From RayR: Retreat from Moscow - L'escadron sacré (101 points)

 

The Sacred Squadron (French L'escadron sacré) was an ad hoc cavalry unit which served briefly in the French Grande Armée during the final stage of the Emperor Napoleon's retreat from Moscow in 1812. It was remarkable in that it consisted - out of military necessity - entirely of officers, with those below the rank of colonel serving as troopers.

The Sacred Squadron was formed on 23 November 1812, by the Bobr River (perhaps at Borisoff, in modern Belarus) to serve as Napoleon's bodyguard. It was disbanded on 10 December 1812, in Kowno (modern Kaunas, Lithuania). It therefore served during the crossing of the Berezina (26-29 November), and continued to exist for a few days after Napoleon's departure for Paris on 5 December.

Its existence is recorded in the 29th Bulletin of the Grande Armée, by which Napoleon hinted to the French people for the first time the scale of the disaster which had befallen the Grande Armée:

"Our cavalry was dismounted to such a degree, that it was necessary to collect the officers who had still a horse remaining, in order to form four companies of 150 men each. The Generals there performed the functions of captains, and the colonels of subalterns. This sacred squadron, commanded by General Grouchy, and under the orders of the King of Naples (Murat), did not lose sight of the Emperor in all these movements."

No written order establishing the unit has been found; it is possible that it was set up orally. No official record of those who served in it has survived; considering the circumstances, it is possible that none was ever made, or that the records of Marshal Berthier (Napoleon's Chief of Staff) were lost during the retreat. Other sources give lower numbers than Napoleon's 600: Chandler says 500.

In addition to its commander Général de division Grouchy, the following are said to have served with the Sacred Squadron:

Général de division de La Tour-Maubourg
Général de brigade de La Grange 
Colonel Rambourgt 
Colonel de Fernig 
Lieutenant-colonel de Castellane
Lieutenant-colonel de Lascours 
Chef d'escadron  de Gramont 
Chef d'escadron  de Potier 
Capitaine Aimé Benoît Delamalle
Lieutenant Le Bon Desmottes 
Lieutenant Claude-Xavier-Louis-François Martin
Lieutenant Saint-Geniès 
Sous-lieutenant Korte 

My 2 Commanders, both are from Front Rank miniatures. On my brand new Warbases sabot bases.

These 4 are all Casting Room Miniatures and all have had green stuff cloaks and a scarf to hold his bicorne on.

Four more figures from Front Rank, there was no need to add anything on these, I could have added a cape for the Guard figure, but didn't want to spoil his uniform.

So there we have it, Napoleon's Sacred Squadron, or 10 Mounted Commanders, if you don't want the Sacred Squadron in a game..

Points are easy, 10 figures at 10 points each, 100 pts, maybe Teemu would like to add some extra for the the cloaked commanders.

TeemuL: It would have been wrong to expect nothing less than a weekly Retreat from Moscow entry from Ray in addition to bonus points grab! Good to see some mounted additions to your force, at least some have enough food to feed the horses and make their travel a bit more comfortable. As the bestest of Minions, I'll give you a bonus point for the cloaked commanders.

From JezT: Mixed Crossbow - 28mm (35 points)

Hi All 

Small post from me resulting from a "stock check" of my Crossbow figures. I usually play Basic Impetus Bolt Action but for some armies I have based using sabot bases so I can play smaller skirmish games such as Saga using the figures individually. For my Late Crusader army and Normans I was cross mixing using the same figures - I could get away with it although the bases were different. 

Anyway now solved this problem! Firstly found a few old Gripping Beast figures which I painted up for the Late Crusaders - 

Painted to represent City of Jerusalem

Painted as Knights Hospitallers

Next is a pack of Footsore Crossbow painted up to use in the Norman army. These Footsore have a bit more dynamic poses and will match in as I have the Footsore Norman archers and spearmen. 

One was promoted to a Spearman - or is that demoted?

So just a simple 7 foot figures for 35 points this week. 

Cheers Jez

TeemuL: Simple 35 points, but very good brushwork and nice to hear your plans to use these models in your various games. I love the light blue colours on the first one.

From MattW: Italians and Greeks (115 points)

More Italians and Greeks additions 

First up some Italians for Infamy Infamy skirmish rules, not sure of the brand Agema perhaps, hand painted shields.

Another unit of Greeks, again Immortal miniatures now sold by Warlord Games,  6 more units to go and the heavy infantry will be done. Again VVV decals on the shields. 

10 Italians @ 5 points = 50

12 Greeks @ 5 points = 60

Total points 110

Cheers

Matt

TeemuL: Good looking warriors, but more photos would show them even better. Nevertheless, nice additions to your forces. And naturally some bonus points for hand painted shields.

