"Frontage and basing" Topic

I follow the basing conditions in Empire (which mercifully have remained consistent throughout the series) pretty consistently, but I have lately been doing a lot of 12 figure French battalions for the 1810-12 timeframe. Since that coincides with the 6 company organization, I have been putting two figures per stand, each painted as a company, with the voltigeurs mounted on single-figure stands. I like this because it allows a realistic battalion deployment in both column of companies and column of divisions. Empire generally recommends three figures per stand for the French. How have other players managed this?

I also follow the basing per Empire. French are typically 12 figure battalions like yours. Two figures or four figures per stand except Grenadiers and Voltiguers, which are mounted on single figure stands.

how do you cope/represent with shrinkage of the battalionson the march into Russia where battalions lost up to half the strength. In the rules it states that at Borodino regimental masses should be used as most units had six figure. Reduce the number of battalions from 5 to 2/3? Personally I use 9 to 12 Fig battalions and if light and or grenadier companies detached or lost although based in three's only allow 2 to fire and treat the columns as Columns of platoons not divisions for frontage calculations. May understanding is that four fig frontages should only be used for 9 company pre 1808 battalions.
In any event I am coming to not use partial overlaps just full
Plus arguement that single battalion overlaps should not be used as one should attack with inf brigades strength and 'baatle fronts' of opposing forces determine overlaps.
I define enfaildes as where you attack partially on the flank of your opponent?

Well thats my penny worth

Well thats my penny worth.

I think the numbers recommended in the rules capture the general tendency for units to be under strength in the field. A good example would be British battalions, which IIRC have a TO&E strength of around a thousand men. At 1:60, every version of Empire recommends showing them as 10-12 figure units, which would imply a field strength of 600-720 men. The numbers in the various versions of "Empire" are probably reasonable averages for the units and the period. Scott Bowden's various books usually include OOBs (I have his Waterloo, 1805, 1806, 1809 and 1813 books in mind), and he shows individual battalion strengths for at least the French Army (and in some cases others) in all of these. I would assume because of the authorship that there is some connection between the OOBs he has published and the various editions of "Empire" that you may find useful or interesting.

Seems to me it's either cutting down companies to single figures or losing a stand if you need to get to a original OOB. As I figured out in my Borodino army except the guard a stand needs to be removed if wanted to get to real numbers.

This talk of the Guard at Borodino. One of few Nap's right decisions at Borodino was not to use it. Just read that the 1st Div of the Guard was not even on the field?

When DID the Old Guard infantry fight other than in late 1812 and 1813-14 with any success on a winning side. Wants the point of having them painted? Save vanity. Young Guard yes

Eylau, in 1807.

Lost that one.

Draw, but they helped prevent catastrophe. So that's a good reason to model them. They got some use.

The Old Guard fought and helped hold the center at Aspern-Essling in May 1809.