Sash & Sabre 40mm French Voltigeurs; "and all that"

Sash and Sabre 40mm French Voltigeurs
Hovels Bridge, and Battle Honours Spanish buildings.

I have made a little bit of progress on painting my Sash & Sabre 40mm figures for my Peninsula War Project. Personal events have kept me away from the painting table, but I have been able to get in a little bit of painting here and there.

Mrs. Fritz was in an automobile accident several weeks ago (she is all right) and she has a small break in the humerus bone, just beneath the shoulder socket. It sounds like no big deal but with half of her arm all black and blue and the considerable amount of pain that even a small break can cause, I have to be around and available to help. The break was in her right humerus and so she can't use her right hand. Most of us are right-handed and we don't really give much thought as to how dependent we are on our dominant arm and/or leg.

Consequently I have been spending much of my time running the Der Alte Fritz Taxi and Limosine Service, doing errands and taking our two hounds out on lots of walks. I don't mind doing these things one bit and I am grateful that her accident didn't have a more serious outcome.

Today I finished painting a second 10 figure group of British Centre Company figures. These are of Sharpe's South Essex regiment.

Center company of the South Essex Regiment

Spanish civilian pack team

I have painted the following so far:

Figures Painted So Far

15 x 95th Rifles (including Sharpe and Harper)

20 x South Essex center company (20 figures per player command - we call this a "company")

15 x French Voltigeurs

2 x Spanish civilian/guerilla donkey pack train (2 animals and 2 handlers)

Figures On Order

I have 20 French fusiliers, 20 Spanish Guerrillas and 6 cavalry figures on my painting table. I have another S&S order pending that includes another 20 British center company and command, a few more rifles needed to bring them up to a 20 figure unit, and 20 British light company figures (for the South Essex light company). 

The Scope of the Peninsula War Project

This will truly be a skirmish level game (no. seriously) and I envision each player commanding 20 rank and file figures plus an offer or NCO. Each side will accommodate four players. So I am looking at approximately 80 to 100 figures per side.

British and Allies:

20 x 95th Rifles

20 x South Essex Light Company

40 x South Essex Center Company (two commands of 20 figures plus command)

20 x Spanish Guerillas = these can play on either side

French and Allies:

20 x Voltigeurs

40 x French fusiliers (two commands of 20 figures plus command)

20 x French legere figures or dismounted hussars/dragoons

20 x Pot au Fut's & Hakeswell's renegade band of deserters

If I can find some acceptable dismounted French chasseurs/hussars/dragoons then this could one of the French commands. 

As noted previously, the Guerrillas can play on either side, depending on the scenario.

Pack train

Sharpe (center), Harper (left)  and Hagman (right)
"God save Ireland"

Hopefully my schedule will open up as Mrs. Fritz's arm heals. It has been four weeks so far and it can take about six to eight weeks to get functioning again and start Physical Therapy .

Four of Mrs. Fritz's friends are visiting next Saturday to play a war game with us. It will be an AWI skirmish game with very easy rules for newbies. The same group played just before Historicon and they really took to the game and caught on to the rules fairly quickly. They are a fun group to game with.

cc