Austrian Artillery at Mollwitz

 

I worked on some close up pictures of units on my game table for my Mollwitz game. I thought that the Austrian artillery pictures were particularly good. The equipment and figures are Minden Miniatures. The ammo wagon is the Russian wagon (frankly the Austrian and Russian wagons look nearly the same) and the team of limber horses is driven by an Austrian train driver. The two fellows carrying a wooden box are from one of the  Civilian Ag Workers set.

Moving the camera away from the ammo wagon reveals more of the battery in action. Notice how the figure and equipment bases blend in with the Cigar Box Battle Mats green mat. Nice coincidence on my part.

Close up of the Austrian cannon and crew. In the first picture you can see the Austrian limber teams positioned well behind the cannons. I think that adding limbers and ammunition wagons adds  a lot to the visual look of a Wargame army.

If you own some Minden Austrian and Prussian armies then head on over to the Fife and Drum Miniatures web store and start rounding up your recruits today.

Fife & Drum web store

Coming next: the Savage Swann Inn in the town of Mollwitz.

Austrian Battalion Guns

My recent painting output of Austrian ordannance

CLICK ON ALL PICTURES TO ENLARGE

I have been adding 3-pound battalion guns to all of my Austrian infantry battalions of late. Over the past week or so I painted and based four 3-pounders and one 12-pounder, for good measure.

In my new basing scheme for my Austrian infantry, I place 32 figures on four stands that are 60mm wide and 80mm deep. The extra depth in the stands allows me to create a third rank of NCOs and other file closers and I think that this provides a better simulation of 18th Century battalions in three ranks. The one problem with this basing idea is that there is no "middle stand" on which to place the colors and still have a symetrical look to it. My solution was to add a fifth stand for a battalion gun to each battalion. Thus, five stands wide for the total battalion frontage and now the colors will look like they were placed in the middle of the battalion.

Three batalion guns and one heavy 12-pounder on the right.

If you click on the two pictures above, you will see that I have recruited some of the Minden Pioneer (CIV-003) figures into the Austrian artillery establishment by simply painting the waistcoats and breeches in the artillery uniform color and painting the shirt sleeves a common white. Add some of the artillery tools to their hands and you have a nice looking variant to place on your artillery stand.

MA-017 Austrian Artillery Crew

MA-017 Artillery Crew are manning the AE-033 Austrian 3-pound cannon.

I will be posting more about the "new" Austrian basing system that I am going to use in my makeover of my Austrian SYW armies.

SYW Austrian Artillery Goes Into Action

This evening I was scrolling through some of the 13,000 plus pictures that are on my desktop computer and stumbled across this series of an Austrian 12-pounder getting ready to go into action. I thought that they deserved to have a second look by the readers of this blog.

The artillery horses and the driver are from RSM miniatures. The limber and 12-pounder are Berliner Zinnfiguren models. The artillery crewmen and laborers are from Minden Miniatures.

Austrian 12-pounder limbered and on the move.

Unlimbering the piece.

Unlimbered and ready for action

The whole Austrian battery of 6-pounders and 12-pounders.

The 2-wheel ammunition cart from Minden Miniatures.

Minden Austrian 6-pounder

Minden Austrian 7-pound Howitzer

The Minden Austrian 12-pounder

The Minden Austrian 3-pounder

All of the Minden Austrian artillery equipment shown above are available on the Fife & Drum webstore:

Fife & Drum webstore

Fife & Drum SYW Austrian Artillery Equipment

Austrian 12-pounder and 4-wheel ammunition wagon and train driver. Click all pix to enlarge.

I spent the weekend painting samples of all of the new Fife & Drum Miniatures range of Austrian artillery equipment for the Seven Years War.  I also painted samples of all of the new Russian artillery and crew sets, which I will post on my blog later this week. Click or double click any of the pictures to enlarge the view.

The new product codes for the Austrian artillery equipment is shown below:

AE-031  Austrian artillery train driver (2)...$4.00  (without horses)
AE-032  Austrian train driver with horse,,,,,$6.00
AE-033  Austrian 3-pounder .......................$6.00
AE-034  Austrian 6-pounder........................$6.00
AE-035  Austrian 7-pound howitzer............$6.00
AE-036  Austrian 12-pounder..................... $7.00
AE-037  Austrian limber..............................$6.00
AE-038  Austrian4-wheel ammo wagon....$12.00
AE-039  Austrian 2-wheel ammo wagon.. $10.00

Other Useful & Related Minden sets
MA-017  Austrian artillery crew (4)........................$8.00

CIV-003  Civilian laborers/pioneers (4)...................$8.00

AE-008 Pair of limber horses w/ civilian driver.....$10.00
AE-018  Pontoon Wagon with pontoon..................$12.00
AE-017  Pair of pontoons.........................................$7.00

Austrian 2-wheel ammo cart, shown with one of the Minden Pioneer figures.

