Evan's AB French

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

Evan asked me to share some pics of his own French Napoleonic figures. I think you'll agree that these are beautiful figures ...

Evan wrote:

Each unit is a regiment - 36 foot & 12 cavalry. They look like French "battalions" with 6 companies but we treat them as three battalion regiments (two bases per battalion with 6 foot or two horse per med. base) Obviously the Austrians etc with much bigger field regiments come in at about 10 bases for foot...& as usual the British make it difficult with mixed up battalions from different regiments!

The main bonus of doing it this way is that you can paint a unit as a historical regiment with all the trimmings like the flank companies but not make yourself insane with 8-10 figure battalions, each with officers etc. We use the large artillery bases to just cut down on the number of bases to be moved & you'll notice the figures are placed more to the rear - no clashes of bayonets, lances etc when they come into contact for combat. When you place them in column it looks more like the actual battalions in column than just a big block of figures.

cheers,

Evan

Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Naples, Fl

WOW! Evan, what a Great Job! Your figs look so real and natural. I especially like your basing. As I looked at the first couple of pics, I thought they were small and medium bases ( the angle of the shot fore-shortened their appearence ). I couldn't believe they were medium and large--- I had to grab some bases and figs, and space them myself. I have to say, I like the your arrangement. It gives a sufficiently dense formation to please the eye, yet be economical enough in figures to build really large formations. I have to say this scale would not have been my first choice, but having seen your arrangement, I am excited about it. This may be that first standard that we can build upon. Once again, a very nice effort.

As to that first standard, may I ask if you are the 'Evan' familiar to many of us, the 'Evan' who works with a fellow named Wayne (.....you know.....from BattleFront.....) and a guy named Phil? If so, may we construe your basing scheme might turn out to be the standard of a future release from a respected Wargames Company? Rolling Eyes

In that case, would we be ahead of the game to adopt your basing? Just asking.

Don

Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 34 Location: NZ

Hi Don, yep it's me Wink

I wouldn't take this as any indication of what BF intends in the future. Napoleonics has always been my favourite after WW2 and this gives me a hobby after I've finished working on WW2 stuff all day at the "office" The basing system was worked out with some other Naps fans at my local club and we're currently working on our own set of club rules to satisfy our own impressions of Napoleonic warfare. I've actually just replaced my previous old minifigs style Napoleonic armies with AB figures in the last year, an ongoing project. I've always preferred bigger units over most current rulesets that like 8-12ish figure sized regiments - must be a touch of megalomania Cool

cheers,

Evan

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:36 am

Outch it's great Shocked

and so beautifull !!! Very Happy

Pefect maybe. I like also this great bataillon.
Congratulations Wink

Vive l'Empereur Evan

Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Naples, Fl

Evan wrote:

Hi Don, yep it's me Wink

I wouldn't take this as any indication of what BF intends in the future. Napoleonics has always been my favourite after WW2 and this gives me a hobby after I've finished working on WW2 stuff all day at the "office" The basing system was worked out with some other Naps fans at my local club and we're currently working on our own set of club rules to satisfy our own impressions of Napoleonic warfare. I've actually just replaced my previous old minifigs style Napoleonic armies with AB figures in the last year, an ongoing project. I've always preferred bigger units over most current rulesets that like 8-12ish figure sized regiments - must be a touch of megalomania Cool

cheers,

Evan

I figured it was you. How far along has your club come with it's rules? Any chance you or another member could post where you're going with them?

Those AB figures really are tremendous, aren't they? They look like they paint up easily, too. Just how big are they, 18mm? I started out in the '70s with 15mm Heritage and Mini-Fig Prussian and British figures. I recently bought some Old Glory 15mm French, and my old figs look like midgets (excuse me, Little People) in comparison.

Quote:

I've always preferred bigger units over most current rulesets that like 8-12ish figure sized regiments - must be a touch of megalomania

That's why I could never get behind Empire, the units seemed too small. I preferred GDW's Fire and Steel, but it's 36-40 figure battalions really ate up the figures. Your basing seems to be a perfect fit. As to megalomania, you chose French. You have to be a megalomaniac, it's State Law. Laughing

Well, I've taken up enough of your time. You can go back to sculpting that Soviet B4 203mm tracked gun that I know is on your workbench this very minute Wink

Don

BTW, Have you ever sculpted any Napoleonics?

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:24 pm

I like the way these are based Evan. I like the way there painted as well. I am just starting and having just finished painting 16 Brits skirmishing I had them 8 to a base with the long edge forward, the bayonets were going to be a problem as they protruded beyond the base. Having seen this way of basing I have gone back and redone mine the same way. Looks much better and will allow me to put dead enemies on the front part of the base for decoration Wink

Chris

P.S. I am also interested in seeing what rules your club is using.

Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 34 Location: NZ

Quote:

BTW, Have you ever sculpted any Napoleonics?

nope, not yet - no time really.

The rules will probably be a few months before they're in any fit state to put up for perusal, they are very much WIP Wink

cheers,

Evan

Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Sylvania, OHIO

Excellent work Evan. I enjoy looking at your painting efforts.

So..........when will the FOW version of Napoleonics be published so I can base my 1809 Austrian troops that are waiting in a jumbled pile in the basement?????

Had to try anyway Embarassed

Steve Straub : aka "Froglidite" on the other forum

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:13 am

I had a play with Kelly and Evan's rules when I was last down in Palmy. They seemed to flow quite well. Once they have finished I've volunteered to paste them up.

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

I'm looking forward to taking Kelly & Evan's results a test spin or twelve.

Hey, Steve, do you think this basing format works along with what we've been talking about, or were we angling a different direction? I don't quite remember.

Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Sylvania, OHIO

It fits my caffine inspired ideas rather well....

Time for more Live Wire Mountain Dew Shocked

Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Naples, Fl

Evan,
I keep returning to this thread, mainly for inspiration, and I experiment with the placement of my figures on their bases. Yet no matter the arrangement, I can never make them look as 'neat' as your's. It finally dawned on me why. You have a preponderance of figures marching with shoulder arms, and they don't take up much space. Unfortunately, I hate marching figures.* Give me 'firing' or 'advancing' figures any day. So I guess my bases are always going to look more cluttered----oh well. However, your marching figs don't look half bad Wink

, so maybe there are some in my future.

Don

*When I was a kid playing with my 54mm Marx soldiers, the 'marching guys' were always the first to be slaughtered. Smile

Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 174

I also keep returning to this thread (as well as the scale thread).
Partly its for inspiration, partly is to figure out how close my basing is to Evan's and all the implications of how many figures I'd have to acquire and what the eventual game would look like for the average player in a "standard" sized game.

Its certainly attractive basing. And for some reason I'm still trying to re-wrap my head around the idea of different terminology for different sized units in different nations (ie. regiments & brigades). I worked through that before, but I've not been able to think about this stuff much of late and have had even less luck actually managing to arrange a game with someone that I kind of have to recalibrate my brain on this stuff ... which is also why I haven't posted on the scale thread yet.

Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Posts: 16

Evan,

Fantastic work. I look forward to seeing the rules and more of your work.

Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Foxton Beach nz

Hi Evan
Incredible figures Very Happy

. Buying some AB British figures towards the end of June. I live closed to Palmerston North, Foxton Beach. So one day soon I'll get around to joining the Palmy club. Therefore I've a coupled of questions on basing Brits. How many figures are you guys using for centre companies and flank companies in the same battlaton?. And how many riflemen are you using and how are you basing the said riflemen per base? My thoughts on riflemen is two per small base as they worked in pairs, one loading and the other one covering the loader. Any thoughts on the subject would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Cheers
Steve