1/72 French Imperial Guard Base Assembly Muster & Base Testing

Picked up 200+ bods for $10. From these I picked these models out to serve in what will be my first Napoleonic French Army. I still haven't decided what the army composition will be but the Imperial Guard will be a crucial part of it. Probably 2 to 4 elements out of a total of 13 with baggage.  Anyway without further adieu here are my IG bods.

50mm x 40mm base.

50mm x 40mm base.

50mm x 40mm base.

Latest Library Addition....

Meanwhile in French North Africa...

Principality of Huack: Moden Guards Conduct Mountain Warfare Exercise

Royal Cavalry Officer of the Principality of Huack.

Battle Cry: Battle of Pea Ridge March 7th, 1862

"The Battle of Pea Ridge (also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern) was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield. Union forces led byBrig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis moved south from central Missouri, driving Confederate forces into northwestern Arkansas. Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn reorganized the Confederate army and launched a counter-offensive, hoping that a victory would enable the Confederates to recapture northern Arkansas and Missouri. In a two–day battle, Curtis held off the Confederate attack on the first day and drove Van Dorn's force off the field on the second day. The outcome of the battle essentially cemented Union control of Missouri and northern Arkansas. The battle was one of the few during the war in which a Confederate army outnumbered its Union opponent." from Wikipedia.

The battle started out with a few early Confederate victories but quickly turned into a stalemate. After a few decisive actions by the Confederates the CS Army looked to be on the verge of victory (5VP to 3.) However this is when Union Colonel Dodge (Union General Curtis' field commander on the Union center and right flank) displayed his tactical brilliance and ordered hit and run cavalry attacks in both the center and the Union left. Both attacks caused large casualties to the Confederates.

Confederate General Price feeling that victory might slip through his fingers despite his numerical superiority ordered his sharpshooters to kill Colonel Dodge and this they did with great expediency and bloody accuracy.

The US Army on the Union left in the bluffs above the battlefield charged and attacked the Confederate lines in another hit and run attack. This almost brought ruin to the Confederate right flank. At his command tent General Price and his officers gathered around carefully considering their options as it may well be their last of the battle as everything now teetered dangerously close to defeat (5VP to 5.)  It was generally agreed that Major W.E. Morgans cavalry unit (the last Confederate cavalry still operating as an effective unit.) should pull back to avoid giving the Union the target they needed to push the CS Army back South.  But Major Morgan and his officers pleaded with the Officers Council that if this was indeed their last fight then let it be a grand one and allow them to charge into the fray. Major Morgan would feint towards the last Union regiment left on the bluffs while the Arkansas 4th Infantry led by Lt Col Arthur C Butler led his regiment in a flank march attack on the same position. If in Major Morgans opinion his charge coupled with Col Butlers flank attack caused the Union regiment to route then his cavalry would at the last minute turn and attack the Union cavalry regiment in the bluffs. This is exactly what happened. Col Butlers Razorbacks smashed the Union soldiers atop the bluff allowing Maj Morgan to catch the Union cavalry by surprise and caused a great slaughter of their men and horses (two thirds of the Union cavalry was killed in the attack.) This daring action brought about the collapse of the Union left flank making General Curtis' position at Pea Ridge untenable resulting in a Confederate victory and the opening of Missouri to the Confederacy and the potential of placing Union General Grant's campaign in danger of being flanked from the West.

Rural Bookstore Finds.

Found while on vacation in Missouri.

Final Results for MO-1

Dried and smash-strained.

Martian Foliage Grass Type 1O.

Stirred up the first batch of flocking for the upcoming Martian terrain I have in mind.  This is Type 1O for 1st Attempt, Orange.  It's actually a mix of Orange and Brown. The next will be an Ochre or a Yellow/Tan or Yellow/Red mix.  The flock below is fresh from the pot and needs to dry. I will post the dry and crushed flocking as I did on the green.

First Flocking Grass is Finished!

Bought a strainer today and used an empty baby food jar to smash the dried clump flocking through the strainer to break the flock up.  I am very pleased with the final results.

First Attempt at Making Terrain Flocking

Watched some videos on YouTube on how to make your own flocking so I emptied out the pencil sharpeners at work and gave it a go. I used a bit too much water for the amount of sawdust I had so I know next time to use about half of what I poured.  Still a couple of paper towels to soak the excess and its drying nicely.  Not bad for my first try.

All Quiet on the Martian Front: Scout Tripod

Received my first shipment from the AQMF Kickstarter.  I was so pleased to receive this, especially since it was delayed 5 months.  More items are due to arrive, they are shipping the product out in waves.  So I sat down at my craft table to assemble the lone tripod sprue that wasn't bagged up with the rest.  After assembly I realized I should have placed the positionable leg up front rather than behind but lesson learned for the rest of them and I do have plenty left to assemble.

10mm Arabs for FFL March or Die Mini-Campaign.

First group of 7 Arabs from Old Glory's 10mm line for my future March or Die Mini-Campaign.  I think the green guy will have to be moved to a HQ element. He was the first test model before I found a color scheme I like. See bottom picture from Plastic Soldier Review for color scheme.

More Country Roads

Once again they are little more brown in hand than in the photo.  Dry brush brown on surface and edges, flock while wet and glue static grass.

Terrain: My First Roads

I crafted the first 20" of roads from a roof shingle that blew off our house during a storm.  I still have to make curves and other roadway features.  I chose to use the gravel side. I brushed on some brown paint then while still wet sprinkled on some light green flocking and then glued some static grass down in spots.  The picture shows up more black than what it looks like on my table. Much more brown on my craft table.  Good start for now.

Boxer Rebellion: 15mm Chinese Boxers

Based up 8 elements of Chinese Boxer fanatics today.  Gave them names and printed out some base decals.  Wanted to add another model or two more per base but 3 was all I could do without buying more models which I do not want to do, aside from cavalry, artillery and a general.