Collecting a Wargames Army 103... Again

It's been a while since I sat to write anything beyond the basic updates, but I felt that with the completion of the 1st Brigade (and my Light Division) it was time to add a new article. In both this short series and the ECW series, I have talked about setting goals so you can keep track of your progress. I don't think I mentioned how great it feels to finally reach the goal! Of course, the project isn't really finished. I want to add two squadrons of the 1st KGL Hussars and two squadrons of the 16th Light Dragoons, but these units were detached to cover Craufurd's infantry and not really part of the Light Division. I also plan to add two guns from the RHA, complete with limbers and an artillery wagon. Finally, I want to paint a courier model or two and a couple of vingettes that I can use to mark unit status. I am giving myself until the end of the year to paint these models and then I hope to start on the French! There were a few minor variations from my plan from article one. The Cazadore units were reduced to twenty models and the Rifle units were reduced to twelve models each. This was done in order to keep my 1:30 scale and to give me the same number of models in each company (five four-model companies for each Cazadores battalion and four three-model companies for each Rifle unit).

I mentioned some historical inaccuracies in my first article and I thought I should point out another one before I get an avalanche of e-mail (it happens). The Cazadore units were not issued with standards during the Peninsular War. Initially, I left them out as well, but after setting my units up on my wargame table, I decided to add flags. They are purely fictional, designed after the ones carried by Portugese line troops. In any case, as my models are based individually, I can always substitute them if necessary. Another perk about basing the models individually rather than the multi-stand vingettes that I prefer is that I can now use my collection with a variety of rulesets, organizing my force into units of 12-30 models depending on what the rules call for. Most importantly, I can finally play some skirmish games... as soon as I get around to the French, that is...