"LAND OF THE FREE" WARGAMES RULES BY OSPREY

As mentioned in a previous post Osprey are publishing a new set of rules "Land of the Free"(I think it comes out in November) written by Joe Krone. The rules cover the wars in North America from 1754-1815. Joe had commissioned Hart of War about a year ago to paint some 15mm figures to illustrate the book, and also to be used for play testing. Joe has kindly sent some pictures to show on this blog. There is also an article reviewing the rules in the latest edition of Wargames Illustrated (Issue 324 October 2014). So here are some of the pictures. They are all 15mm and made by Blue Moon Manufacturing Company from the period of the French/Indian Wars. All the figures are now in the collection of Kevin Krause in America. I should also add that my contact details are in the book but they got the email address wrong lol (its p414hart@btinternet.com not p414@btinternet.com).

Above and below: 71st Highland Regiment

British Foot Artillery

 

Colonial Rangers

 

French Compegnies Frenches De La Marines

French Foot Artillery

British Officer

French Infantry

French High Command

British Line and Provincial Infantry Regiments

TARLETON'S BRITISH LEGION

Sir Banastre Tarleton - a controversial figure or just misrepresented? Whatever your views if you are seriously collecting for the AWI he is bound to crop up at some point.
I used the well known painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds to paint him. The figure is the officer from Perry Miniatures British Legion Command pack. I have just made a plume for his helmet using green stuff.

The rest of the pictures are of Tarleton's Raiders and their supporting light infantry and artillery gun. The Legion Cavalry and artillery are Perry's and the Light Infantry are Foundry, all 28mm.
These are now in the collection of Martin Scott of Herts Volunteers Wargames Club, and will be fighting it out in the clubs AWI campaign game in December...

INDIANS! 28MM PERRY MINIATURES AWI

These are Perry Miniatures 28mm Woodland Indians from their AWI range. Do I need to say they are really nice? I've never painted anything bad from Perry Miniatures! These are now in the collection of Mick Hoddy, part of a British AWI Brigade that was commissioned for a Herts Volunteers Wargames Club AWI campaign game, which begins in December. I have already painted two British brigades for Mick, and will soon be starting an American brigade and a third British one for him.
I have also painted a British brigade for another club member, Martin Scott, along with Tarleton and his Legion, and will soon be painting a Hessian brigade for him.
I have been painting quite a lot of American War of Independence figures lately, using both Wargames Foundry and Perry Miniatures. I hope to get more pictures of them posted on the blog.
In fact I think there will be a theme running through the next few posts because there will be a new set of rules published by Osprey in November I think - covering the war in America from the period of the French/Indian Wars to 1812. They are written by Joe Krone for whom I painted a large collection of British and French 15mm French/Indian Wars figures. These figures have been used for play testing and photographed for use in the rulebook. Joe has very kindly sent me some of the pictures, so I will be putting them here on this blog in a future post! I have added a sneaky pick with this post - some 15mm mounted French commanders from the French/Indian Wars.

28MM NAPOLEONIC FRENCH IMPERIAL GUARD GRENADIERS A PIED

More 28mm Perry Miniatures Napoleonic French Imperial Guard figures dug out from the photographic archives- this time the Grenadiers a Pied 1815.  Like the Chasseurs in the previous post they were sold on Ebay a few years ago. I'm sure I had more photographs of these units but they seem to have gone astray.

And where the Imperial Guard are Napoleon can't be far away - where is he? Oh yes, I need to finish painting him!

28MM FRENCH NAPOLEONIC IMPERIAL GUARD CHASSEURS A PIED

These were painted a few years ago and sold on Ebay. They are the 1st Chasseues a Pied of the Imperial Guard, Perry Miniatures and obviously from the period 1812-15.  Lovely figures as always with Perry's. I think maybe a darker blue should have been used, not sure what shade of blue would have been seen in the field, probably faded with the apocalyptic storm before Waterloo. Would all of the French soldiers have had French blue? I remember reading that Davout had complained to Napoleon in 1815 that he couldn't find/produce enough coats in the right blue colour. Napoleon's reply was basically who cares - make them dark blue, light blue, grey - it didn't matter as long as each regiment had the same colour/shade to aid the feeling of unity and morale within each unit. Typical Napoleon - as long as there were guns, boots and plenty of ammo and men willing and able to fight all would be ok.