Pet Peeve no 257 not a review of Perry and Warlord Napoleonic French Infantry boxes

OK so I'm busy painting my way through some French Infantry for Sharp Practice. I was using Perrys and then because I was hitting a painting block switched to Warlord Late French because they're in Greatcoat so far easier to paint. And all is good. I've pretty much rattled through the unit I needed and my core force is now complete. To do that I bought a box from Warlord - actually from a 3rd party supplier for cost reasons, and for some reason this box boils my blood so as it's a Sunday I thought I would share.

First up - the ££££ . 

Warlord are selling this box for £27.50 as of today. I got mine for £22 inc p&p shopping around. The box contains four half box sprues each of six models, two of which are flank company, and four metal command figures. That's £0.98 per figure. The box also contains an info sheet with some paper flags and a set of ammo box decals and a sprue of bases. 

This is the box from Perry Miniatures

It's not quite equivalent as this one has no greatcoated figures. Also the whole box is plastic. Forty-four  figures split into six sprues each of five men for the line companies, a six figure Command sprue (full size) and two four figure half size elite company sprues which are in more active \ skirmishing poses. I should add the line sprues contain arms to allow you to model them as elites in line as well. Cost from Perrys- £25 so £0.57 each. I'm sure I can pick them up for less if I shop around. The box also contains a similar paint guide \ flag sheet and bases. 

Perrys do another box with similar content but half in greatcoat. I didn't get that because I wrongly assumed I would have the fortitude to paint the whole lot in normal uniform so would not need the greatcoat.

So what is my peeve? Apart from the price, it's bloody obvious Warlord are behind the curve here. The Perry boxes are well thought out and FULL of sprues. I can't stress this enough, you feel like you're getting your $$££ worth as the box is chock full with nine sprues to the point it is hard to get it closed again. Also the box has three different sprues in there so you can get a whole unit in plastic. The comparison with the Warlord box is stark. The sprues only fill half the box, the rest is a plastic clamshell holding the four metal command figures plus some foam to hold them in place. I don't know, but to me it looks like Warlord decided not to include the command and skirmishers as plastic to keep the production cost down to one basic plastic sprue. The side effect is that you and I as the punter are paying more for less figures, some in metal, and three layers of packaging. Working with metal requires different tools and techniques than with plastic too. I know the Warlord sprue was conceived and designed a while ago, but so was the Perry. I'd also accept the Warlord sprue is slightly easier to assemble with fewer parts but it's not that much of a bonus. 

Come on Warlord. Surely it is time to redesign this box to be all plastic, including command and flank company, reduce your production costs, save the planet by cutting down on packaging and bump up the value for money to your customers. This is probably the most common of all the Black Powder range to be bought, being Napoleonic French AND Waterloo period, so it is pretty much a flagship product.

Rant over. And to be fair if you buy the Warlord army boxes or starter sets the per figure cost does come down quite a bit, and it also has to be said Perry produce their artillery and other stuff you will need in metal just like Warlord, and at a comparable price.

So am I getting wound up over nothing or do I have a point? What do you think - comment below please       

En Avante Mes Amis!! Vive l'Empereur etc

I realise I've not given much of an update on the Sharp Practice French I was working on. Looking back, I started them in April and now it's October, which tells a story on it's own. Truth is they've been a bit of a slog. I got through the twelve figure Voltigeur unit in short order, but the Ligne have really been a chore. The real issue is the chest area, with all the collars, turn backs, straps and cross belts was driving me to distraction. I decided to give them a break and work on the Quar, but now I'm back on them.

I've finally managed to finish the first 16 figure unit, but it was hard work and they're not exactly my best work, though they will do from "table distance". They all still need the bases finishing but that pretty much is the last step. 

