40mm: Wittenberg - Boritzy Freikorps Grenadiers

Genral Waldebeck arrives to inspect the Boritzy Freikorps grenadiers

The grenadiers form up in line, and the General starts his inspection..

he is pleased with what he has seen and instructs Count Boritzy that they are to be prepared for departure to the south. The General also enquires when the rest of the freikorps will be available, he is especially interested in the Uhlans and asks the Count to double his efforts to have them ready as soon as possible.

[figs: Cast from Creartec moulds; except the drummer (Irregular miniatures) and officer with partizan (Sash &Sabre)]

Wittenberg - The Duke of Fenwick departs

The Duke of Fenwick has completed his visit to Wittenberg. The King and the court are saying their goodbyes, before he departs.

[all my personality figures now have their clear bases done, it makes such a difference to the look - no clonky big thick bases]

1740 - Forces in Motion (3rd Belgravian Wars) ...

further extracts from the History of Wittenberg by Brother James of Alt-Wittendorf ...

A brief reprise - the Monrovian army and their allies had been holding the Ottenheim valley for some time; the fieldworks at the Vortvod gap to the north held the Wittenberg army at bay.
However a major effort by Wittenberg engineers had cleared the landslip blocking the only other passage through the hills at Hausdorf and the army had started moving through to outflank the Vortvod gap position; heir attempt to take Verlendt had failed, losing the town to the Monrovians.

---oXo---

The Monvrovians ...

After his success in capturing Verlendt, Count Stricknein considered his options. His position at the VortVod gap had been outflanked by the enemy movement through the Hausdorf pass; making his position untenable. Besides which he was short of cavalry despite his requests for more re-inforcements. It was time to withdraw.

He sent orders to Count Pottsendorf to withdraw his troops and march south to Vanderhof to secure the river crossing back into the northern part of Saxe-Jarlsberg from where he could return to Monrovia. The main body of his army was ordered to concentrate north of Oberstein to block any move by the Wittenberg army to reach the river crossing at Vanderhof.

Count Pottensdorf commanding the Saxe-Jarslberg and allied contingent withdrew from the Vortvod gap fieldworks overnight, having first sent some troops ahead to plunder Ottenheim, from there they moved south to Vanderhof. The Munkasse Fusiliers and Monrovian Hussars escort the 'plunder' back to Vanderhof, some brigands watch its progress warily from the edge of a wood.

---oXo---

The Wittenbergers ....

The Wittenland army corps was slow to respond to the abandonment of the Vortvod gap fieldworks, as soon as they realised what had happened they moved forward, however heavy rain had left the area very muddy and it was hard going - gaps in the fieldworks had to made. The Leib Dragoons had moved on into Vortvod only to be pushed out again by a rearguard of Saxe-Jarlsberg dragoons and jagers.

General Waldebeck heard from a scout that the Monrovians had left Verlendt, he immediately notified the Field Marshal who had been moving the Boldavian army corps up towards Schnotwitz on the road to Verlendt. The news forced a rethink of the whereabouts of the Monrovian army. The Field Marshal ordered the Uhlans to the southwest to scout the route to Vanderhof.

Uhlans force back the Monrovian dragoon vedettes, pursuing them they are fired on by the Monrovian jager battalion guarding the bridge.

The Uhlans fall back to shadow the Monrovians and send riders to report.

Grand Designs (4) - clear base MK2

I wanted to eliminate as much as possible the plastic 'edge' effect, where the cut plastic leaves a white edge to the base. After a hunt around in my bits draw I found some clear plastic from some packaging that I saved.

As you can see in the picture below, the new thinner base is much better (a piece of the previous plastic I was using is shown for comparison).

I now have a basing material I am happy with. I will only be using the clear bases on my 'personality figures' which will be in and around the palace (some 20figs+), the rest will use green bases.

It may be some time before the palace or some of its rooms appear.

Grand Designs(3) - Trial Clear Figure Base

I had a spare painted fusilier figure, so I cut off the base carefully around the feet then trimmed and filed the excess from the bottom of the feet. I used a small piece of clear plastic which I chose as it wasn't too thick, a couple of dabs of super glue on the bottom of the feet and onto the base.

Below the fusilier tries out his new means of support. The edge of the base is visible but overall it looks better that the guardsman he is standing next to, not so 'clunky'. From above it looks OK, from low down it can be a bit reflective.

Grand Designs (2) - Initial Thoughts

I tried to sketch out a plan for the palace building, I found this could be potentially very large and make for storage problems. Another problem I thought of was if the rooms had ceilings then taking photos might be tricky. So initial concept is:

1. Exterior - A low relief model of the front of the palace, main entrance with portico and some part of the gardens.
2. Interior - build separate rooms, corridors (with optional ceilings), easier to work on and also makes it easy to add another room if I think of one. Also these can be stored more easily.

I'll be trying out putting a clear plastic base on a spare figure next.

Grand Designs ?

I really enjoyed the visit to the map room on Campaigns In Germania (http://campaignsingermania.blogspot.com/2009/03/planning-next-campaign-in-germania.html) so much so that I thought wouldn't it be nice to have a model scene where my personality figures could be placed in for better pictures.

Initial concept is Wittenberg palace and parts of the gardens. The idea is to have a model palace with removable front and a suitable selection of rooms. A challenging project, but I'm eager to have a go.

