IR52/IR53 Combined Grenadier Battalion
For my Austrian army at Marengo, I require four battalions of Grenadiers. This first one, like all Grenadier Battalions was created from the Grenadier companies of the regiments present in the division. Therefore the facing colours could vary within the Grenadier Battalion dependent on which regiments the companies were drawn from.
The Austrian Hungarian Regiments present at Marengo were IR52 Anton and IR53 Jellacic. Both these Regiments had the same colour of facings, but with different coloured buttons, and as I'm painting 15mm scale figures, I'll not be attempting to paint buttons unless really necessary. So this Battalion has consistent facing colouring throughout the miniatures.
The figures are from Blue Moon, and as usual are very well cast, with tons of character. The detail on these is superb, from the back of the fur cap showing the proper bag-like material that other companies seem to miss, to the raised piping down the legs of the Hungarian breeches. They were a joy to paint - though I did feel I was going nowhere with the unit for a while, painting the white, the blue, then the yellow, then the pink, before even doing the packs and muskets! How many colours can one unit have?
These figure look great when finished, and when seen standing alongside my other Blue Moon battalions, Blue Moon are becoming my favourite figures. My only thought on the range is, where is the Hungarian Infantry in helmets? Why only shakos?
Here are the Blue Moon regiments all together and another picture that shows the great detailing on the breeches.
And as this isn't my first Hungarian Battalion I thought I'd post the Grenadiers alongside the first battalion I painted for this project, the 4th Banat Grenzers. That unit used figures from Warmodelling, and although I'm happy with it, I may get myself a Blue Moon Grenz battalion as well, just because I like their miniatures so much.
5 comments:
Sorry, it is Pompadour facings for these two units (actually darker than the chart I produced some years ago) - IR53 was descended from Trenk's Pandours, so pink wasn't really what they had in kind! You are right on the single Ordinarfahne.
I am not sure what you mean by 4th Banat - the Banat supplied 12. Deutsch-Banat Grenzer and 13. Wallach-Illyrian Grenzer (probably he worst unit in the army). The only 4th Banat was a composite battalion in the 2nd Coalition war.
Very nicely painted anyway.
Dave Hollins
The Blue Moon figures look good especially with your brushwork. When I think of pompadour, I envision more of a rose or burgundy color than pink. But, in the field, colors fade quickly so it really depends on your tastes.
Wargames Illustrated had an Marengo scenario in issue 290 back in 2011. I'm using the OoB from that as my army list. They have the 4th Banat Grenz in O'Reilly's Brigade. It could possibly be the Banater Grenz Infantry Regiment Nr.4?
I think I'll go with Jonathan's "faded" excuse for the colour being wrong. Rather than repainting. ;)
Fair enough, as these colours ran in the rain!
The 4th Banat would be the 2nd Coalition War composite battalions as they were thrown together hurriedly after heavy losses in the Turkish Wars. they would be a mix of 12th Regt (Deutsch-Banat) and 13. Regt (Wallach-Illyrian). Most of the regiments only appeared as single units from 1805 onwards (which coincidentally was the first war in which the battalions were of uniform appearance as kit was supplied on a six year rolling basis).
Regards, dave
As far as I'm aware, the rain was exceptionally heavy the night before the Austrian breakout, hence the Fontanone being harder than expected to cross. That will be my excuse for the washed out colours sorted.
And thanks for the info on the Grenz, Dave.
I wish some company would produce Austrian miniatures with accurately mixed uniforms so that we can build units that show the transitional state the Austrian Army was in at the time. I'd love to see some helmeted infantry with the older style knapsacks or infantry wearing the newer uniform but with the older casquet hat. Mixed uniform, or more irregular, Grenz would be an excellent and welcome range as well.
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