"Austrian Grenadiers in Winter Dress on the March" Topic

"Prior to 1805 the Habsburg Austrian Army had two companies of grenadiers in each infantry regiment, but these were usually taken away and brigaded with companies from other regiments to form elite battalions of just grenadiers. Shortly before the 1805 campaign the structure was changed so each regiment had a battalion of grenadiers (along with four of fusiliers), made up of four companies, but this was only part-complete when the campaign began, and caused some confusion during the war. In 1807 the old arrangement was restored, but still the grenadiers were usually taken to build ad hoc all-grenadier units. When at war therefore grenadiers marched together rather than with their parent regiment, and provided the backbone of the Army, gaining a grudging respect from no less a person than Napoleon himself after the Wagram campaign of 1809.

The box title tells us that these men are all on the march, although many are clearly quite informal, and not in a formation. Anyone marching behind the fourth figure in the second row would be worried about getting a bayonet in the face if he walked too close behind. Some are more formal, with musket held upright on the left shoulder, although none are supporting their firearm under the stock as they should. Those poses that are side-on to the mould feel quite flat – especially the last figure in the second row, whose feet are tripping over each other. The sapper (zimmermann) in the bottom row carries his axe over his shoulder (they were not given a case for their axe for some reason), and while the drummer carries his drum in the correct manner, he holds his sticks in his hand – perhaps he lacks the stick holder on his belt which was standard equipment. The ensign holding the flag is fairly relaxed, but has the flag uncased, which would have been unusual when just on the march. If these men are moving into position on the battlefield however, then this is more reasonable. All told we were not particularly pleased with the poses, many of which are rather awkward, and which do not readily build a formed unit…"

Full Review here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Not my thing really, but the review poses(!) some interesting and a few perverse questions.
Yes the figures are most certainly 'on the march' and not as staid and 'efficient' as we expect Austrian Grenadiers to be.

This is a case of stretching the purist paradigm- why should 'sets' be expected to complete a unit? Because someone else makes them that way? Ok for those who want that.

But who cares where the drum sticks are, or how a sapper carries his axe? Or an unfurled flag? Many of us spend our time doing exactly these customisations to 'normalise' otherwise automaton looking armies.

OTOH, it is obvious from the well laid out format, that some of the poses, features and castings simply doesn't match the best practice of modelling aspects.
regards
davew

Glup?….

Amicalement
Armand