Austrian 3-pounder battalion gun, shown with Minden Austrian artillery crew.

Austrian 4-wheel ammo wagon shown with Austrian artillery train driver.

(L to R) Austrian 6-pounder, 7-pound howitzer (center) and 12-pounder.

Austrian 12-pounder with Minden Austrian artillery crew. The two figures in sleeveless waistcoats are from the Minden Pioneer figure set - they are quite versatile and make for good artillery labor (mattroses)

d

Austrian & Russian Artillery Equipment Update

I have a couple of pieces of good news to report that is germane to the KIckstarter campaign for the Austrian and Russian artillery equipment:

First of all, Griffin Moulds shipped several boxes of castings to me on Thursday last, and they are scheduled to arrive in the US on Monday. I'm told that the new artillery models are included in this shipment. So hopefully we can see the four Russian cannon and some Austrian artillery wagons.

Our sculptor for all of the equipment, Robi Baker, also made some Russian wagons and finished working on the Brummer and a Conestoga Wagon for our Fife & Drum AWI figure range.

Secondly, I also heard from Richard Ansell on Thursday and he informs me that he is nearly finished with the 8 Russian artillery crewmen (4 loading, and 4 firing) and four personality figures: Zieten, Prinz Moritz, Marshall Fermor, and con Browne. I will post pictures as soon as I receive them from Richard 

More Austrian Artillery

Austrian 3-pdr with limber and Austrian artillery train driver

As promised, here are some more pictures of the new Minden Austrian artillery equipment models. Note that we also have  two-wheel and 4-wheel ammunition wagons that are at Griffin Moulds waiting for the master and production moulds to be made.

The new product codes and prices are indicated below:

AE-033  Austrian 3-pounder  -- $6.00

AE-034  Austrian 6-pounder -- $6.00

AE-035  Austrian 7-pound howitzer -- $6.00

AE-036  Austrian 12-pounder -- $7.00

AE-037  Austrian Y-frame limber -- $5.00

And some recent additions that are available to help fill out your Austrian artillery train:

AE-030  Austrian artillery train drivers (2 figures) w/o horses -- $4.00
AE-031  Austrian artillery train driver and horse (1 of each)  -- $6.00

And of course, you will need Austrian artillery crew to man your guns:

MA-017  Austrian artillery crew (set of 4 figures with tools) -- $8.00
CIV-003  Civilian laborers in waistcoats - perfect for man handling your guns -- $8.00
CIV-002  Agricultural laborers (2 figures carrying ammo chest)  + 2 other figures -- $8.00

Austrian 3-pdr and limber

Austrian 12-pdr (L) and 7-pound howitzer (R)

Austrian 3-pdr (L) and 6-pounder (R)

As always, please click on the pictures to enlarge the view.

New Minden Austrian Artillery Pieces

Here are pictures of the new Austiran cannon, Left to Right: 3-pdr, 6-pdr, howitzer, and 12-pdr.

More later today.

Austrian Artillery Train from Minden

Austrian artillery train driver from Minden Miniatures. Ammo wagon is from Westphalia Miniatures, although Minden will soon be adding its own 2-wheel  and 4-wheel ammo wagons.

The above picture depicts the new Minden Austrian artillery train driver and the new limber horse designed to accomodate the driver/rider. We also have a similar Prussian driver and two new civilian drivers for the SYW or AWI (tricorn and jacket or brimmed hat and waistcoat).

Prussian train driver and all three of the new Minden limber horses and the ammo wagon, all from Minden Miniatures.

The 2-wheel Austrian ammo wagon is made by Westphalia Miniatures and the very talented Niels Reulkotter. Minden has its own ammo carts on the designer's bench at this very moment, but these Westphalia wagons are really special and you ought to check out their website.

Artillery Campaign Is A Success!

The SYW artillery Kickstarter was a great success with the final pledge tally at $9,354. As a result, the following equipment and figures have been funded for sculpting and production:

Austrian Artillery & Equipment

3- pounder

6-pounder

7-pound howitzer 

12-pounder

"y-frame " limber

2-wheel munitions wagon 

4-wheel munitions wagon

Status: cannons and limber at the caster; and wagons are completed and will be sent to the caster this month.

