Hearts of Oak (well MDF...)

[Last Hussar]

Research shows the cocktail sticks need to be cut to approx 8mm each. Happy days...

[Last Hussar]

I have 16 cannon based. Crews mostly done; cuffs, faces, shakos and boots to do.

[Last Hussar]

Slight problem.  I don't know what I used for faces.

[Thinking while typing]

Yes I do, I don't know where it is! 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Slight problem.  I don't know what I used for faces.

Paint?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Paint?

See someone is in a helpful mood today. Slightly more helpful - Flesh coloured paint

[Last Hussar]

[sigh] I don't know where the flesh coloured paint I used is.

Is that clearer for the terminally hard of thinking? 

[Last Hussar]

To give you an idea of the match up between French and Russians at Borodino for 'Blucher'

Russians II Corps- 3 Infantry stands Elan 5, 2 Artillery stands.
Total 45 points

French I Corps - 5 Infantry elan 6, all with skirmish ability and attached cannon, 1 Cavalry stand, 1 artillery stand
Total 86 points

And that is possibly with not enough French artillery.

A standard game is 300 points. The 1st Western Army for the Russians is 336. Both 1st and 2nd is less than 600.

ONE CORPS of French is 86 points.

[Orcs]

No person is exactly the same complexion as another, so if the Russians differ slightly it does not matter

[Last Hussar]

Flesh paint was found, and 16 gun crews correctly faced before I went to pub Quiz.

Tomorrow the same gun crews will be correctly faced, as it were.

[Last Hussar]

Hats, boots and grass left.

Hopefully it will be this weekend where I finish, and have 16 cannon - enough for 2, 4 and 6 corps.

That is a total of 131 points... Out of 300... 

Next - probably some officers, then decide what cavalry to do.

[Last Hussar]

So, 16 cannons done.

VI Corps partially done. These are the 2 Corps I have ready.

First Russian cannons by Last Hussar, on Flickr


2 and 4 Corps by Last Hussar, on Flickr

Another view by Last Hussar, on Flickr

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Good stuff, looks like you used gold on the cannon.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Very nice

[Last Hussar]

12 strips of line finished today. I need to cut and base. Then I need to finish the command bases for them: I've painted jackets and trousers, but need to do packs, faces etc.

Bugger,  just remembered NOT finished- need to do cross belts.  Dawn and blast. 12 strips of 8.

[sunjester]

We need to get a game in with these. Work Faster!!!!!

[Last Hussar]

You paint some then.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Work Faster!!!!!

Stop stealing my lines !!!!

[Last Hussar]

Cross-belts and boots done on 96 men (12 strips of 8 ).

As is usual, end man of each strip cut off, the cuts painted green, and all based, 2 strips to a stand; the end men go behind to be officers etc.

Give it time for the PVA to go off, then silver on the bayonets.

That will be another 6 stands of line. Now need to crack on with the command strips, another 12 strips to finish  . Once they are based I'll have VI Corps finished, a total of 131 Blucher points.

[Last Hussar]

Decision made.

Next up after VI Corps will be the cavalry. I will paint 3 Cavalry Corps first, then 1 and 2.  The reason being that 3CC have 3 units, so a total of 54 horses, 1 and 2 two units=36 each, and it will be easier if I get the 'big' one out the way. For an actual game 1 and 2 might be one unit – need to check about Russian use of horse. 1 unit will be easier to command in 'Blucher'

Once the Horse are out the way, back to the PBI. This will be V Corps, which has the Grenadiers and Guard- same uniform, sillier plumes. 12 bases = 3 units – of Infantry, 1 of Artillery, 1 unit Cuirassiers.

All 6 Corps are STILL only 251 points out of 300, so I'll have to move onto IV Infantry (41 points)(12 Infantry, 3 artillery bases)

[Last Hussar]

Maths update.

I am wondering about 'Borodino' as a long term aim.

This is what I my arithmetic gets at 16 Infantry, 4 skirmish, 6 Cavalry, or gun and 4 crew, to a base;

French
43 bases Infantry (688 figures)
18 bases Skirmish (72 figures)
34 bases Cavalry (204 figures)
57 bases Artillery (228 figures)

1st Western Army
47 bases Infantry
24 bases Cavalry
33 Bases Artillery

2nd Western Army
43 bases Infantry
21 bases Cavalry
22 bases Artillery

Total Russian
90 bases Infantry (1440 figures)
45 bases Cavalry (270 figures)
55 bases Artillery (220 figures)
 

In case you are thinking "Hold on, the Russians didn't have twice the amount of infantry!" then you are right. It comes from how I lay out the units.

Rather than have dedicated based units as per most depictions of "Blucher", I have separate bases - each is 40x20mm, and has 16 Infantry/6 Cavalry/4 Skirmish/1 gun and crew. This means I can use them for other games.

A  unit in Blucher would be 4 infantry bases. However the French and most allies have 'Skirmish' advantage, so I replace 1 base with a skirmish base. Most of the French units have attached artillery (representing 12 or so guns) as well as the dedicated artillery units, so another base is replaced with an artillery stand. This means most of the French units at Borodino are 2 Infantry, 1 Skirmish, 1 Artillery. The Russians are mostly 4 Infantry - they represent the same amount of men (approx. 4,000) but the French have more capabilities, so some stands are subbed.

The Russians have SO MUCH artillery that you can't actually attach it all out in Blucher. An artillery base can be attached to an infantry unit, to enhance their shooting, or you can collect 3 together to make a unit; Russian Corps are 3 infantry units, 2 artillery, so you can attach 1 unit out and still have a unit.

The French are just as bad; their corps are along the lines of 6 Infantry - ALL with attached artillery - and a unit of artillery; 'only' 9 guns per 6 infantry, rather than 12 per 6 infantry for the Russians.

I'm going to have to order more artillery if I am to host Borodino...