An Enigma Is Solved?

Colonel Enigma has a run in with the Regulators.

Colonel Enigma, the head of the Gallian Intelligence Service attached to the army in Western Germany, liked to work alone at times. He would don various disguises, from that of a mere peasant, to a Lutheran preacher, or even a Prussian officer. His efforts often paid good results, as his information was usually timely and very accurate. More than one Gallian victory had its roots in the information that Colonel Etienne Enigma delivered to the Gallian army.

Enigma led a charmed life as they like to say. He had many close calls passing through the lines. On one occasion he was disguised as an old hag and had nearly passed through the Germanian checkpoint when he literally ran into Colonel Bauer, his counterpart in the Germanian Secret Service. As both of them tumbled to the ground, Enigma's pistol fell out from under his garments and clattered on the cobblestones of the street. Bauer looked him straight in the eye (and I do mean "eye", because Enigma had lost sight in one eye and always wore an eye patch) and was about to give a shout when a thunder of musketry erupted from the woods. It was Gallian raid behind the lines and it seemed as if every Gallian light troop in the world was erupting forth from the woods.

Colonel Bauer now had more pressing concerns, his safety to be exact, and he dashed out of the street and into livery stable, where a squad of his grenadiers were seeking refuge. In all the excitement, the old hag slipped away, Bauer noting that she had dashed for the cover of the woods. But that is a story for another day.

This evening, General Chevert insisted that Colonel Enigma take Lieutenant Delacroix along with him. Enigma knew that he wouldn't be able to change Chevert's mind. When the general made a decision, he tended to stick to it. So off went Enigma and Delacroix towards Hesse Seewald, or to be exact, to the town of Vach at the eastern end of the Fulda Gap. Chevert needed to know if the Germanians were stirring from their encampments while the Gallian army was stealing a march through the undefended gap.

The trip started out uneventfully. It was a cloudy evening so there would be no moonlight to give them away. Furthermore, the road to Vach was decidedly empty of enemy patrols. Save for one: a squadron of Germanian hussars approached the two Gallians from a side road. They stopped to inspect the two travelers, but when they saw that it was a Prussian colonel and his aide, the hussar captain invited them to travel with them as they were all riding in the same general direction - east.

Enigma kept his cool and carried on a friendly banter with the Germanian hussar officer. Delacroix merely kept his mouth shut, as one might expect of an aide de camp of a Prussian officer. Eventually, the squadron arrived in Vach and the hussar officer bid farewell to Enigma and Delacroix. The hussars peeled off on a road bearing north, leaving Enigma and Delacroix alone once again.

Both men heaved a sigh of relief, especially Delacroix, who was soaked in perspiration. They continued on the road bearing east, passing several Germanian outposts, but still, nobody bothered to stop or challenge them. Well almost nobody.

A couple of miles beyond Vach (and they were now inside Hesse Seewald territory), the still of the night was interrupted by a crisp, clear voice shouting "Halt". Delacroix lost his nerve and kicked his horse with his spurs in an effort to get away. Enigma, who had clearly heard the sound and click of a score of musket firelocks being drawn back, did as he was told. Delacroix had gone no more than ten yard down the road when the night silence was interupted by the flash and thunder of musketry. Delacroix fell to the ground, his body riddled with lead.

The Regulators surround and apprehend Colonel Enigma.

Enigma kept his cool, hoping to talk his way out this pickle, but Delacroix's foolish dash had ruined his chances of doing that. He looked around and could see that he was surrounded, but he could not quite make out the uniforms of these men. They looked military, and yet they did not. Several lanterns were lit and approached . Enigma could make out the Prussian cut of the uniforms, but they were decidedly black rather than blue.

"Your papers please, Herr Colonel", said the large brute who seemed in charge. He was an ugly looking cur, with a scar across his right cheek, and he was a big one too, standing well over six feet tall, by Enigma's estimation. The man looked rather more like a pirate than he did a soldier. He had heard tales of Black Riders raiding behind Gallian lines, spreading fear and destruction where ever they went. Until now, he had not believed these stories, but there they were right before his eyes.

The ugly pirate took a glance at Enigma's identity papers. The brute did not seem to be convinced of their authenticity.

"Get off the horse, Colonel." he barked.

Enigma did as he was told. As long as he stuck to his story, that he was the inhaber of Prussian Kurprinz Regiment, his captors would have to pass him up the chain of command to the point where someone could verify his identity and papers. If he tried to escape, they would kill him on the spot for sure.

