Love the artillery! The shrine is wonderful. Have you thought of building roofs from scratch? Those plastic sheets are fine, but they give quite an artificial look.
I hadn't seen the image of the staff officers and the road sign - lovely touch.
Work in Progress
The Battle of Aspern Essling 21/22nd May 1809
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Captain Sibourne
- Posts: 406
- Member since:
02 Feb 2014, 09:12
Thank you for your kind words.
Your comment about the roofs made me realise that I had not weathered the shrine roof and hence it looking plasticky.
Whoops, to be cured immediately.
Damaged roofs will have to be
scratch built once the action commences depending on artillery action.
In the meantime I am happy with the weathered roofs to date.
I hope to have a basic dry run of the two villages soon as most of the buildings are now complete.
Fencing, toilets, lighting,sheds etc to follow.
Best wishes,
Chris
Your comment about the roofs made me realise that I had not weathered the shrine roof and hence it looking plasticky.
Whoops, to be cured immediately.
Damaged roofs will have to be
scratch built once the action commences depending on artillery action.
In the meantime I am happy with the weathered roofs to date.
I hope to have a basic dry run of the two villages soon as most of the buildings are now complete.
Fencing, toilets, lighting,sheds etc to follow.
Best wishes,
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
Great to see your progress Chris! Buildings, cavalry, artillery caissons and so much more. It's your devotion to detail, nay obsession that we appreciate so much. Actually, I'm anticipating Aspern more than any fight you've replayed. The 1809 campaign is endlessly fascinating to me so that might have something to do with it. Fine painting and construction Mr D. I must apologize for being MIA but things get a tad hectic at times. Happy new year!
Cheers,
Bessiere
Cheers,
Bessiere
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Bessiere
- Posts: 1223
- Member since:
23 May 2019, 15:50
Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle
This gentleman was a French cavalry general, who, having been demoted after the French Revolution rose through the ranks and was in command of the French light cavalry division at Aspern.
He is attributed as being a dashing fellow with this quote being in character.
“Any hussar who is not dead by thirty is a scoundrel/good-for-nothing”
Despite this he himself was thirty four when he was killed at Wagram.
There are many heroic pictures of Lassalle but I liked this one of his statue situated in the Château de Lunéville.
Commercial models are now scarce apart from the Piano wargames version.
I decided to chop up an old Art Miniturian Guard chasseur and head swap with a Zeveda courier.
I was going to stick with a sword but as a nod to his flamboyancy I used an Italieri ACW chaps pipe with a greenstuff extension.
The ADC received the chasseur head and an ACW sabre.
The mould quality of the plastic ADC is quite striking compared to the metal but overall they are a pleasing addition to his Majesty's command.
Lots to do.
Chris
This gentleman was a French cavalry general, who, having been demoted after the French Revolution rose through the ranks and was in command of the French light cavalry division at Aspern.
He is attributed as being a dashing fellow with this quote being in character.
“Any hussar who is not dead by thirty is a scoundrel/good-for-nothing”
Despite this he himself was thirty four when he was killed at Wagram.
There are many heroic pictures of Lassalle but I liked this one of his statue situated in the Château de Lunéville.
Commercial models are now scarce apart from the Piano wargames version.
I decided to chop up an old Art Miniturian Guard chasseur and head swap with a Zeveda courier.
I was going to stick with a sword but as a nod to his flamboyancy I used an Italieri ACW chaps pipe with a greenstuff extension.
The ADC received the chasseur head and an ACW sabre.
The mould quality of the plastic ADC is quite striking compared to the metal but overall they are a pleasing addition to his Majesty's command.
Lots to do.
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
Great conversions, Chris! Both figures look wonderful after them and your fine paintjob. 
Santi.
Santi.
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Santi Pérez
- Posts: 2653
- Member since:
28 Aug 2016, 19:42
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ModeratorAs a fan of your work you have shown us all so much and interestingly enough address my very first question upon returning to painting miniatures - what color is Austrian white actually? Having lots of field time myself I already knew how hard it is to keep any color clean and pure while living out in nature and doing dirty work. I like you solution and it settles it for me many ways. Pure white belts look good against the off-white uniforms anyways. My interest is in parade ground appearances for the units I've done unless it intended for a diorama. Another important step in nailing down details of Aspern Essling and shine some light on a battle not given it's full due for importance.
Cheers,
Bessiere
PS -I love your Lasalle figure!
Cheers,
Bessiere
PS -I love your Lasalle figure!
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Bessiere
- Posts: 1223
- Member since:
23 May 2019, 15:50
Thank you everyone for your kind comments.
Signs, crosses and lanterns.
Further to receiving an excellent picture from my good friend Thomas Mischak I have been constructing some signs for the battlefield.
Some prints refer to Aspern as Asparn and Essling as Eislingen .
