The Battle of Aspern Essling 21/22nd May 1809

[Santi Pérez]

Another fantastic looking regiment for your Austrian army, Chris.

Santi.

[Captain Sibourne]

Lovely work Chris, I particularly enjoy the way your projects unfold over time.

[PhilC]

One of your grandiose projects, wonderful! I particularly like the Hungarian infantrymen, love the blue you've chosen.

[Bessiere]

You inspired me to read Gills thunder on the Danube series, thank you. Such a plethora of information in these books! Just got to the Wagram and the French have made the crossing - I can't wait to read more. Your work is such a bonus in helping to visualize these troops (looking great) so thank you for that as well Mr D.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[C M Dodson]

Thank you to everyone for their lovely comments and encouragement.

Antietam is still progressing , but in the meantime.

Knesevich Dragoons No.3

These fine fellows comprised the Brigade Clary, part of the 2nd Cavalry Division of the First reserve Corps.

I am very impressed with the sculpts that are animated and have a clarity of detail that is a joy to behold.






Lots to do.

Chris

[Peter]

Wonderful brushwork Chris!

[C M Dodson]

Napoleon at Aspern

I purchased a new Napoleon and staff from the Battle Honours company for my Aspern project.

There was a misunderstanding about scale but the company were brilliant and duplicated my order in 1/72, gratis, and the end result was some fantastic sculpts.

Napoleon had a suite of horses although it would appear that greys seem to predominate as his mounts.

I was looking for a painting guide and following several suggestions through the TMP forum I settled on his Majesty at Regensburg.

Here he is being treated by surgeon Yvan on a magnificent white beast ( Cremello colouring I believe).

The painting is fairly contemporary as the artist is of the period, ( 1765-1825) rather than some paintings of much later years.

Importantly, the date of this action was the 23rd April 1809, roughly a month before Aspern.



I am very pleased with the Battle Honours sculpts and the resin is fairly robust unlike some other producers.





Vive L’ Empereur

[C M Dodson]

I have been fortunate enough to have been put in touch with a German modelling colleague Klaus through my very good friend Thomas Mischak.

Klaus has bought the Piano War games, Danube campaign files and has very kindly printed a lot of Austrian infantry and jägers for me.

Thomas, being the kind gentleman that he is, promptly topped up my purchase with some Franznap freebies before posting them to me.

The sculpts are lovely and I am very grateful to both of these lovely modelling colleagues.




Lots to do.

Chris

[Captain Sibourne]

Nice work Chris, those Piano figures look tremendous. Your Napoleon looks 1/32 - a great piece of sculpting and painting.

[k.b.]

Woooow Chris…….. what a splendid version of Napoleon. Would love to get my hands on this figure (any tips?).
These Austrian figures are also beautiful and are surely going to be a treat for the eye once painted up. I just don’t envy having to paint so many white uniforms. Good luck ….. and can’t wait to see more!

[C M Dodson]

Thank you gentlemen.

I am very pleased myself how his majesty has scrubbed up.

The company is called Battle Honours.

https://battlehonours3d.com/

Refers.

My chap is 1/72 as their 20mm is very small indeed.

The Piano chaps are 20mm but ideally a 1/72 scale is more compatible with the Hat guys for future compatibility.


Thank you again.


Chris

[Rich W]

Very nice Chris! I'm looking forward to seeing those Austrian figures up close as they look really good.

[Santi Pérez]

All the figures you've got from Battle Honours look really great, Chris. I love especially the Napoleon figure on horseback, who has a mind-blowing pose, ideal for both a diorama and a wargame.

Santi.

[Bessiere]

I had to go and order that Napoleon model myself, 2 in fact just in case. Splendid pose! Thanks to your suggestions I'm now reading Eagles to Glory after finishing the Thunder on the Danube series. Great books and very informative for the 1809 campaign. This project of yours is going to be wildly popular Mr D, you have a happy gang of hobby conspirators willing to aid you. You can't beat this hobby for helpful people. Your results thus far look most promising and of course our mouths collectively water awaiting your final pictures. This is going to be a stunner of a battle..
Cheers,
Bessiere

[k.b.]

Thank you for the tips regarding the Napoleon figure Chris.

A Battle Honours company existed many years ago if my memory serves me rightly, offering 15mm figures that were compatible with AB's. If I am not mistaken it looks like the same firm because i clearly remember the two flag logo being identical. (Wonder if they still have the full range of figures they had in the old days?)

Regardless, I shall be placing an order before Christmas ..... once i have had more time to explore their site and full range of figures.

[C M Dodson]

Grenzers

According to Gill there were two units of Grenzers, number six ( including the remants of seven) and thirteen, present at Aspern.

It appears that these units had a brown ‘home’ ( hausmontur) uniform which was then, when in the field swapped to a white one. Reforms, effective from late 1808 instructed that units were to take the field in the brown uniform but many units did not do this for some time after the decree. .

Furthermore, the regular issue grey overcoat seems to have been ignored in favour of the red cape as a mark of pride.

I was going to re paint them in white, but I think they look ok as they are. I might do the other unit in white but the contrast to the Avalanche of white which will attacking Aspern has a visual appeal.



Duka Infantry regiment number thirty nine.

This regiment of Hungarians formed part of Bianchi’s Brigade of Sixth Corps. I have used the Polkowski prints as before but have mixed them with the new Hat Hungarians.

Apart from the weird firing chap the Hat Hungarians are very nice. In my opinion they better than the Austrian marching gentlemen with a much nicer moulding. The bayonets are not as bad as the Austrian set although the injection process left many too short in my purchase.

I was going to paint the trousers with the black dots which Hat have done in relief but decided it would nearly obliterate the yellow at this scale. I might re think this after experimenting on my next unit of Hungarians.





Lots to do.

Chris

[Captain Sibourne]

Nice work Chris! The detail on these figures is very crisp.

[Bessiere]

Mr D, if I may suggest using a fine tip black marker to do all the black dots on the Hungarian knots and pants stripes. You can blaze through them in 1 minute per figure. My battle honours Napoleon arrived yesterday along with some dragoon horse holders, very nice figures all though the horses could use some work on the fore limbs. Their resin is less brittle than others too which is helpful in not breaking bits off unintentionally. Lovely looking grenz units Mr.D.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[C M Dodson]

Many thanks to Mr B for his fabulous suggestion.

My eyesight and unsteady hand would obliterate those spots with a paint brush.

Der Feldmarschall found a pack of very fine tip black, waterproof ink pens which have worked very well indeed.

Onwards and forwards .

Thanks Mr B.

Chris

[C M Dodson]

Vincent Chevauleger Regiment No.4.

These gentlemen along with the 5th Chevauleger made up the Cavalry Brigade Vecsey, part of Bellegarde’s First Corps.

Unlike their friends in white, these chaps had a green uniform.



Hooray! a complete unit.

Lots to do .

Chris