French Square at 1:5 Ratio

French square at a 1:5 ratio (144 figures). Note the officers taking refuge in the center of the square.

Same square, but moving a little bit away from it.

Moving back a little further.
French 12e Regt. de Ligne at Auerstadt in 1806. Mostly Elite Miniatures. Click twice to enlarge.

Several people asked me to create a large French square with my 1806 French army and take some pictures. I thought that this was a good idea, so I pushed two 72-figure battalions together to form a 144-figure square at a roughly 1:5 ratio of figures to real men. Now mind you, I don't game at 1:5, for many reasons including tabletop space, cost of the figures, and the fact that it would take me two months to paint a battalion of 144 figures. But it is nice to see what a truly large battalion would look like and it gives you an approximation of how the real deal might look. Our group games Napoleonics at a 1:10 ratio of figures to men and so I draw the line at 72-figure battalions (which is its own form of madness).

A close-up view of the same square. Note the Eagle Bearer and the Drummers are all in the center of the square along with the officers mounted on horseback. Click twice, if you dare.

The French infantry are from Elite Miniatures as is the Prussian dragoon regiment von Irwing (DR3) shown hurling themselves against one of the corners of the square. In the distance, one can see the super large Imperialist Miniatures dragoons - these must be 35-35mm figures. Giants indeed, but they look really cool so I use them anyway.

I immediately discovered that I don't have enough dragoons in my 1806 Prussian army. I do have about 60 Prussian SYW hussars from the Stadden 30mm range that have uniforms suitable for double duty in 1756 and 1806. However, I was anxious to shoot the photographs and get them posted so I did not put the hussars on the table.

The square is actually more of a rectangle, with two stands on each end and four stands on the sides.