D'Argent goes to the Dogs

OK So I freely admit this is a silly idea and utterly unrealistic but I decided to go there any way. After all man has always had his dogs accompany him to war, as extra guards, beast of burden, unit mascots, officers pets  and of course K9 units in modern times.  So I had these Xystron miniatures dogs and I had this very cool cavalry man but since he didn't match with other troopers in my collection I had no idea what to do with him.

So the Jager-hound regiment was born.  This fellow with his Carbine or Rifle at sort of a port arms on horse back just didn't match any thing else but he looks great as mounted Jager.  He's on his own base so he can act as a cavalry detachment or be mixed with other irregular cavalry

In a bit of a flight of fancy I have joined him to three stand each with two mastiff type dogs because six Dogs to one hunter seems like a good ratio.  I used the French Mastiff (or Dogue de Bordeaux) as my model for about half the dogs. One is a reddish brown that I thought looked cool but doesn't really match any specific bread.

The black brown dogs are inspired by the Cone Corso or Italian Mastiff  I imagine that these "soldiers"  help keep the perimeter of military camps safe and guard the flanks against ambush.  Dogs will often detect hidden men the even the most diligent human scouts would miss.   I don't imagine they take too much active part in battles but I would probably rate them as irregular cavalry in Maurice. I suspect these dogs and their rifle armed humans could provide a nasty surprise in the right situation.  I also imagine they chase down deserters and maybe help guard prisoners.

Sullivan's Dragoons

I love these Dragoons from Bluemoon and having 4 of them left over I decided to do up another cavalry unit for D'Argent.   Sullivan is my mother's maiden name so I thought I would tap it for a unit of Irish exiles in the Duchy's service.

Its a joy to paint details of figures like cuff and coat lace, and piping on hats and coats.

Not only that but to be able to do it easily because the details are there to be painted.

Every time I post pictures of Bluemoon miniatures I paint someone asks if they are 28mm but no these are 18 mm (big 15 mm).  I may use these as irregulars or regular cavalry I am not sure which at this point.

More Winged Hussarii

 Not much to say about these guys that I didn't say on one of the previous two post so enjoy the pictures

Winged Husarii comand

With my decision to only put two men to a stand left me with some extra troops

I decided to make one of the two mace wielding unit commander figures into command stand

Again I did a winter base for the stand.  I also  used some putty to raise the base so it looks like our officer has climbed a small rise for a better look at the situation.

His escort carries a flag that comes with the set from By Fire and Sword supplying "historically inspired flags" to use the company's own words is a great touch and a nice value.

I picked the flag with the Madonna and child icon for my commander (there is also a flag with a cross).

The command stand I used fits nicely with the bases provided with the figures so he can easily lead a column of men into battle.

Winged Husarii

These excellent miniatures are from "By Fire and Sword" and I won them in a raffle at Huzzah! in 2013.   I'm very pleased with the results the figures have a lot of detail and even come with flags and lance pennants.  The sculpts are excellent though the wings are a bit fiddly to deal with and the horses legs aren't quite as robust as I might like them.  Also be careful those lances are sharp.

Fire and Sword has three to base but I found this overly crowded and decided that two to a base would be more workable and give me more of a chance to decorate the bases.  I went with a winter theme using Army Painter's products snow, tundra tufts and some wasteland tufts for contrast.

This gave me some extra men I mounted 4 of them on 1 inch square stands compatible with Maurice. So in addition to two Fire and Sword units I also have one unit for Maurice.

By lucky coincidence on of these stand and two Fire and Sword stands and one Maurice stand gives the proper frontage for a Maurice unit.

You can see a unit of this nature facing off with a unit of Maurice infantry.  

Start of a new project/returning to an old one.

A few years ago, inspired by Sam Mustafa's fine Maurice game I began working on an Imagi-Nation  the Grand Duchy of D'Argent.  I completed the Ducal army and commanders including some special personalities and we've seen a few battles, some wins, and some losses.

Having recently wrapped up a Civil War campaign and having gotten two Civil War armies nearly completed I need a break from simple blue and gray.  To this end I am expanding the Army of D'Argent.  It might be more accurate to say I am building an alternative army for the Duchy.

