British on the march & AB first impressions.

It's been a funny old past few weeks, somewhat up and down for me, but with the easing of lockdown restrictions life is gradually beginning to feel slightly more normal again.

As usual I continue to paint model soldiers on a daily basis, although there has been a change of direction (once again). The more I painted 18mm Napoleonics, the less I felt I wanted to paint anything else! Something about these little ten figure infantry bases has really caught my imagination and the result are two armies for DBN that could also be used for portable or C&C type games.

The upshot of the above, coupled with the fact that I have been unable to stock up with Baccus figures is that the 6mm WSS stuff has now been sold to a new owner, it seemed pointless working in two scales to the same ends. The One Hour Wargame scenarios will now be played using DBN rules and 18mm figures.

My first order from Eureka UK came through in around 4 weeks and I have more in the queue. The AB figures are of course sublime, and I'm really pleased that that the infantry at least are a  very good fit beside my Blue Moon figures. I had ordered just 4 carabiniers as I had been told that the cavalry are not such a good match, being on the larger side. This is indeed the case, the AB heavy cavalry horses are huge so I'll continue to use BM for future cavalry. The AB guns are superior to the BM models in my opinion, certainly the wheels are much finer and the overall look is much less chunky so I'll be replacing the BM guns with AB's. On order I have Spanish line and militia, Portuguese Cacadores and Polish infantry plus a few more AB personalities. Below you see Marshal Ney, a fine model that I bought to see how the personalities would fit beside my BM chaps, no problem.

Simon at S&A scenics has been busy supplying me with more of his lovely terrain products, I really like the consistency of the items. So far I have roads in two widths, lots of hills, lots of the new 'more realistic' trees and the vineyard you see below. Simon is currently making matching river sections and some terrain templates for woods etc. The cloth was also supplied by Simon, I have a 4 x 3 piece waiting to be fixed down onto a sheet of ply which will then be edged with a wooden border. I'm really pleased with the overall look.

The houses you see are 10mm  scale by Battlescale painted a couple of years back and being used to represent DBN style BUA's for now. I spent quite a bit of time searching for 'small' 15mm scale Peninsular buildings before remembering good old Hovels resin models, I now have a fair number from the 'Spanish' range on order and these will replace the others to present a more Peninsular theme.

The 40mm's are staying here as display figures.

Lots of pictures as usual!

Both officers are AB figures all others are Blue Moon.

AB Ney.

Next up, more French with AB command figures.

AB guns waiting to be painted.

British army on the march.

Part of the Light Division for DBN. Cacadores on the way. 

Light Dragoons and Hussars.

The S&A Scenics vineyard.

S&A realistic trees.

Awaiting Peninsular buildings.

 

Forward to battle.