Thomas thinks the modern version is correct and I have therefore stuck with the familiar spellings.
Thomas Brandsetter’s wonderful, Raft blog is a mine of information.
I have used his extensive research to create graveyard crosses. Whilst I intend to use headstones as well, it seems that wooden and iron crosses were predominant.
Here is a fascinating picture illustrating the types of memorial of the period.
The wooden crosses were made from balsa whilst the iron ones are pins with picture wire together with greenstuff. Tin foil was used for the name plaques. These are meant to be symbolic as some of the iron crosses were very ornate indeed.
It seems the posh folks generally got the best place in the churchyard with everyone else being tucked up in the cemetery.
The lanterns or Lichtsaulen were religious monuments to celebrate the dead. Placed by the roadside they would have a candle or lantern to illuminate them at night.
The Greeks in Crete have similar ‘monuments’ to remember the dead, or those that had a near miss on many of their roads ( especially near corners).
I used balsa which was then covered in decorators caulk before sculpting.
Many thanks to both Thomas’s for their invaluable help as always.
Lots to do.
Chris
Signs, crosses and lanterns.
Further to receiving an excellent picture from my good friend Thomas Mischak I have been constructing some signs for the battlefield.
Some prints refer to Aspern as Asparn and Essling as Eislingen .
Thomas thinks the modern version is correct and I have therefore stuck with the familiar spellings.
Thomas Brandsetter’s wonderful, Raft blog is a mine of information.
I have used his extensive research to create graveyard crosses. Whilst I intend to use headstones as well, it seems that wooden and iron crosses were predominant.
Here is a fascinating picture illustrating the types of memorial of the period.
The wooden crosses were made from balsa whilst the iron ones are pins with picture wire together with greenstuff. Tin foil was used for the name plaques. These are meant to be symbolic as some of the iron crosses were very ornate indeed.
It seems the posh folks generally got the best place in the churchyard with everyone else being tucked up in the cemetery.
The lanterns or Lichtsaulen were religious monuments to celebrate the dead. Placed by the roadside they would have a candle or lantern to illuminate them at night.
The Greeks in Crete have similar ‘monuments’ to remember the dead, or those that had a near miss on many of their roads ( especially near corners).
I used balsa which was then covered in decorators caulk before sculpting.
Many thanks to both Thomas’s for their invaluable help as always.
Lots to do.
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
C M Dodson wrote:...
A new and interesting progress in your cyclopean project, Crhis.
The dark brown painted crosses in this image remind me of one I used for my ongoing project on the Swiss Guard, Pope and Cardinals. The original was a 15mm wayside cross from Hovels, but it worked very well for me to equip one of the figures who will form the religious procession in the diorama:
Santi.
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Santi Pérez
- Posts: 2653
- Member since:
28 Aug 2016, 19:42
Thanks Santi.
Riesch Dragooons Regiment No.6.
I have used the Kane sculpts and am pleased with this units turnout.
Oberst Heinrich Freiherr Von Scheither commanding.
Kaiser Cuirassier regiment No.1
This was a small regiment as two squadrons were absent guarding the supply train.
I have used the old Hat figures with a Kane commander and some Zevada Saxons. The camera has revealed some faint mould lines on the Hat horses which is annoying after all the flash chopping I did to get them to look presentable.
Oberst Franz Graf Desfours commands.
With the exception of the Blankenstein Hussar Regiment No.6 which is under construction the Austrian Cavalry Corps is now complete. Phew!
Lots to do.
Chris
Riesch Dragooons Regiment No.6.
I have used the Kane sculpts and am pleased with this units turnout.
Oberst Heinrich Freiherr Von Scheither commanding.
Kaiser Cuirassier regiment No.1
This was a small regiment as two squadrons were absent guarding the supply train.
I have used the old Hat figures with a Kane commander and some Zevada Saxons. The camera has revealed some faint mould lines on the Hat horses which is annoying after all the flash chopping I did to get them to look presentable.
Oberst Franz Graf Desfours commands.
With the exception of the Blankenstein Hussar Regiment No.6 which is under construction the Austrian Cavalry Corps is now complete. Phew!
Lots to do.
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
Two more lovely Austrian cavalry regiments, Chris. I’m amazed at how quickly you create new units, and they’re so well painted too. 
Santi.
Santi.
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Santi Pérez
- Posts: 2653
- Member since:
28 Aug 2016, 19:42
Casualties.
There were some 43000 casualties over the two days of battle, representing approximately twenty five per cent each, of the French and Austrian combatants involved .
As a comparison, Gettysburg some fifty four years later was fifty thousand approximately over three days.
These were staggering losses and I will need substantial amounts of figures to represent this mayhem.
I am very fortunate to have been gifted some lovely examples from my friend Thomas Mischak, which I have painted up. There are no unit facings as this will be decided by which unit is in action during my re fight.