I got so frustrated with the rank and file that I decided to paint a mounted officer, something to look nice. I bought a pack of Perry Miniatures mounted Colonels - way too senior really for Sharp Practice, but looks good. Actually painting him was easy and quite enjoyable. Like the rest, he looks OK from a distance :-)

need to do something with his face :-) 

Anyway, I've decided to try and speed things up. Last month's issue of Wargames Illustrated had a sprue of Warlord Napoleonic French - six figures in greatcoat. Sadly two are flank company, but looking at the others I suspect these will paint up very fast. Thanks to Dave Lakey (Cheers Dave!) I've acquired a second sprue, and I've ordered another pair of sprues from the Sprue Shop which will give me the sixteen I need - I'll also get a base of Grenadiers if I want them. 

To be honest I had considered Warlord when I was starting the project, but Perry's were just so much better value. Getting half the unit free and not having to deal with the metal Warlord command group which looks a bit iffy to say the least certainly helps. I wonder why Warlord went for the mixed material (plastic rankers but metal command)? I assume production cost, but it does make the boxes a bit on the pricey side on a per figure basis. When I was looking at options the Warlord Army sets were reasonable value, but the individual boxes less so. AND I love Perry's models in general.

The other change I'm going for is to add a gun by Victrix. I swapped a metal Perry one with Andy Parkes (Cheers m8). I prefer the plastic Victrix model because it comes with five crew (spot on for Sharp Practice) while the Perry ones only have four.  

Anyway. I've ordered movement trays from Warbases. Once they arrive I'll have all the "bits" I'll need, just need to get them painted. I've had a bit of a think and I'm worried the sixteen man Ligne units are a bit too fragile. Luckily the overall force cost is pretty low so rather than getting another unit I could add some more troops to the original units making at least one of them a much more robust twenty four strong. 

So this is what I'm now aiming for

1 Unit 12 Voltigeurs

2 Units 16 Ligne

Officers and Leaders for the above

Support options:

at least one base (probably 2) of Ligne to be used either as a third unit or to bolster the others

One artillery piece and crew

One small unit of Dragoons

One or two bases of Grenadiers

Musicians \ Standard Bearers - the latter not so much for on table but maybe as a good option for a Deployment point?

That's the "Cunning Plan" anyway  :-)

  

Sharp Practice Napoleonic French

Not the best picture but here we go 

Not sure how this has happened but I've followed up the Austrians by buying a small French Napoleonic force. This does make some sense I think as it gives me an opponent for the Austrians but also for my Royal Navy Landing Party - whenever that gets done.

So the core force is a unit of a dozen Voltigeurs and two units of sixteen line infantry. I'll chuck in an artillery piece and some Dragoons. I'm going all Perry's again except this time I'm going for a Victrix gun and crew to keep everything plastic.

There's no particular completion date on these thankfully, but hopefully by the summer (not saying which!)

Once theyre done I'm hoping to go back to BRS and finish those damned Condors

Cheers

Austrian Update - Core force done !

So following a spurt of painting I can declare the Austrian core force done!

The main force is two units of "German" Line Infantry as below, including their Officers and NCOs

Plus their "Third Rank" deployed as Skirmishers

That completes the "core" force.

I've also painted some supports - a gun and a group of Jagers will suffice for now and I can fill any holes from the generic support list. Looking forward if I want to expand I have some cavalry and a group of Grenadiers to do, but they can wait til I try the rest out.

It's been a bit of a grind, but not a terrible one. I felt I was losing my mojo with a dozen or so Line infantry to do, but then I got my second wind and got through the last couple of batches pretty quickly.

The artillery were no problem but for some reason I really struggled with the Jagers, to the point where I chucked the towel on and declared them "good enough". 

Not certain if I need a mounted officer or not? Will probably add one later. I'm also short of a Deployment Point but looking at them in the cabinet they are missing a Colour Party so I think I will paint one up just to make everything look "right" and also use as a Deployment Point.

Not too shabby for eight weeks on and off.

So now looking for an opponent to do the traditional hammering on their first trip to the table.

For those interested, particularly as a comparison to GW models and a good reason to look into historicals, this lot, 71 figures and a gun, cost about £70 and theres plenty left if I want to expand.  

