Small but perfectly formed in 2mm: Napoleonics

A long time ago this wargaming project was started .. and now perhaps its time has come to finish. The 2mm Austrian army seeks a small French opponent (see below, the Austrian army had progressed quite nicely): 

2mm certainly gives the impression of numbers (see below, which to me defines an essential aspect of the Napoleonic period) : 

All that remains to be done is give the Austrians some decent French opponents (see below, they are even based up but currently "a study in black", to the top right of picture you can see a "column" of troops moving up):  

There are also plenty of "silver legions" to add to the cast of thousands (see below, the troops in question came from the Irregular Miniatures range): 

Alongside the bases were cryptic notes to a couple of 1814 battles in France I had made!

Napoleonic Project: The Peninsular War

"Reading the war": 

Following on from reading Simon Scarrow's classic "set of four" Welloington/Napoleon historical fiction based on fact books I have been seduced by the charms and intrigues of the Napoleonic War period, in particular the Peninsular Campaign aka the Spanish Ulcer, which was the start of the unravelling of the Napoleonic Empire (see below):

The interest is the beguiling way the Peninsular War started off so innocuously small but ended up with incredibly big battles of huge consequences for all of Europe, also because  it seems so "peculiarly British in character" but mainly because the outcome of the campaign hung on a knife edge and could so easily have swung either way so many times. Wellington risked ruin if  he lost but a single battle.

The influence of Wellington or conversely the lack of Napoleon's influence seems most acute. My reading continues apace, but I have decided to test my colour palate and painting skills on some Victrix 28mm British fellows. The aim is to have at least enough for a Sharp Practice scenario or two (which means I best bother to get the rules in the first place) before deciding as to whether or not I should go hardcore and get a 15mm  British, Portuguese and Spanish army. As a quick start I have some 2mm "Napoleonic Blocks" (from "Irregular Miniatures") that could be fast-tracked into use.

A project well worthy of time spent on it in 2016 ;)