From RichardM - Peninsular continues with Hessen-Darmstadt, more Swiss and last of the Portuguese Line (166 points)

My last of the Portuguese infantry, some more Swiss - but more importantly the start of the "German" Division allies for Napoleon.  As with my other posts, these are all Adler Miniatures 6mm Napoleonics.

We should start with the "Germans" from the Confederation of the Rhine as they are different from prior weeks.  

This unit is two battalions of the Gross-und Erbprinz Regiment.  They were present at some of the larger engagements such as Talavera, Ocana and Badajoz.  I did these in more of a campaign dress with blanket roll and a mixture of coloured trousers, mostly brown.   I think because of the figures that I have most of the other CotR troops will look more like on a parade ground.

For the Swiss, I have painted the 2nd Swiss Regiment with their dark blue facings.  They started in the Peninsula in 1807 with the 2nd Battalion racing to Lisbon in the hope of catching the Portuguese Royal Family.  The 1st and 3rd Battalions later entered the Peninsula.  While they were active in many smaller actions over subsequent years, they do not appear to have fought in any of the larger actions that I will refight on the tabletop.  However, as I said last week, I am also painting them for action in Russia in 1812 so I thought it better to do all the Swiss at once, before I forget the colours used.  

Lastly I have the end of the Portuguese Line Infantry - the 2nd, 9th and 14th Regiments - each of two battalions.  This brings the total for the Portuguese painted in this year's Challenge to 36 battalions of Line Infantry, 10 battalions of Cacadores and three cavalry regiments.   

I still need to do officers, artillery and skirmishers for the Portuguese which I think will be after the challenge.  

Next week should be more of the Confederation of the Rhine, the 3rd Swiss Regiment and the first of some Spanish.  

Points:

Swiss

- 3 battalions of 36 figures @ 0.5 points per figure = 56 points

- Regimental commander with 2 mounted figures @ 1 point per figure - 2 points

Hessen-Darmstadt - 2 battalions of 36 figures @ 0.5 points = 36 points

Line battalions - 6 battalions of 24 figures each @ 0.5 points per figures = 72 points

Total = 166 points

From Millsy:

Nice to see the Germans getting a look in this time Richard. Confederation troops are such a melting pot both of uniform variety and troop quality. It's hard to to find something to like about every unit. Stiffened up with the ever reliable Swiss I am sure they'll serve you well.

We focus a lot on points total but if ever we scored on actual bodies you'd come out in front by a county mile mate! Lovely work as ever and 166 well earned points it is.

Cheers,

Millsy

From RichardM - Peninsula Swiss Napoleonics and more Portuguese (202 points)

This will be the second last post with Portuguese Infantry and to spice it up a bit I have included some Swiss Napoleonics.  As with all of the other posts, these are all Adler Miniatures 6mm Napoleonics.

I'll do the Swiss first.  There are four Swiss Regiments that I will eventually paint (12 battalions).  These will also be used for the other campaigns where the Swiss supported Napoleon - notably in Russia at Polotsk.  

I have painted the 4th Swiss Regiment this week, elements of which fought at Rolica and Bailen in the Peninsular.  I will follow with the 2nd and 3rd Regiments in subsequent weeks - I don't believe the 1st Regiment were in the Peninsular.  

Next up are the prodigal 11th and 12th Cacadores who went missing when called on for the first weeks basing and photos.  That brings me to a total of 10 battalions of Cacadores which are all I am doing.

Then we have the 1st, 6th, 13th and 23rd Portuguese Line Regiments - each of two battalions.  I think this leaves me three regiments still to paint, which I hope to get finished next week.  

And lastly there is the final Portuguese cavalry regiment - the 1st Regiment with their white facings.  These cavalry have been pretty boring to paint - being blue and a facing colour - and from what I have read they should perform poorly on the tabletop.

Next week should be the last of the Portuguese Line and the beginnings of the German troops that fought for Napoleon in the Peninsular.

Points:

Swiss

- 3 battalions of 36 figures @ 0.5 points per figure = 56 points

- Regimental commander with 2 mounted figures @ 1 point per figure - 2 points

Cacadores - 2 battalions of 24 figures each @ 0.5 points per figure = 24 points

Line battalions - 8 battalions of 24 figures each @ 0.5 points per figures = 96 points

Cavalry regiment of 24 mounted figures @ 1 point per figure = 24 points

Total = 202 points

From Millsy:

Another monumental effort to paint wee men Richard! By my count that's 352 infantry just this week.

I'm not sure what I find more impressive, your ability to grind away without losing focus or the consistently high quality of the effort whilst doing so. I wasn't aware there WAS as many as battalions of Cacadores, never mind committing to painting them all.

Very much looking forward to the KGL. Some of my favourite troops on the allied side.

Great work again mate. 202 points for you tally.

Cheers,
Millsy

From RichardM - More Portuguese 6mm Napoleonic Line Infantry and some Cavalry (192 points)

Continuing with my 6mm Peninsula Napoleonic theme, this week I have more Portuguese Line Infantry Battalions and some Portuguese cavalry.  As before, all of these figures are Adler Miniatures Napoleonics.

