

PDF link

My comment purely stemmed from a request from Grambo to which I replied; "If you do the Lancers of Berg for the Peninsula then I am afraid that the simply beautiful white and amaranthe uniform shown by Old Glory will not do". My second comment that they never carried a lance in this outfit…is almost true. Almost. Some of the same chaps, different name and some rather fancy lace across the chest.

Poor Grambo must be wondering what he started here…he certainly set me thinking about going into 40mm. I had never heard of Slash and Sabre, only Perry 40mm

Well that was a most fascinating debate chaps :)

Thank you both for the information and for the link to the images of the Sash & Sabre lancers which was what I was looking for.

So, as I understand it now after the above one COULD just about get away with a small unit of cream coated berg lancers within a Peninsular collection. Must say the images look very impressive.

Minipigs: I certainly agree re the expansion of the S&S range although it would appear that new figures are still slowly being added. Did you see the image of the 3D resin printed RHA officer in my other post? I have wanted to add RHA for ages so with a fellow 40mm collector are experimenting with commercial digital sculpts and resin prints to possibly crew our guns. The first figure – the officer really has not turned out all that bad at all, but I would prefer metal and have enquired at S&S if they have any plans for RHA. Like you say, there is a lot else they could add to the range.

Cheers,
Lee.

Image shows Sash & Sabre British Sergeant alongside 40mm resin 3D printed RHA officers.

Deadhead, the S&S range are lovely sculpts full of animation, I personally find the Perry 40's slightly less 'lively' shall we say and more expensive, but I do have a fair few now.

Forgive my rambling narration, but but this gives some nice close ups of the S&S French cavalry. I can now see that the lancers continue to impress :)

Lee.

PS: I said squadrons. meant troops…I think!

YouTube link

EDIT: From Sash & Sabre in response to my request for a picture, whatever they end up as I like them :)

As far as I'm concerned, if you painted up 40mm Prussians and were short some Confederation of the Rhine units for a peninsular battle, I'd say you could use those too.

Too few lancers units as it is without worrying about what coat colors they actually wore on some date and place.

In any case, although I would imagine the plans for S&S expansion is broad, I wouldnt hold my breath for more 40mm Sash and Saber. I hear through the grapevine that Chris sculpts a lot of Old Glory's 15mm and Old Glory's current emphasis is on that scale and not 40mm.

What's frustrating about S&S is that just a little effort could open up the range. Command sets for the Chasseurs a cheval of the guard and the Carabiniers, a head set for the foot Chasseurs of the guard, Nassauers (People go mad for those regiments), French dragoons (I cant believe these arent made), a Portuguese line set and some French generals and I would be in 7th Heaven.

I was going to have some 40mm Portuguese line sculpted up privately but that project fell through. Fortunately, you can use some of the War of 1812 bodies with different heads for several Junta units.

I am planning to use the Sash and Saber Polish infantry with bicorne heads for the Spanish Engineers unit. The Polish infantry body also lends itself to Junta units.

Frankly, you can use the French in campaign dress for several Junta units.

What I am trying to say is that you need more Spanish units.

I did see the RHA figure and it is very impressive. I do hate resin with a passion but it is certainly far better than nothing and the economy is understandable. Did you see the man on Lead Adventure forum who had the Spanish grenadiers sculpted to match up with the Perry 40mm Spanish line? He sells those to defray expenses.

Maybe another idea to consider whether in resin or metal are head sets? If you did a set of heads for Naples or for some of the Confederation units, you could use Polish, Prussian or Austrian bodies.

I would love to do Marines of the guard and would even do up two battalions for use in Peninsula battles…I mean if that meets with deadhead's approval. :)

Those lancer figures are superb. I really like the horses coming without chunky, moulded on, reins. In 40mm it should not be too hard to reproduce harness accurately and to scale.

Sure MiniPigs, just drop the E and you can do Marins (sailors) for Baylen. (only kidding honestly….could not resist it). You did prompt me to read up a lot more about Berg lancers, so very Grateful (but not Dead)

Thanks for the kind words. I've been busy with the 28mm FIW Kickstarter for the last year, but plan on filling out the Napoleonic range exclusively with any time I can devote to 40mm Sash and Saber (I still have to add to the popular 28mm ACW range). The 40mm French dragoons are next and will be released at Fall In (November). At present I'm working on Blue Moon 18mm Spanish (Portuguese to follow, so I can recreate them in 40mm in the future.

Chris

@Chris,

When you say the future for Spanish and Portuguese, are we talking like in the coming year or is this like a 5 year plan?

I want to mention that I have a significant investment in you and would appreciate it if you would eat only salads, jog 5 miles a day and avoid any crowded public events until the Peninsular range is complete. :)

@Chris – Excellent news about the Dragoons, and if the Portuguese are on the S&S 'to do' list I'll happily wait for them :)

As you are here, I'll just mention two I would like to see:

British Hussars & Royal Horse Artillery crew !!

Incidentally, those War of 1812 Canadian cavalry can be used as Spanish Dragoons and most likely the US Artillerists can be used for Spanish artillery crews. I'm just saying.

It would be nice to see a British howitzer.

Minipigs – I'll have to take a look at those you suggest, thank you.

Just finished some Spanish Guerrillas, Perry's apart from the guy with the sword who is converted S&S from the supply train set.Just went with the flow on these, I know the Spanish like a bit of colour as I live here!

Also couple of test figures for an Italian line regt while I'm waiting for more to arrive.

And the heavy dragoons are now finished and based (Sash & sabre)

Anybody in need of some spare 40mm heads?

I love the Peninsular War!

It's a shame that Perry did the separate heads with the collars sculpted on.

If you like Spanish civilians both in their own units or mixed with Spanish regulars, the S&S War of 1812 range US Militia is a great set.