Napoleonic British

These first photos come after two weeks of painting. The Napoleonic period has always been a favorite of mine, but
the sheer number of models needed for a game (and I always build at least two armies) has stopped me from even
getting started. I favor brigade level games where an infantry battalion is represented by 30-40 models. This past
Christmas I got the entire Sharpe series on DVD. The movies are pale shadows in comparison to Bernard Cornwell's
novels, but they got me to go back and read the novels again... which got me to pull out a box of unpainted figures I've
had around for some time... which got me to planning... well... I'll save that for the article!

Featured here are members of the South Essex Light Company circa Sharpe's Enemy (Dec 1812). At the beginning
of the book, the diminutive company consisted of the newly gazetted Major Richard Sharpe and Lieutenant Harry Price
leading a force of  ten Riflemen (including Sergeant Harper), formerly of the 95th, and twenty-one redcoats
(including Sergeants Huckfield and MacGovern). 

Presenting the 52nd Light Infantry! In the the first two shots they are supported by two companies of the
95th Rifles. I mentioned in the first Napoleonic article that I was taking liberty with this unit, by painting the
facings yellow rather than the buff that they should be... this extended to the regimental flag. Silly that I
wanted to accurately depict a fictional unit (the South Essex) for my skirmish games, but chose to alter
the facts for my historical unit, but there you have it...

I made the flags on the computer and they are typical of the style I used with my ECW models.

You can click on the FIRST image below to see a larger version of that image. It was hard getting good shots
with a 30-man unit in line and making them fit my web template image!

My first Portugese Cazadores! I was really happy with the way these models turned out. I don't normally like to
publish shots much larger than actual size, because my painting style is designed to look good on the tabletop
and sometimes they look a little rough up close, but a couple of you sent e-mails asking for more detailed shots.
These gents are the first models from my 3rd Cazadores and will be part of a 24-man battalion (which I hope to
have photos of in a week or two).

And here they are! Some of my sources have the 3rd Cazadores brigaded with the 52nd Light Infantry and some
have the 1st Cazadores. I suspect the organization changed frequently. Anyway, for my purposes the 2nd Brigade
is finished, along with their brigade commander, Lt Colonel Barclay. I have no idea what sort of uniform the 
gentleman wore. Many officers above battalion level chose something other than the standard issue red coat.
Out of sheer bordome with red (I have just started on the 43rd), I chose to depict him wearing a version of the
"undress" uniform coat which, for some reason, was blue...

Here is the 1st Brigade, commanded by the leader of the 95th Rifles, Lt Colonel Beckwith. The unit consists of the
43rd Light Infantry, the 1st Cazadores, and four companies of the 95th Rifles.

The Light Division advances in column of march with skirmishers deployed to protect against ambush!

More photos with various detail shots...

Yes, I know Cazadore units didn't have standards, but they look great on the wargames table...

And finally, Brigadier General "Black Bob" Craufurd urges on the troops as they march past!

Support for my Light Brigade! This is the first squadron of 1st KGL Hussars.