Confederation of the Rhine Cavalry

 Wurzburg Cavalry trotting forward

These figures represent Confederation of the Rhine Cavalry.  I'm working on a Cavalry Brigade for Lasalle as a supporting unit for a French Infantry Division.  The figures are Battle Honors, advertised as "Chasseur and Wurzburg Cheveaulegers"  As you can see the headgear, saddlery, and rifle placement differs.

My basic reference book for Napoleonic uniforms lacked any information on CoR Cavalry, so I turned to a great French language website:

http://empire.histofig.com

The Lasalle Army list suggests that the Light Cavalry could refer to Baden Light Dragoons, Nassau mounted jagers, or the Hessen-Darmstadt cheveaulegers.  I found uniform references for the Baden, Hessen-Darmstadt, and Wurzburg units.

Curiously, the headgear does not match the Wurzburg reference images, but the uniform is pretty close.  The helmets, in particular, look closer to Austrian cavalry than any of the Confederation of the Rhine units.   In any case, I painted these guys up in the green and red of Wurzburg.  I will use them as French cavalry for DBN, too.

French Infantry

You can't fight a battle (very successfully) with just artillery.  I finished six French Infantry bases save the flag.  I will mount the paper flag after sealing the figures with clear coat.

Center Companies and Light Infantry

The six bases will form the core of a DBN army with two Elite and four Regular units.  They can also be used for 1 1/2 Lasalle battalions which use four bases.  I need eight battalions for Lasalle, so there is a lot of painting ahead!

Center Companies and Grenadiers

French Artillery

I finished basing a batch of Napoleonic figures, focused on building up to DBN armies and eventually fielding large enough forces for Lasalle.  I still need to spray them with a flat clear varnish.  Here's a look at four French artillery bases.

The shadows are stark since I took these photos near dusk.  In the background is the Han River and our sister hi-rise apartments. The four elements are all medium and heavy cannon, and will provide plenty of artillery for DBN and meet the needs of a Lasalle French Infantry Division.

Progress and Planning

I am making more progress on my 15mm Napoleonics, focusing on completing enough French and Austrians to play DBN initially.  My final goal will be forces large enough to play Lasalle.  Considering that I don't have a large table here in Korea or wargaming friends interested in Napoleonics, completing the Lasalle armies will be a two-three year effort, intermingled with other projects.

I have finished and based three Confederation of the Rhine Cavalry stands.  I have some French Infantry on the paint table now.  When those figures are done, I'll finishing the basing work on the whole batch.

I had scratched out my basic plan and inventory on several paper sheets.  Inspired by graphs noted in a US Army historical series on WW II, I created the visual below to help me track my progress.

Napoleonic Army progress - 18 January 2013

As I purchase and paint, I will update the graph.  The graph also provides a great visual contrast of the differences between the two Armies.

The DBN army lists are based on a 12 point army, and you have quite a few options.  I have boxed in the DBN elements that cover all options.  The red lines notate an legal 12 point force.  As you can see, I am close to completing a French DBN force.  I will need to buy some more figures to get an Austrian DBN army fielded.  Completion of two Lasalle forces will take some time!