Austrian Pontonniers - Victrix & Perry 28mm

Week 8 of the backlog, and something a bit more unusual this time. Here we have a couple of detachments of Austrian Pontonniers. These are made from a combination of bits from Victrix Austrian Landwehr figures, and Perry Austrians (the two figures with aprons), plus some axes and plumes from the Victrix French Line Infantry set.  The plumes were glued to the Landwehr heads which was an easy conversion with plastic figures.

The role of Pontonniers was making pontoons and supporting other water crossing operations, which was pretty important given all the rivers in the Austrian Empire (and generally for that matter). 

In some Napoleonic rules, including my own quick play ones, engineering units like this can build or destroy bridges, and help in defending and attacking obstacles like built up areas. Quite necessary rules to have if you are refighting some historical battles.

Below are some reference pictures of Pontonniers, from the now sadly unavailable Rawkins book (EDIT: I've just learned Anschluss Publishing is rereleasing this series, which is good news, though the Austrian one has not yet been released). Coats varied from Licht-Kornblume or Light Cornblue (which I have used to distinguish them from more common darker blue uniforms) to darker shades, and breeches were often the same colour, or white for dress uniform, or whatever was locally available.

For reference also, the Sappeurs and Miners wore a similar uniform, and carried similar equipment, but the jacket was a Eisengrau or Iron Grey as below. I considered painting one of the sections like this, but this scheme resembles Landwehr which could be confusing so I stuck with the Potonniers.

Thanks for looking and more next Friday! :)

Austrian Landwehr - Victrix 28mm

Week 7 of backlog posting, and here are two Austrian Landwehr battalions. These are made from the Victrix Austrian Landwehr kit. This is just the Austrian Infantry with Corsehut headgear instead of helment or shako, that I mentioned last week is one of my favourites.

I've painted these ones up in earlier 1809 colours, with green jackets, and red facings (Duchy of Kärnten Landwehr) for one unit, and yellow facings (Duchy of Salzburg Landwehr) for the other. 

I've just kept the standard Landwehr Corsehut headgear these figures come with. Some pictures show a variety of headgear like tophats but not game to try that conversion!

These join my other six Landwehr battalions which are Perry and done in the later 1813 grey uniform (though facing colours vary). They can be seen here.
Next week, a more unusual Austrian unit... ;)

Austrian Line - Victrix 28mm

Week 6 of Friday backlog posting. Here we have four units of Austrian Line with the earlier helmet rather than Shako. These are Victrix figures which are my favourite Austrian plastic kit due to the options. This is another 3 boxes making four units of 36, with leftovers used for some support companies that I will also post shortly.

Here are the two yellow facing battalions, which can be any of the regiments with these facings, while the other two units have black facings.

These 144 infantry will join their thousand or so previous colleagues, which can be seen here.

Thanks for looking!

Austrian Kuirassiers - Perry 28mm

Week 5 of Friday backlog posting. Following on from last weeks Austrian Chevauleger, here are 32 Austrian Kuirassiers, once again from the newish Austrian Cavalry plastic box sets. Plus the free metal Colonel that comes if you buy 3 or more boxes.

This is the same great kit that makes Dragoons and Chevaulegers with the armoured torso being used for the Kuirassiers. Austrian Kuirassier armour was black, but I've painted them with a dark gunmetal to give them a slight metallic sheen and compensate for the scale and lighting issues (i.e. common need to lighten colours as scale become smaller).

A closer look at the pewter metal colonel. Nice to have another command figure, and one too where the sword isn't in one of those extended prone to breakage positions!

Thanks for looking. That's twenty units of cavalry for the Austrians now, totalling 248 figures.

Six Kuirassier, six Dragoon/Chevauleger, six Hussar, and two Uhlan units. 
More Napoleonics next Friday. :)

Austrian Chevauleger - Perry 28mm

Friday again and week 4 of the backlog posting. Here are two regiments of Austrian Chevauleger, this time in the green coat, and for something a bit different I've also done these without the combs on their helmets. 

This is the "new" plastic Austrian Cavalry set from Perry that lets you make Chevauleger, Dragoons or Cuirassiers. Wish this had come out before I had already painted up 8 such units in the more expensive pewter already, but better late than never! :)

 

The plumes were apparently left off sometimes by lighter cavalry especially, which I didn't realise until Perry released this set.

This means they just have the brass helmet holder into which the comb fitted. Not as flashy, but more practical for the sort of scouting work light cavalry were doing I suppose!

Thanks for looking and more next week :)

More Austrian cavalry in white with the usual plumes can be found here.

Austrian Generals and Staff - 28mm Perry and Victrix

Another project for the year has been the refurbishment of my Generals and hangers on for my Austrians and French. Here's the Austrians! As numbers of units have grown so has the need for more command! 

What generals I did have were all based on square and rectangular bases, but I think circular bases are more aesthetically pleasing so I decided to shift them over when I painted up new figures. 

They are all based on 3mm MDF with PVA. As I discovered you can also remove figures from this fairly easy if you soak them in shallow water for a day or two - so rebasing from squares onto circles wasn't the frustrating figure wrecking challenge I feared it might be!

There are two plastic mounted figures in each Victrix boxset, which can be assembled in a variety of ways with different heads and arms, which helps supplement the 9 different Austrian General figures Perry make.

Here's Archduke Charles and staff, and another high level officer and staff. These figures are Perry except for the figure third from left on Charles' base which is Victrix. Given how many Victrix infantry are in my army, I thought a Victrix staff member should be present to advise! ;)

Looking at the second general I think I will repaint his hair in a more stately white grey suitable for an Austrian! 

Next a couple of high level commanders with very good support from Hussar ADC's... which I had laying around after accidentally buying an extra couple of packs of them. A good excuse to add some more colourful Hussars anyway!

Next some command stands featuring Grenadiers (left two), Dragoons/Chevaulegers (centre two), and Hussar Generals (right two).

The Hussar Generals I gave white shakos, though they are supposed to have colpacks I think. I didn't feel game to try the conversion though and thought this speculative choice might have existed or is close enough at least.

And lastly another six more 'general' General stands. Each has one Perry figure and one Victrix figure.

Thanks for looking, next up will be the French staff, including the man himself! :)