Russian Artillery Equipment

8-pounder

12-pounder

12-pound Unicorn

12-pound Secret Howitzer

Russian artillery crew (4 loading and 4 firing poses)

Status: work has commenced on the cannon models

Prussian 12-pound Brummer

Status: not started yet.

Personalities

General Fermor (Russia)

Marshal von Browne (Austria)

Prinz Moritz of Anhalt Dessau (Prussia)

One personality to be determined

Status: not started yet.

Russian Artillery Equipment Is Funded!

Conceptual view of what the Minden Russian artillery crew might look like (these are Prussian artillery crew and Pioneer figures painted in Russian red and black uniforms)

Kickstarter Update:

Total Pledges: $7,085

Total Backers: 42 people

Days left in the campaign: 8 days

Next Stretch Goal:  $8,500 (unlocks Russian artillery crew - 8 poses (4 loading & 4 firing)

Amount Required: $1,415

We did it! The funding for the Kickstarter campaign surged over the $7,000 threshold so this officially "unlocks" the Russian artillery equipment. This will include the 6 and 12 pounders, the 12 pound Unicorn and the Secret Howitzer designed by Pytr Shuvalov. We also plan on adding a 4-wheel and 2 wheel ammo wagon for the Russian artillery contingent.

I am very thankful for everyone's help and backing and you have made it possible to kickstart the SYW Russian army in the Minden range. So what is next?

I am going to revised the next stretch goal, currently at $11,000 covering the field artillery crew and the Observation Corps artillery crew, into two tranches. The first tranche will be set at $8,500 (down from $11,000) and will fund the Russian regular artillery crew in both firing and loading poses. The Fermor personality figure will be given as a freebie to all backers at the $100.00 pledge level or higher.

The Observation Corps artillery crew will be unlocked at the $11,000 stretch goal. There will be a set of loading and a set of firing poses.

Russian Artillery Crew Kickstarter Page

I think that these changes will make the Russian artillery crew an attainable goal with just 8 days left in the campaign.

If you are interested in joining our Kickstarter Russian Campaign, then please click on the link above and make a pledge. There are seven pledge levels at $100 or less.

Let's Get Frederick the Great Really Ticked Off!

Prussian (Left) and Austrian (Right) artillery train drivers on the new LH-003 Limber Horse

Pledges are $6,214 USD as of today so that means that the Austrian artillery is funded as is the 12-pounder Prussian Brummer. (Fritz likes Brummers).

Fritz is also happy that the Russians, so far, are not going to fight their next battle with artillery because the KS campaign still needs $786 USD dollars within the next 11 days in order to hit the stretch goal of $7,000 USD, which will unlock all of the Russian artillery.

So if you like the Austrians and Russians and cannot stand the Brandenburg Usurper, then help make Fritz unhappy by clicking on the link below and making a pledge. Pledges start as low as $15 USD and there are seven pledge levels of $100 USD or less:

link

Also, our spies report that the Austrian artillery greens are already at Griffin Moulds getting outfitted for production moulds. So when this Kickstarter closes, the cannon will quickly be on their way to backers. We understand that Fritz is very upset over this rearmament of Marie Therese's army. He he he. 

Finally, here are some of the new Austrian and Prussian artillery train drivers and the new limber horses, which are now in stock in the US and through our UK distributor : Crann Tara Miniatures.

All of our previous civilian limber drivers and limber horses have been removed from stock (they were made by a different sculptor) and replaced with new limber horses and drivers sculpted by Richard Ansell. This provides a more uniform appearance to the range in that every man and beast in the range is now sculpted by Richard.

Tomorrow night I hope to have painted samples of the two new civilian limber drivers. One wears a brimmed hat and is wearing a sleeveless waistcoat. The other driver is wearing a tricorn hat and a full jacket.

The new LH-001 (left) and LH-002 limber horses are shown with the Prussian artillery train driver and  AE-019 munitions wagon.

Artillery Train Drivers amd Limber Horses

Prussian (left) and Austrian (right) artillery train drivers

Here are some quick pictures of the Austrian and Prussian artillery train drivers that we added to the Minden range of SYW figures. We have also reworked and replaced all of the existing limber horses and civilian riders so that they are all sculpted by Richard Ansell.

