"Napoleon et al" Topic

Basing my Napoleon(s) & staff…

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Nice Sebastian
Excellent work- "I think I prefer the flexibility this approach offers"; for gaming I'd agree, however some interlacing of bases would effect a much grander vista.

The 'staff' as you call it is missing two critical elements- the immediate 'friends' and ADCs to the Emperor, and the Etat-Major Generale headed by Berthier, almost always present, and their respective ADC's.

The 'maison de l'empereur' consisted of personal servant Roustam, one row behind; Imperial ADCs (a new one on duty every day); GDV Duroc and Master of Horse and junior ADC's attached; and Junot* was frequently seen (painted) in this group as he did not take many battlefield commands.

Side by side are the Major-General and his tiered staff, any specialists required and/ or local guides.

Behind would be the Chef de maison and the pages etc. Closely attended by the immediate escort (your pair of Chasseurs) with duty squadrons about 50 paces adjacent or behind, remaining mounted.

On the opposite side would be other Marshals, Generals and ADCs by the dozen!

Thus you have a 'layered' pattern and groupings of the 'head quarters' around the Emperor. Each encompassing it's own status and familiarity to serve him, with a panache of uniforms for each.

*Dressed most often as Colonel-General (ie Inspector General) of Hussars wearing General of division insignia, as a very close 'family' friend of Bonaparte.

NB Disclaimer- I am yet to do this same in 25mm, having all the elements necessary to customise the individuals concerned, but I also make each commander in gaming sense a 'vignette' appropriate to his station.
regards
davew

Hi Dave, and thanks for the info/feedback.

I'm intending to get more AB Miniatures French 'brass' in due course, and continue building up the whole 'Napoleon & Staff' entourage. Ultimately I'd like figures for all the major characters: the Marshals (or at least the more active of them!), guys like Berthier and Caulaincourt, etc.

As to their layout on their bases or on the gaming table, whilst I'm definitely interested in how it would have been in real life, I'm also happy to be a little loose about it all. Particularly as I'm envisaging using these as command bases/figures when gaming with larger armies in 10mm and 6mm. So they're as much symbolic as representational, in some respects.

Re the flexibility point I made on my blog, having Napoleon by himself was my original plan, with all the subsidiary characters grouped in pairs. This might lead to unrealistic pairings occasionally. But I'm not too bothered. But that idea didn't even survive the initial project, since I opted to have my seated Boney – the two non-AB figures (are these by Xan?) – accompanied by the guy with telescope.

I quite fancy having Napoleon in one of his carriages as another option as well. Does anyone do that in 15/18mm?

And what about a 15/18mm Napoleon crossing the Alps, a la David? I'd love that! I do have a Perry 28mm (Salute) figure of that type.

I scratchbuilt Boney's coach in both 28mm "scale" and 18mm (the latter shown here, but I gave it to a chap in Australia)

very nice, yes not that easy to show the Etat Major, Boney would be in front with some few officers, Berthier, the telescope bearer, Roustam, the rest would be some distance behind and only come forward when in need, otherwise it would be too big.
The pairing is not a bad idea, so like Poniatowski with his ADC – makes sense.

Deadhead, that's great. I may do something similar myself at some point. I'm not sure which carriage I'll opt for though.

I have the fab 'Napoleon's Imperial Household' book, which shows several, so I may pick something different. Perhaps an open-topped one?

… hmm!? B*gg*r! The coaches featured in the chapter on horses and coaches are all grand processional jobbies. Oh well, I shall have to look elsewhere…