Leads?

I found a company online which does Uhlans and Hussars in 20mm lead called Newline Designs. Previously, I had decided to avoid leads as the figures look a little like dwarves and are very chunky. These figures however might fit reasonably well next to my plastics at one pound a pop they are certainly more expensive than plastics but since I'll only need about 50 figures it isn't too much of a big deal. Getting these figures would mean that the project will be fully provisioned and all that will be needed will be time to paint. That I can handle!

Austrian Cavalry

Apart from a few touch ups these figures are ready for the box. I really enjoyed these dudes and I look forward to starting on the hussars and uhlans down the track sometime when a company gets around to producing a good couple of sets of 1/72. In the meantime I am spoiled foe choice in terms of painting my Austrians. I'll see what the fates choose for me later in the week.

Latest Additions to my Osprey Library

Not quite ready to post pictures of my Austrians yet. In the meantime this is some of my future reading courtesy of a gentleman in Dunedin who was downsizing his library.

Reinforcements have arrived!

Kurassiers

OK so it is time to publicly confess my sins... I have put off painting an Austrian army for decades because I thought they looked boring. My massive project (as it swings into action) was really an attempt to get an Austrian army built and out of the way so I could paint more fun armies. Tonight however, the scales fell from my eyes when I started basing some Austrian Kurassiers. Boy was I wrong about the look of these figures! These guys really pop! No photos for a week or two but suffice to say a combined 1809 Austrian army will look fantastic on the table.

A snowy weekend

Friday was a  snow day  so I was able to stay at home and paint the day away. Saturday saw I light dump but a significant freeze as well. Unfortunately I was away for the evening doing family duties so painting had to wait. Today saw me being a taxi driver all afternoon for various activities so tonight will be paint "en mass" night. For these figures I have decided on a big brush for the first four colours and a much smaller brush to finish. I have never been the type to paint individual figures and I suppose the mediocre results prove it.  Still,  it makes for large armies and fun weekends!

Ah, ces terribles chevaux gris!

Just before I kick off my project I should post my Italeri Scotts Greys. Just like the Revel Guard Cavalry they are only good for Waterloo but since I had nothing to paint during the wait for my Red Cross parcel to arrive I had to buy these chaps from the local toy store. The grey was tougher to paint than I had expected. In the end I used about five different colours to make the hues of the horses. I am quite happy with the result. Here they are sneaking up on some unsuspecting Zvezda French line artillery.

The Austrians are coming!

The new project is going to be the largest I have ever attempted. I  am in the process of gathering 40 boxes of Hat figures to put together a  Shako ruleset Austrian Army. The size is going to be as daunting as it is going to be fun to paint.

Here goes the basic outline:

"German" infantry 20 battalions of 25 figures.

Hungarian infantry 10 battalions of 25 figures

( these may include Grenadier battalions making up 10? Battalions)

10 Grenzer battalions of 25 figures
10 Landwehr battalions of 25 figures.

2 squadrons of Curassiers
2 squadrons of Dragoons
2 squadrons of Chevaux Leger
2 squadrons of lances
2 squadrons of Hussars

8 Artillery stands
6 stands of Cavalry artillery
8 ammunition wagons.

I think this going to take about 40 boxes (of which the first 8 have already arrived ).

More pics to come as the project takes off!