 

Progress on Austrians

Quick update. I'm wary of my history of starting many projects but ending few. The issue is painting - sometimes fatigue, but sometimes just being put off by the magnitude of the task.

To try and avoid this I'm deliberately breaking the Austrians down into small and hopefully easily digestible batches. My initial thoughts were doing them in groups of eight, which coincidentally match the size of a group in Sharp Practice. I did complete a group, but found it to be a bit of a slog, so I think I'll try groups of four moving forward.

Anyway here is my first group. Sharp eyed among you will identify them as IR Nr 4 in homage to my old friend John Henderson, who was one of the first "proper" wargamers I got to know and something of an inspiration.

Anyway, enough keyboard action, time to grab a brush and make a start on the second group

Cheers

Project 2024. Austrians for Sharp Practice

I went to Vapnartak in York on Sunday. The cunning plan was to pick up some Austrians to build a Sharp Practice force, using Perry Miniatures. This is going to be my main project for 2024. There is no "official" SP Austrian list but there are a couple of suggestions on the Lard Island forum and I'm going with what looks like a boring but reliable core force as follows:

Austrian Infantry Column 1809+

Leader III (Hauptmann/Captain)

Leader I (Fähnrich/Ensign)

3 Groups of 8 Line, Musket (German or Hungarian)

Leader II (Oberleutnant/1st lieutenant)

3 Groups of 8 Line, Musket (German or Hungarian)

Leader I (Unterleutnant/2nd lieutenant)

1 Group of 6 Grenzers, Musket

64 Points ( I need to check that). That gives me two very solid infantry units and a small group of skirmishers. I think theyre going to be solid but not very flexible, but I can add some variety through the support options. One drawback with the Austrians is their Level 1 Leaders are not able to command other units. That's a problem because they're not very versatile, but on the other hand it does mean they're available to keep their units together when the crap starts flying. 

That was the plan, but as folks know, plans never survive contact with the enemy and this was no exception. 

The first problem was the 48 line infantry. Perry's do a box of plastics containing exactly 48 models. Sadly this includes a colour party, some officers, musicians etc. All essential for "normal" games but extras to a SP list. I suppose I could have picked up an extra sprue from somewhere but I figure a second box will give me options to expand later to do Grenadiers etc. So two boxes of Austrian Infantry. This isn't so much of a problem as convention stalwart Dave Thomas always does deals at his stall, in this case 3 boxes for £55, rather than the £22 each, so it would be rude not to.

Next up the Grenzers. I intended to pick up a blister of skirmishing Grenzers - that would be six figures. I'd need a figure for the Officer but it seemed a stretch to buy a Command pack.  As it happens this was not a problem, or rather it was, because Dave T didn't have any with him. I did a quick rethink and bought some Jagers and Command - I was going to get some as support options anyway. Jagers are very good but expensive, basically the same as British Riflemen.

Speaking of support options, I fancied an artillery piece so picked up a 6Pdr Wurst (horse artillery). The only problem here is there are only four crew in the blister - SP artillery needs five, but I'm sure I will be able to find a stand in somewhere.

Lastly - the third box to get the deal - I picked up a box that can be built as Dragoons or Cuirassiers.

All in all that should give me plenty of troops to build my force, with a  fair choice of support options. 

After getting home I had a bit of a rethink and decided to change the core force a little. I'll totally drop the Grenzers and replace them with "Third Rank" skirmishers. Austrian Battalions didn't have a designated Light Company like the British and French. Instead they were supposed to provide a skirmish screen by detaching men from the third rank of their three rank formation. In SP theyre not very good, but they're really only there to screen the main force so that's not a disaster. So my plan will be to replace the Grenzers with these "Third Rankers" Perrys do a pack of fusiliers skirmishing, and I could pick up a Command pack which would give me some spare officer types which will provide some different poses to the plastic ones. 

So that's the plan. Let's see if it holds together, particularly when I start to try and paint all those white uniforms!