"This way Colonel. Follow me," said the pirate. An escort of a dozen or so black uniformed men fell in on either side of Enigma as they marched him off the road. Just ahead of them, he could make out the form of a coach and four parked in the glade beyond. It looked like he would be safe for now, because clearly the captors were taking him over to the coach. No doubt to drive him to some headquarters for further evaluation.

As they entered the glade, he could make out more of the features of his captors as there were more men with more lanterns. There even appeared to be a troop of uhlans. Everyone, foot soldiers, hussars and uhlans were dressed in black...

and as he neared the coach, he could finally see that it too was black, with red trim and a white eagle emblem on the door.

"Mon Dieu", he whispered to himself.

It was that Black Coach.

It's Quiet. Almost Too Quiet!

The Regulators and that mysterious Black Coach. Black Scorpion Pirates and Marines painted as Lady de Winter's personal body guard of naer-do-wells. The coach and four are from Redoubt Miniatures (ECW range) and a couple of Stadden Black Hussars are checking things out. Coach driver is a one-off special made for me by the very talented John Ray. Click to enlarge... if you dare.

Come on, you just know that these bad boys are going to be showing up fairly soon. They are starting to get a bit annoyed about that little trollope and murderess, Diana Pettygree, traipsing about western Germany on one extended lark with her coterie of ditzy little girl friends. They seem to be totally oblivious to the fact that there has been a major war going on for the past six years.

The Regulators intend to remind Miss Pettygree that life is not all seashells and balloons when there is a war going on. Stay tuned, something BIG is about to happen.

**********

Today's random picture from the past reminded me that I have to increase the size of the Black Legion of Milady de Winter. I bought a couple of packets of Black Scorpion 18th Century Marines a few years ago with the idea of adding another company or two or Regulators (12-15 bad guys to a company). I also have another squadron of Crusader Bosniaks that need to be painted to boost that unit up to two squadrons. We cannot have Milady's guard du corps being outnumbered by the opposition now, can we?

I also thought about finally painting the Martin Hille 30mm Prussians that I bought back in 2005 and adding them as a grenadier guard for Milady. They will have the usual black & red garb, but I might put them in reverse colors and give them red coats, black facings and straw breeches and waistcoats.

Milady will also desire to add some 6-pound horse artillery to her little Black Legion. Word has it that those Frenchies are "on to her" so a little more protection might stand Herself in good stead.

Milady is very unhappy about recent events and attempts to kidnap Miss Pettygree. Someone is tipping off the French about her every move. Someone is going to pay with his or her life, I suspect. The fate of the unfortunate servant, Miss Catherine, will be revealed shortly. As you might recall, she was captured last year during a raid that almost nabbed the pesky Pettygree. It is not a very happy outcome, that is all that I can say for now.

See you tomorrow.

Oh, and be sure to lock your doors and windows tonight - the Regulators are on the prowl.

The Return of the Black Legion

Black Scorpion "Marines" from the Pirate Range painted as the personal bodyguard of Milday de Winter. Colonel Bauer (left foreground) is from the Foundry Highwaymen pack, the black coach is from Redoubt's ECW range, and Herself is a Suren figure.

(click the pictures, if you dare, to enlarge the view)

I first introduced the dreaded Black Legion of Milady de Winter in my post dated October 23, 2008 and I invite everyone to check the archives for the background to this unit. I was at scrolling through the net when I happened upon these figures from Black Scorpion, which are supposed to be British Marines in red coats and thought that they would be perfect to play the role of Milady de Winter's personal guard. Their uniforms are loosely based on those of the Favrat Freikorps in Prussian service (black coats, straw small clothes, red facings).

Herself takes no chances when she is bounding around Europe, which can be a very dangerous place for a lady in the mid 18th Century, so where ever she goes, she is escorted by three companies of her black clad bodyguards.


The Black Legion form a firing line in convention three ranks.

The Black Legion recruits are soldiers of fortune and other naer-do-wells who would gladly sell their services to the highest bidder. Most of them have prior military experience in the various armies of mid-18th Century Europe, so they know what they are doing and they are very loyal to their employer. Nobody really knows of the existence of Milady de Winter, so she employs the evil Colonel Bauer as the commander of her guard. Bauer is, in effect, the front person that the rest of the world sees. When the Black Legion strikes, perhaps to raid a village, kidnap an unfortunate victim, blow up ships in certain harbors, then it is the foreboding Colonel Bauer that the public sees.

Occaisionally, it suits Milady's purposes to conduct affairs of intrigue and espionage without attribution. For this purpose, she employs a hired band of irregular cut throats, also decked out in black, known as The Regulators.

