Quote from: Chad on 23 April 2011, 01:57:24 PM
Cam

What are the base sizes?

Chad

1cm = 25m

Prussian line, Saxon line, half battalion stand 4cms x 1.5cms, French line half battalion stand (smaller battalions tho still in a linear formation), 3cms x 1.5cms, Austrian line half battalion stand 3cms x 2cms reflecting depth. Two Prussian, Saxon, French stands one behind the other represent coy column; end to end represents line. Standard regimental formation for the above is three battalions, two up front in line and available to fire, one in reserve.
Austrians, two stands side by side shock column (180 files wide, 6 ranks deep, approximates to 150m wide by 50m deep) two Austrian stands one behind the other is a battalion column (can attck but mainly for manouvre).

Prussian, Saxon, French Artillery (six gun batteries) 1.5cms x 2cms, Austrian artillery (eight gun batteries) 2cms x 3cms. Limbers are essentially 'dressing' and are removed when the gun unlimbers, the stand size represents the guns, limbers etc frontage and depth.

All jaegers are in 'strong' companies, 4 stands to a battalion, 2cms x 1.5cms. Austrian jaegers may be formed into shock columns.

All cavalry are in 'strong' squadrons, 4 stands to a regiment 2cms x 3cms, two formations column for movement and line for assault.

YES!
2 good pieces of news to do with this thread:
Firstly, my 1866 books from Helion are on the way, now I've got them to get my address right. 
Secondly, I finally won Funky Kong tonight (thanks Leon!) My daugher is soooo jealous right now 

Funky Kong!!!

Funky Kong! On Mario Kart Wii (it was an aside half way through this thread)

I know.

He's coooool! And my daugther is still very jealous!

Okay - thread necromancy here chaps!
The sources I have describe Saxon's in 'sky blue' - which is about a pale a blue as I've ever seen, however the picture links on page one of the site are much darker.
Any suggestions for a suitable paint colour for 1866 Saxons?
Mad Lemmey

I think some sort of cornflower blue would be appropriate. That is the description attached to a cavalry tunic on display in the Dresden army museum when I visited a few years ago.  It was dark enough for Austrians at Konigratz to mistake approaching Prussians (I assume in feldmutzen?) for Saxons, so I think sky blue doesn't exactly cover it. I think I went for a Vallejo mid blue. But looking at the colours currently on my bench I think Foundry's Bavarian Cornflower blue, 73 b, would provide a good base, highlighted to personal taste.

Mollinary

Thanks Mollinary, appreciate it.

Truth to tell there probably wasn't one set shade, QA in 1866 wouldn't have been that good and the pre-anilene dyes were notorious for fading. Knotel has the Saxons in pale blue but I've seen contemporary illustrations much darker (? Ottenfeld).
The Bavarians ordered new uniforms for the victory parade through Munich in 1871 but were horrified to discover on unpacking that they were a fetching shade of lilac/purple; red faces all round.

Right, they're started. 
Now the next annoying question:

What colour are Saxon artillery pieces?

Grey. Remember Saxon gunners wore green tunics not pale blue and no, I don't know the exact shade 

Thanks sir!
I just found this too!
http://1815-1918.blogspot.com/2010/05/saxon-infantry-and-artillery-1866.html 

Mad Lemmey,

Thanks for the link, not seen that before - but the blue is about what I was suggesting in terms of dark/light.  Cameronian has a good point on the gunners - the Saxons are not the only ones to have a completely different uniform colour for their artillery men - the Austrians have a shade of brown for their tunics, and the Bavarians go for an all dark blue uniform (this latter catches lots of people out, including me before I became a complete hyphenated wars nerd!).
Cheers,

Mollinary

I used Cornflower Blue for my Saxons, Lemmy. I always rationalise these things by pointing out that after a few weeks in the field all uniform colours fade.

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/1866%20-%20So%20far/SaxonInfantry3.jpg

That's the effect I'm going for with mine. Base coated Azure, then highlight lighter to Cornflower/Cerulean Blue
Now here's the real question is now basing...

A Prussian Regt is (theoretically) made up of three battalions of 1032, equalling 3096 men per regiment. My 3" bases are 1 regiment with 30 figures, equating to approx 103.3 men per figure. Thus 4 per division and per commander. My Wurttenbergers and French are on the same approximate scale or regimental bases.

The Saxons in 1866 have individual Battalions of c950 men. There are battalions 4 per Brigade, 8 battalions per Division. Here are the options:
a) 4 small units of 9.5 figures = 950 men. (Tiny in Black Powder)
b) 2 medium sized units of two Battalions of 19 figures = 1900 men. (Small in Black Powder)
c) 1 large unit of 38 men = 3800 men (Large in Black Powder. Would have to order more figures, shame)!

The structure is a nightmare! Roll on 1870!
Mad Lemmey
*editted when I realised I missed the 3 out of my figure to men ratio*

Lemmy, always bear in mind that these are paper strengths. Very few units actually acheived these figures, even at the start of a campaign. After a week or two and a couple pf actions strengths drop significantly. My Saxon battalions are pitched at about 800 men each. Austrians at about 1,000. Otherwise you can drive yourself crazy. 

Yeah of course that's why they are theoretical strengths- 
"Come on Men, you've got a 20 mile hike in full kit today!"
"Or we could stop off at the bar and knocking shop in the local village, and I'll catch you up on the way back..." 

Mollinary - you said in another thread...
"If you haven't finished the 1866 Saxons yet, I thoroughly recommend the flags produced by Baccus 6mm. I have used them for my 1870 Saxons, and they work very well for 10mm.   One sheet covers the whole army! I don't know of anyone else who makes accurate Saxon flags for this period at present." 
Thank you sir, I've got the Saxon's with cast on flags, I'm guessing I'm hand painting those, any good sources apart from Bacchus, how close in size are they to 10mm flags?
ML

There's a reasonable line drawing in The Armies of 1866 from the Pickelhaube Press of the obverse of the flag, but the reverse is only noted as being a gold shield bearing the royal monogram and surrounded by a laurel wreath.

I too have the standard-bearer figures with the cast-on flags. They are pretty fiddly to paint.