From DaveD: Zulu’s (72 points)

Ok - from the snows of NW Europe to Summer on the Veldt of  Southern Africa. MartinC of this parish and I are working on a Zulu war project - well he’s done most of his Brits already of course. It’s time for me to get my finger out and raise the forces of the Zulu king Cetshawyo. Of course I have over a 1000 of these to paint - what other number of Zulus might there be?😆😆. Though for painting at 10mm they are pretty easy at least. I also happened to have cast these ones up too as part of my part time hobby job at the casting furnaces of Pendraken Miniatures . From ingot to impi in a few weeks . 

We will use my home brew rule set for a game along with a large campaign . We have access to some large tables - mad friend Gerry with his two  24x6 - and will have Martins  British columns lost in the vastness , we will await that cry “Zulus Thousands of em!” We are doing a ratio of 1/20 overall . 

So here is the first regiment getting ready to wash their spears - The “ uMbonambi” who were part of the left horn at Islandwahna . So these are  just under 1500 strong at the moment, I will add another 28 to take them to 2000 they had for the battle .

Plus the start of the next one , in more fancy headdress 

These ones are from Steve Barber rather than Pendraken.

Rather than apply tufts to these , I have applied the mix of 3 different (2 that are 2mm , and 1 that is 1mm)  static grasses directly . 

Certainly it’s a nice an easy job - do it across two or 3 times , blow of the excess and do it again . Took about 10 minutes altogether with applying the glue dabs first . 

Last year I paid a visit to the Royal Engineers museum and viewed Lt Chards pistol along with other choice exhibts .  The museum is well worth a visit .

Points :- 72 x 10mm infantry = 72 points 

And also for the colonial `duel with Robert .

TeemuL: First we had British for zulu wars and then we have Zulus for zulu wars. Can this be a coincidence? No, it is not, it seems to be a clever plan by two members of Thursday crew. So we have a joint operation of Retreat from Moscow between Thursday and Friday crews and now we this Zulu Wars project between members of Thursday crew. Excellent! Dave, I think you need couple of more Zulus to get a fair fight with those British battalions... Or very much static grass to hide your troops!

From MartinC: I appear to be only painting tiny things this year (300 points)

After skipping last week, how I ever found the time for work I'll never know, I'm back on track with loads for 10mm

First up the last Italian Wars figures, one and a half Landsknecht pike blocks. This gives me 8 pike blocks in the army. I'm playing with my BIL on Thursday using these figs and will give him his Saxon units.

I still love the flags

This would be a legion in kings of war, but a mad idea.

Next up Dave and I are doing a 10mm Zulu war campaign, Dave wanted 1000 zulu figures on the table, so I'm the British. Zulu war was my first love in wargaming and I got my 1st metal  figures as a 13 year old boy. So a nice foray. I've already painted up some british infantry and irregular horse but the biggest units are the Natal Native Contingent. 

3x1000 strong battalions

These are Steve Barber figures, very nice but a bit static.

I also had enough to paint a Royal Engineer Company,  a company of Natal Native Pioneers and  spare company of NNC.

We plan a long table campaign, with large British supply columns and the need for lots of scouting. So you need lots of things to scout for

These oxen will double as Zulu cattle herds and laagered British baggage

What better for the scouts to spot, and the officers to hunt, than some lions

Scores on the doors

96 landsknecht = 96 points, plus any sexy flag bonus

166 NNC and British infantry = 166pts

34 oxen and lions = 34 pts

Total 296

TeemuL: Your painted things might be tiny, but they do look great. The flags make them look even better, so I'll give you 4 sexy flag bonus points. The pike block with flags looks good, I agree with you. Your animals to spot and hunt look very lively, they'll make a great additions to your table. And your British battalions may look a bit monotonous, but I'm sure that's just the British discipline. :)

From PaulSS: A second batch of Napoleonic French (93 points)

 

I've completed another batch of Baccus 6mm Napoleonic French infantry over the past couple of weeks. 

These three battalions represent the last of the Infantry in Greatcoats pack that I bought. Truth be told I thought there was only enough troops for six battalions in the pack so it was a pleasant surprise to be able to get a 7th battalion done in the mix.

I used four of the five command stands in the last batch, so there was only a single left for these three, so this battalion got that one and the other two battalions are just led by a mounted officer.

All three battalions are done as standard line infantry with a mix of different coloured greatcoats and shako covers. I'll be starting on some battalions in Bardin uniforms for the next batch.

Not only did I get bonus seven battalions out of the pack, there were enough bases to do another couple of companies for the start of a 4th unit, hopefully future batches will yield enough spares to complete this bonus unit!

I've also made a start on the light companies with eight bases done, these are in a mixture of greatcoats and Bardin uniforms.

Finally a couple of commanders to lead the brigades.

So in all it's 9 mounted and 167 food added for a total of 93 points.

TeemuL: Quite a varied entry, Paul. Your pack seems to be full of nice surprises, generating this nice and varied entry. Looking forward to your next entry.