1796

[holdfast]

I am looking for a new project and am rather taken by Napoleon in Italy 1795. It is a self-contained campaign and the battlefields are in pretty good shape to go and crawl over.
Before I launch, I note that the French and Austrians are a rather short list of figures and are short of artillery.
Is there an easy workaround using other figures?
And what about the Piedmontese?
Help appreciated please.

[cameronian]

You are deviating from the 'one true period' John, this is heresy.

[Chad]

John

unfortunately the pre-imperial period is incomplete with no sign of any of the missing items being done. I would like to do the Revolutionary period but with the same problem. You are stuck with 1809 and 1815!

Chad

Ps. Neither of those are 'the one true period'.  😈

[Bernie]

Hi John

Afraid it is largely the Magister Miletum range for French & Austrians for the Italian  campaign which are expensive in comparison to Pendraken.

For Piedmontese you could use some of the Pendraken Seven Years War range as they seem quite close

For the Ruskies for the campaigns of Souvorov of the 1799 period I am not sure...

[Leon]

The Revolutionary ranges were done quite a while ago and don't match in with any of our other ranges.  There aren't any plans in place to expand any of them unfortunately, it's a long story!  We would like to completely replace them though, which will be a Clibinarium job at some point in the future.  It won't be a quick job though, so if it's a project you're looking to do soon then you'd need to look at some other companues I'm afraid.

[Bernie]

Hi Leon
Yep the French Rev range were so unlucky in their production and follow up.

The Magister Milletum range though nice is just so expensive and the horses have a lot to be desired

If you ever want a £1000 to get this moving again do let us know again as it is one of the great untapped wargame periods with fascinating campaigns and battles from Ireland to India, West Indies to Poland

Bernie

[Leon]

It's definitely one we'd like to do, it's just fitting it into the schedules.  Once the LoA range is done and we get the Germanic/Huns done as well, Clib should be free to make a start on it.

[FierceKitty]

Have I missed something? What's in the pipeline for Hunses, Precious?

[Bill Braham]

Holdfast.

If you are just doing 1796 there are some work round options - provided you are looking primarily at the Italian theatre there are a surprisingly limited number of troop types. A good source of detailed OoBs is Castiglione 1796 by Bernard Voykowitcsch - not readily available through the usual sources but the author still has copies for sale.

Some suggestions based on what I am in the process of doing:

Austrian infantry - Pendraken - the officers are wrong and for some reason the grenadiers come with 'standard bearers'. Using Hungarian foot with a paint job for the Grenz types - though potentially you could also field some SYW type Grenz given the loose observance of regulations in the military border.

Austrian Artillery - Pendraken 1809 range - not quite right but little alternative.

Austrian Hussars - Pendraken 1809 range and file down the shako peak (or not if you ae not bothered!)

Austrian Dragoons - only 1 regiment in Italy at the start of 1796. Prussian dragoons c 1806 or Saxon heavy cavalry from the Magister 1806 Napoleonics

Austrian Uhlans - more problematc have not found a work round. The main possibility is to use uhlans from the later Napoleonic ranges.

French - infantry Pendraken could use some Magister in bicrone/casuet or some of Lancer miniatures early French to add variety - have yet to see how compatible these might be.

French Artillery - No Pendraken work rounds alas - so the options are Magister or Lancer artillery in bicorne. Bizarrely the French seem to have a

French hussars - SYW hussars in mirliton - Prussian ones would do but

French dragoons - Pendraken 1809 range

French chasseurs a cheval - They seem to be a mish mash in terms of what they are wearing. Pendraken AWI 16th Light Dragoons would serve if you want the long coat/Tarleton look - otherwise you could use AWI British Legion cavalry for the dolman (good luck if your painting skills are up to doing the lace!). Failing that you could use British Light Dragoons from the early Peninsula War - Magister do some and Pendraken have an old Peninsula line which lists light dragoons but does not speciifiy whether this is the early Tarleton version or the later (1812 regs) shako version.

I have not really been looking at the Piedmontese

Piedmontese infantry - basically Pendraken AWI French infantry - another possibility would be Magister 1806 Saxons with long coat, open lapels and bicorne. I think the rank and file carried swords - so if a purist you would probably go the 1806 Saxon route but SYW Pendraken Prussians might also do at a pinch

Piedmontese artillery - I have no idea but I would guess at long coat and bicorne so the same suggestions as the French artillery might work

Piedmontese cavalry - sorry all out f ideas on this one.

As you can see with a little ingenuity much can be sourced from Pendraken's current ranges with only minimal/essential borrowing from other manufacturers. Good news from my point of view is that in Italy 1796 this is essentially an infantry war, cavalry do figure but are hardly the 'belle of the ball'. Of course it would be great if a new Revolutionary War range were to materialise but being realistic that will not happen for some time.

Hope this helps,

Bill

[holdfast]

What an excellent crew the Forum is/are. Many thanks, and some food for thought, not to mention Cameronian's usual cheery outlook.
My inclination is to walk the course in Italy in the spring and then to review just how inspired I am.
It sounds like Magister Militum may have to be the answer, or revert to 15mm if all else fails.
Again, thanks to all.

[Bill Braham]

Holdfast

You would not be able to do 1796 Austrians in 10mm with the Magister codes. Pendraken are the only game in town on that score.

[holdfast]

Thanks Bill, I think it goes on hold till I have seen the ground. I had better return to The Road to Rivoli by Boycott-Brown. Not to be confused with the Road to Ravioli which is a cookbook.

[Leon]

Have I missed something? What's in the pipeline for Hunses, Precious?

A long term plan once the LoA is done is to produce some opponents for the Late Romans.

[Le Manchou]

Bend Sinister also has French in bicorne

[Chad]

Bend Sinister - Muskets are on wrong shoulder.

Austrian infantry - No 10mm available in kasket