Build a model palace - the madness of King Leopold IV !

Before I can think of sketching out some plans, I want to figure out a better way of basing the personality figures than green bases - current idea is to put them on clear plastic bases so they can be placed on different floor/ground effects. This will be tricky as I will have to cut the figure off its base carefully just below the bottom of its shoes.

Wittenberg - Mysterious Documents (5), The Handover

A meeting had been arranged. late in the afternoon, on the edge of the forest near Wittenberg to handover the documents to a representative of the Sect of the Phoenix, named Henrik Van der Gries (also known in Wittenberg as the 'fatman', a wealthy dutch businessman involved in trade on the river Oudear).

Two representatives, Marquis Toronov and Colonel Mausman sent by Count Munster arrive at the meeting place ..

Van der Gries: Good day gentleman ? I believe you have something for me ?

Toronov: Yes we have. (he hands over the documents and personal effects of Count Revolvendors).

Van der Gries: Here are some gifts for the King and Count Munster, please deliver them and thank them for the delicate handling of the affair.

Toronov: Thankyou, we will deliver them.

Van der Gries: Good bye gentleman, safe journey ...

---oXo---

Later that day, in the library the King and Count Herman discuss their gifts ...


King Leopold: What you receive Count ?

Count Hermann: A portfolio of risque drawings by Fuseli and Fragonard.

King: How marvellous, they will make a nice addition to you collection.

Count: What did you get ?

King: A small enamelled french clock for my wife, and for me a magnficent black onyx carving of a falcon.

Militia Skirmishers or Brigands ?

A few figs which can be used either as a company of militia skirmishing or to represent a band of brigands or even smugglers.

[Figs: from left to right - Irregular Miniatures SYW Jager, Converted Blue Moon Civilian, 4 Blue Moon Civilians 'out of the box']
[Note: picture updated 21/3/2009, original one was a bit fuzzy]

40mm - Boritzy Freikorps

The Boritzy Freikorps is to be deployed in the southern border regions to contain and confound cross border incursions by Saxe-Jarlsberg.

Below is Count Konrad Boritzy, whose freikorps is currently being raised (40mm Irregular Miniatures Hussar on a Creartec horse).

The uniforms of the Boritzy Freikorps:

There will be a battalion (~30figs) of each of the Chasseurs, Grenadiers and Jagers; the Uhlans will be a regiment of 2 squadrons (~20 figs). All units to be comprised of 40mm figures.

Fenwick - Wittenberg Legion, 1st Battalion

The first battalion of the Duchy of Fenwick's Wittenberg Legion is now fully equipped and has been turned out for inspection. First they do some marching in column ...

Then form into line; two senior officers from the staff inspect the line up ...

The two staff officers pass the 1st Battalion as ready for service, their next job is to check the newly arrived uniforms for the 2nd Battalion are fit for purpose before being issued to the men.

[figs: Infantry Battalion RSMs, staff officers Old Glory]

scene: the palace at Wittenberg. King Leopold IV, Count Hermann of Munster and Duke Maurice of Fenwick are discussing recent events ...

Duke: What are we going to do about this affront to your ambassador, and to my military attache, when they travelled through Stagonia ?
King: A most unfortunate incident, being robbed of their posessions and also their coach being taken. They should have waited for the flood waters to recede and proceeded on the safe route.
Count: It would have been a long wait your majesty, I think Count Hatzof took the right course of action.
King: Have we ensured that they have received extra money and funds from the royal bank to cover what they have lost ?
Count: Yes we have received confirmation the extra money has been received by them.
Duke: What are we going to do ?
King: Nothing, it's not worth letting this small incident start a war. Stagonia is a vile place and it's ruler is equally vile - its the sort of vile thing you would expect to happen. Hatzof new the risks anyway. Count Hermann were the false documents being carried by Hatzof confiscated ?
Count: Yes they took everything, Hatzof made such a fuss about his papers they took extra interest in them.
Duke: What false documents ?
Count: Just in case he had to go through Stagonia, we created some documents which in the event of them being confiscated would provide false information to the readers. It looks like that has happened, the contents may give us an edge or confound them.
Duke: what was in them ?
Count: In amongst the normal sort of papers an ambassador would carry we put some about army units positions and strengths; some of which were correct, some false and some wholly ficticious. Also included were documents about ficticious plots to overthrow King Ludwig of Stagonia, citing potential contacts in the army and the nobility - no actual names just initials. We hope the plot papers will distract King Ludwig he'd notoriously paranoid.
Duke: You are most cunning Count Hermann.
King: Yes indeed he is ..
Count: Your Majesty, how do we respond to the cross border raid on Oberstein ?
Duke: Teach them a lesson, invade Saxe-Jarslberg and burn their capital.
King: I think the Duke's idea is most delicious. However any attack on them would result in Monrovia declaring war, we are not ready yet. For now we'll take countermeasures; Count instruct the Field Marshal to send a converged garrison grenadier battalion and Freikorps Boritzy to the south to re-inforce General Waldebeck. Also compensate the people of OberStein for their troubles, use supplies from our magazines and give them money to replace any lost livestock.
Count: The extra troops and the river marines which will be based at Vanderhof should deter Saxe-Jarlsberg. I'll get onto that right way your majesty.
King: Maurice, thats enough of affairs of state for today lets go and find our dear wives and go for a ride.