But before they are presented for your 'squinting' view - some good news.  

Keen readers of my posts will recall last week that I thought I had painted two more Cacadore Battalions than I had to photo and present - I believed I was missing the 8th and 9th Battalions.  

Well imagine my joy (and relief for my mental faculties) this morning as I was clearing the chaos on my desk to photograph this week's production when the fugitives appeared - albeit on their painting sticks and not ready for presentation.  Even more surprise when I saw from their painting sticks that they are actually the 11th and 12th Battalions and not the 8th and 9th (for those curious, I can now safely say the 8th and 9th will not be appearing).    

On to this week's work.  First up are the new 12 Line Battalions - in this case two battalions each from the 4th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th Regiments. 

Now some aerial shots of them.  I have included these photos to illustrate the 'mass' effect of 6mm figures.  A number of you who commented on last week's work noted that this was where 6mm came into their prime.  I am looking forward to when the 40-odd Portuguese battalions are laid out like this in a few weeks time.

On the (my) verdant field of Salamanca with the Grand Arapile in the background 

Then I've done the 1st and the 10th Portuguese Line Cavalry Regiments - each of 4 squadrons of 6 figures.

And finally, the missing Cacadores that will be ready for next week.  Despite their protests at being photographed when not ready, I include a photo purely to ensure their embarrassment at not being present at last week's muster.   These will be based and included in next week's production stats. 

I still have another 14 Portuguese Line Battalions to paint.  However, in an attempt to introduce some variety into these posts, next week I will mix things up a bit.  There'll still be some Portuguese but also some of the Swiss Battalions that the French took with them into Spain.  

In a further attempt for variety - I dug into the basement to find the bag containing the figures for Napoleon's German / Confederation of the Rhine Division that he sent to the Peninsula as well as a few Total Battle Miniatures buildings to paint over the coming weeks.  Hard to think - but there are over 800 figures in that bag - a little depressing to consider that is 'only' 400 points :)

Points

12 Line Battalions each of 24 figs - 288 figures at 0.5 points = 144

2 Cavalry Regiments each of 24 figures - 48 figures at 1 point = 48

Total = 192 points

From Millsy:

LOL! I can only imagine the relief when you located your AWOL battalions mate. The wee buggers are clearly quite adept at hiding which is no surprise given their light infantry background. I remember you talking about the missing troops and there was genuine bewilderment in your tone.

Lovely brushwork once again. The photos on the units en masse really highlights the benefit of smaller scales. This looks like a proper Napoleonic battle line, not half a dozen blokes taking a flag for a walk.

Great stuff and 192 points well earned.

Cheers,
Millsy

From RichardM: Start of my Peninsular 6mm Napoleonic Forces - Portuguese Cacadores and Line Infantry (216 points)

After having so much fun and getting so much work done last year, I am back again in 2026 - again tackling something small scale.  

This year I am going to work my way through a range of units for my Peninsular Napoleonic armies.

The figures I am posting will be exclusively from Adler Miniatures.  While they are labelled as 6mm, they are much closer to 8mm and much larger than the grandfather of 6mm armies - Heroic & Ros.

I am starting with the Portuguese and will continue with them for a few weeks / posts.  Following (in an undecided and probably haphazard order) will be Spanish, some British, Swiss and the German Allied Divisions that fought for France.  Having looked at the photos below I will also do a few small pieces of terrain to accompany them and make the photos a bit more atmospheric.

The first units are eight battalions of Cacadores - specifically the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 10th.  

You may ask where are the 8th and 9th battalions?  So am I!!   I am pretty sure I painted them two weeks ago and now cannot find them to include.  I'm sure they will turn up at some stage.  

I have painted them in the 1811 uniform which used a Stovepipe shako and hence I am using advancing British Stovepipe infantry figures for them.

I also know that they were not allocated colours and certainly did not carry any into the field.  But I have nearly always provided a colour to all of my 6mm Napoleonic units to assist in identification on the table and because they look good on a table full of little figures.   

All eight Cacadores Battalions

A Cacadore Battalion from the flank

Two Cacadore Battalions in line

Then we have 10 Line Infantry Battalions.  These are organised and painted as two battalion regiments - so we have the 3rd, 8th, 12th, 15th and the 16th regiments.  The identification of individual regiments is important so I can paint the correct collar, cuffs and turnback colours and assign the correct regimental flags.  I took a few more close up and individual photos - but they are blurier than my eyes after celebrating the Australian Ashes victory :)

(PS: Anyone with advice on how to improve photography of 6mm miniatures will be welcomed)

Points:

Cacadores - eight battalions of 24 figures each @ 0.5 points per figure = 96

Line Battalions - 10 battalions of 24 figures each @ 0.5 points per figure = 120

Total: 216 points

From Millsy:

Seems like the man who loves the wee men is at it again! I absolutely love your small scale stuff Richard and I never cease to be amazed at how much you can knock out in one go without sacrificing the quality.

These are all lovely but I think the pick of the bunch for me are the Cacadores, for the flags alone if nothing else. The Portuguese certainly knew what a good colour looked like.

Great stuff mate and 216 well earned points added to your tally for the year.

Cheers,
Millsy