Colonel Bauer (mounted) and his Regulators (Black Scorpion "Privateers").

Do you need to have someone "disappear" permanently, some information to be "coerced" from an unwilling informant, or other dark deeds of that ilk? Then the Regulators are at your service. I have heard that there is no deed too dastardly for them to do.


Here is a close-up of Colonel Bauer (right) and Herself (left)

Some would say that Milady de Winter is in the employ of the King of Prussia. That may or may not be true. It is my understanding that Milady has her own agenda to follow, and it just happens to coincide with that of King Friedrich, for the time being. However, evil can not be neatly classified and contained and I have no doubt that we shall see this dark woman again and again.

Lady de Winter's Black Legion

Milady de Winter's personal body guard of black clad infantry protect her infamous black coach. Figures from Black Scorpion's Pirate range painted by Der Alte Fritz. Click on all pictures to enlarge the view.

One of the characters in my on going 18th Century campaign is the evil and cunning master spy, Milady de Winter. Many of you will recognize the name from the Three Musketeers movies, featuring Faye Dunaway as the evil antagonist. The more recent remake of the movie featured the equally delightful, but evil version played by Rebecca de Mornay. My Lady de Winter is presumably a descendant of the women who lived during the reign of Louis XIII of France and those evil genes seem to have carried forward into the 18th Century.

Milady de Winter spends much of her time in her ongoing quest to kidnap Lady Diana Pettygree, that innocent English aristocrat who galivants around the continent with the French (Gallians) at a time when Britannia and Gallia are at war. Lady Pettygree is totally oblivious to the danger that lurks just steps behind her. Countless servants, friends and acquaintances of hers seem to disappear or otherwise meet untimely ends. All courtesy of Milady de Winter and her band of henchmen.

It occurred to me that Lady de Winter would probably require a retinue of body guards to escort her as she travels around Europe on spy missions for the King of Prussia or anyone else willing to pay for her services. She's kind of like an 18th Century forerunner of SMERSH. As such, I reasoned that she would need her own band of bodyguards, all decked out in black uniforms with red facings and straw colored waistcoats and breeches. Their uniforms are modeled after those of Favrat's Freikorps Black Legion.


The Black Legion featuring Black Scorpion "Royal Marines" figures from its Pirate range.

When I saw the Black Scorpion range of 18th Century Pirates and British Royal Marines, I knew that I had found the perfect figures to use to build Milady de Winter's personal retinue: the Black Legion. There are two sets of Royal Marines available - I've used Set One so far, but plan to buy more Set Two boxes of Marines with bayonets on their muskets. Some of the Marines are shown in the picture above, painted in black rather than British crimson.


Three Privateers and the Naval Captain from Black Scorpion. The Captain will be the leader of the regulars in the Black Legion, while the gentleman in the red waistcoat and the two men in black great coats will work the dark arts behind the scenes.

The sets of Privateers in long overcoats also seemed to be perfect to play the role of the irregular naer-do-wells who do all of the dirty work for Milady. Several of the Privateers are shown in the above picture, both in long black greatcoats, one firing a carbine and the other leveling a brace of pistols at some unfortunate soul. I love these figures! They are full of character, they are easy to paint, and at 32mm, they fit right in with my Staddens, Surens and other large figures. The figures come with round plastic slotta bases. I replaced them with wood one-inch square MDF bases with precut slots that I purchased from Georgo Bases. I would imagine that Litko probably also makes one-inch square precut wood bases as well.

By the way, I want to give a shout out to Frank Hammond for teaching me how to use his method for terraining bases and applying static grass. I really like the way that these bases turned out using Frank's method. Simply put, the steps are to (1) apply spackle compound mixed with dark brown paint onto the figure base; (2) dip the wet base into a pile of railroad ballast or sand; (3) when the base is dry, apply a wash of brown ink to the base; (4) when the base dries from the ink application, then dry brush a light tan or flesh color over the surface; and finally, (5) apply blotches of white glue onto the base and dip the stand into a tub of static grass, carefully tapping off the excess static grass. You can find the details on Frank's Minden Miniatures blog, a link to which is provided on the left hand side of this page.

So far, I have painted ten Black Legion infantry and three of the Irregulars. Eventually, I would like to increas the Legion infantry to 36 figures plus a dozen Irregulars. And of course, I already have the Prussian Black Hussars (HR5) which do double duty as Milady's horse guards and as Der Alte Fritz's battle cavalry. That lot is sure to put the fear of God into the hearts of those who dare to cross paths with Milady de Winter.