Updated Code Numbers as of midnight October 1, 2014

New product codes are:

AE-027  Pair of civilian limber drivers (hat and tricorn) w/o horse. -- $4.00

AE-028  Pair of Prussian artillery train riders  w/o horses  -- $4.00

AE-029 Prussian artillery train rider & horse (1 of each) -- $6.00

AE-030  Pair of Austrian artillery train riders  w/o horses  -- $4.00

AE-031  Austrian artillery train rider & horse (1 of each) -- $6.00

AE-008 Pair of Limber Horses   -- $8.00

Prussian (left) and Austrian (right) artillery train drivers.

A picture of the two new limber horses that replaced the old horses.

New Minden Austrian & Russian Kickstart Campaign Begins

Minden Austrian Artillery Crew figures are shown with Berlin Zinnfiguren cannon and limbers and RSM limber horses.  Minden will be adding its own cannon, limber horses and riders to the range.

Minden Miniatures has just launched a new Kickstarter campaign to secure funding for SYW AUSTRIAN and RUSSIAN artillery equipment. We seek to raise funding of $3,000 to get the five Austrian models shown below into production by December 2014. If we hit the stretch goal of $8,000 then that will help fund the start of the SYW Russian artillery range. (and yes, we plan on adding lots of Russians in 2015).

The Russian cannon will tentatively include a Shuvulov Secret Howitzer, the 6-pd and 12-pd field guns, and a 12-pound Unicorn howitzer, and maybe a few other unusual Russian equipment pieces.

The Austrian cannon will include the Liechtenstein System 3-pdr, 6-pdr, 7-pd howitzer, 12-pounder and limber. Visit the link to our Kickstarter page and learn more about the funding campaign. The campaign ends in 30 days on October 12, 2014.

Minden Kickstarter Link

As you can see in the pictures below, we already have most of the Austrian equipment sculpting and design completed, so this campaign will get models to you very quickly. We will be starting on the Russian equipment and a couple of other surprises very soon.

Austrian 12- pounder "green" ready to go to Griffin Moulds for master and production moulds.

Austrian 7-pound howitzer :

Austrian 3-pounder:

Austrian 6-pounder:

Austrian 12-pounder shown in the travel position attached to the limber:

Austrian Artillery - Liechtenstein System

I was looking at this diagram that I copied from Christopher Duffy's book, "The Army of Marie Therese" and I'm trying to determine if the Liechtenstein System of artillery used during the SYW used a standardized wheel diameter for the 3-pound, 6-pound, 12-pounde and 7-pound howitzer  artillery carriages.

In Stephen Summerfield's book, "Austrian Seven Years War Cavalry and Artillery" states that:

Precise standard for carriages, limber, cart and wagon wheels were introduced. Feuerstein was concerned about increasing the operational mobility of the ordnance so two wheel sizes for all artillery transport was used. (Does "transport" mean the artillery wheels as well as the wagons?").

Looking at the diagram above, it looks as if all wheels for the gun carriages are the same size. I am hoping tat someone can confirm or refute this contention or assumption.. Your help will be much appreciated.

UPDATE

I looked a little closer at the Duffy book and he states that:

Liechtenstein established a common axle and just two types of wheel for the whole range of field artillery and supporting vehicles. He thereby ensured that spares were always at hand in the event of a break down. The 36-inch diameter wheel served as the front wheels of the large ammunition cart, and the 51-inch wheel for the field guns and howitzers, for the small two wheel ammunition cart and the rear wheels of the large four-wheeled ammunition cart.

Minden SYW Austrians

Austrian cuirassiers (left) and Prussian CR1 cuirassiers (right) close into melee. Click pix to enlarge.

I thought that it was about time to show some pictures of the "Other Guys" in the white coats, who serve for She Whose Name Cannot Be Mentioned on this blog.

Charles of Lorrain (leaning over), Hadik (in hussar mufti next to Charles) and von Loudan (in the front next to the grenadiers) as painted by Leuthen Studios.

Charles of Lorraine (center) discusses tactics with his staff. A lot of good that will do him, but at least he is giving it a try. Von Loudan is in the back right waiting for history to tap him on the shoulder.

Austrian artillery battery with a pair of 6-pounders in the right foreground and a pair of 12-pounders in the left background. Minden artillery crew, Berliner Zinfiguren cannon and limbers, RSM limber horses and riders. Von Loudan, in the background, supervises the battery while a battalion of Hungarian grenadiers provides support.

Same battery, but viewed from the rear.