The Army that exist right now is primarily the Standing Army of the Duke.  A quick glance at any 18th Century war will show that nations had other "armies."  The British had Provencal Regiment, Fencibles, and Militia. Prussian had the Landwehr and Garrison Regiment, not to mention the Friekorps. France had its Militia and a variety of small formation.  Then there are the armies of Germany and Reich Army.

I hinted at this sort of secondary army with my "Mercenaries" the Chasseurs De Montana and the Chevaliers D'Argent and it is this army I will expand on.  The force will include para-military forces like the Chasseurs (who in peace time are a boarder guard and police force), Noble military contingents and militia units of the cities and towns.   Many of these will be "irregular"units in Maurice terms and others will be amalgams of smaller units that come together in war time a look we have seen with the Chevaliers.

This will help me use some left over figures in my dead lead box and some figures that are sitting around because there were the odd man out during the Great Re-basing project.   As many of these units are the pet projects of Nobles, or expressions of civic pride by the better off citizens of various towns and cities expect to see colorful uniforms and great variety.  We may also see some new Ducal Army units"

Great Re-basing Project of 2013 (11) Anglo-Hanoverian Guards

 This project have been on the back burner because of Longstreet these were re-based a few weeks ago...

 They sat around waiting for me to finish the bases.  Troops are a mix of Hanoverian guard dragoons, British Dragoon Guards and Scott's Dragoons (Scott's Grays)

 Basing for V&B left me with a lot of units represented by two-three figures mixed with other units to form cavalry brigades. I like the look as cavalry units often were often under-strength or had squadrons detached.

 Royal Scots dragoons

 Hanoverian Guards on the left and English ones on the right

More new Highlanders

OK so I may need to have my head examined because I keep painting Highlanders and when I start I mean to put them up on eBay but I decide I like them too much to sell them.

 Again I sprinkled in Lochbar axes so they they can be pikes for Maurice

 Why do I like painting Plaid? I really don't like painting Plaid. I don't even think I do it especially well but I like how these guys look.

 Close ups of the the individual stand each with a mix of muskets, broadswords and Lochbar axes

 Our officer his pistol ready and a broadsword at his side.

Maurice a the Whiz

 Nick wanted a a chance to try Maurice and I was happy to oblige. Ariana was working so I was able to go to the Whiz on a Sunday.  It was great to see the crew down there. I fielded the Duchy of D'Argent 2 elite infantry, 5 trained and 1 conscript infantry.  I had one irregular infantry (in the woods) 3 guns and 4 cavalry 3 trained and 1 conscript. Nick had 2 elite cavalry 5 trained cavalry 4 trained infantry and 1 conscript infantry and 2 guns.

 The game started as many Maurice games do with a cannonaded that did little to either side.

 After a few turn of maneuvers Nick launched his first cavalry charge French Maison Du Roy cavalry charge the Duchess and Prince Carriere dragoons

 The Duchess Dragoons win but prince Carriere is driven back.

 I start pulling in infantry from the right wing.

 The Duchess dragoons face anther charge against two French cavalry to my surprise I won.

 At this stage I had brought my infantry up and established a line Nick's cavalry rush has been blunted I had some tense moments.

 At this stage I was in control of the battle having march part of my infantry on Nick's infantry while using the rest to press his cavalry back.  The Duchess Dragoon made a daring charge and broke two French cavalry units.

 As you can see I was left with my flank exposed....

 And Nick pounced breaking that regiment.  Musket fire got a several other French units

Nick finished the game with charge he lost one unit on the left but almost broke my conscripts on the right at this point he asked for terms.  I granted Nick honers of war giving me a minor victory 3 Epic points.  3 cavalry regiments were broken.  Regiment Triggs was promoted to trained and Regiment L'Rock was promoted to Elite. (at least that would have happened if it were a campaign)

Picnic Objective marker for Maurice

 These are Bluemoon miniatures from their Pirate collection.  It included the impressive table so I thought this would be a perfect Objective marker for Maurice.

 The liveried gentleman is part of the Duchesses household pointing some interesting detail to lady Burr

 The Duchess herself is making her way to the table in gray and sky blue cloth

I decided to go heavy on the flowers because what the heck it looks good with the ladies.