The figures are Piano, Art Miniturian, Hagen and Franznap .
The merciless camera has revealed my Hungarian wounded chap and friends boots which I thought had been camouflaged by paint. An adjustment will be made.
As my Antietam re fight winds down I am hoping to reuse many of the casualties from this action suitably redecorated for 1809.
Lots to do .
Chris
There were some 43000 casualties over the two days of battle, representing approximately twenty five per cent each, of the French and Austrian combatants involved .
As a comparison, Gettysburg some fifty four years later was fifty thousand approximately over three days.
These were staggering losses and I will need substantial amounts of figures to represent this mayhem.
I am very fortunate to have been gifted some lovely examples from my friend Thomas Mischak, which I have painted up. There are no unit facings as this will be decided by which unit is in action during my re fight.
The figures are Piano, Art Miniturian, Hagen and Franznap .
The merciless camera has revealed my Hungarian wounded chap and friends boots which I thought had been camouflaged by paint. An adjustment will be made.
As my Antietam re fight winds down I am hoping to reuse many of the casualties from this action suitably redecorated for 1809.
Lots to do .
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
Water wells
Thomas Brandsetters blog, the raft, ( https://wargamingraft.wordpress.com/202 ... -villages/ ) is a mine of information and from this we have this lovely period painting.
This scene is from a wine growing region rather than farming. However, of note are the fences and also the wells, using a lever method.
I constructed the features from twigs and buckets from the Zvezda Russian artillery set. The wells are logs cut to size as per the original method.
Essling had a communal pond so the majority of these chaps will be for Aspern.
Lots to do.
Chris
Thomas Brandsetters blog, the raft, ( https://wargamingraft.wordpress.com/202 ... -villages/ ) is a mine of information and from this we have this lovely period painting.
This scene is from a wine growing region rather than farming. However, of note are the fences and also the wells, using a lever method.
I constructed the features from twigs and buckets from the Zvezda Russian artillery set. The wells are logs cut to size as per the original method.
Essling had a communal pond so the majority of these chaps will be for Aspern.
Lots to do.
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
More casualties
My very good friend Thomas Mischak sent me a big bag of goodies some time ago which I have been working through.
The latest batch are Art Miniturian Austrian Cuirassier casualties.
They are quite chunky, but then again these were big fellows. I have left the facings unpainted as these will be added when the unit in question is engaged.
I have a hankering to chop up some Hat and Kane gentlemen to help pad out the butchers bill.
Lots to do.
Chris
My very good friend Thomas Mischak sent me a big bag of goodies some time ago which I have been working through.
The latest batch are Art Miniturian Austrian Cuirassier casualties.
They are quite chunky, but then again these were big fellows. I have left the facings unpainted as these will be added when the unit in question is engaged.
I have a hankering to chop up some Hat and Kane gentlemen to help pad out the butchers bill.
Lots to do.
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48
A bloody (excuse the pun) nice collection of casualties Chris. Please be careful with your chopping and cutting up of other minis because especially when a scalpel blade becomes blunt it’s our own fingers that can easily add to the casualty count.
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k.b.
- Posts: 1264
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04 Apr 2010, 03:50
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the dimensions of this project are simply astonishing, and just looking the (partial) casualties we can understand what is going on !
My admiration, Chris !!!
My admiration, Chris !!!
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Iceman1964
- Posts: 482
- Member since:
26 Dec 2020, 17:43
the dimensions of this project are simply astonishing, and just looking the (partial) casualties we can understand what is going on !
My admiration, Chris !!!
My admiration, Chris !!!
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Iceman1964
- Posts: 482
- Member since:
26 Dec 2020, 17:43
French Chasseurs a Cheval of the line.
There were lots of regiments of chasseurs at Aspern Essling and these are the first of many that will be in action.
These are Piano prints given to me by my wonderfully generous friend Thomas Mischak.
The resin is a bit flimsy and some sword scabbards have broken off and the prints had to be extensively cleaned up. Some of the swords were scabby and although I cleaned them up, breakages were normal.
Indeed, the camera has highlighted some ‘extras’ that I have missed.
Overall, they are lovely but the resin used by Mr Kane on his sculpts would give them extra resilience.
Nevertheless, I am quite pleased at how they turned out.
Lots to do.
Chris
There were lots of regiments of chasseurs at Aspern Essling and these are the first of many that will be in action.
These are Piano prints given to me by my wonderfully generous friend Thomas Mischak.
The resin is a bit flimsy and some sword scabbards have broken off and the prints had to be extensively cleaned up. Some of the swords were scabby and although I cleaned them up, breakages were normal.
Indeed, the camera has highlighted some ‘extras’ that I have missed.
Overall, they are lovely but the resin used by Mr Kane on his sculpts would give them extra resilience.
Nevertheless, I am quite pleased at how they turned out.
Lots to do.
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2931
- Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48