Again Prussian Generals - and new guns for the Seven Years war

 Holger is fond of Generals and here we have the next three for the Seven Years war.

To be honest, I am happy that the project is finished now. I started painting them as ordinary officers, staff soldiers etc. 

The next range will be personalities of the 30YW. 

Here the last photos of the latest figures

Rüdiger sculpted some interesting Batallion-guns and new limbers for the Prussian army. Also a gun for my Franconian infantry at Korbitz:-)

He also made a great set of Prussian casualties. Exactly what I need for the diorama to make it more "lively"

Some new Austrian Grenadiers

 Leonid sent the photos of the finished masters for our SYW Grenadiers. They will now go their way from Russia to Hagen. 

I am sure, some will appear to fight at Korbitz too. Of course not as Austrians, but as Bavarians:-) 

What helps a huge stock, if you don't have the right poses

 For the fight at Korbitz I need the 18th Regiment Gyulay (Hungarian) in a firing line. 

An Austrian Batallion has a strenght of 4 companies of around 150 men each. As the fight is in September and we have losses from fatigue, battles and desertions, I allowed myself a strength of 60% of the official one for the battle.

Before I start painting a unit, I search through my collection to organise a unit in the right poses. Sometimes it is sobering to see what is left from a huge pile.

The Revell SYW range is from a time, when we had not so many new sets each year. In these years, I bought usually several of the new ones. 

My collection of unpainted figures is different to the ones of most other hobbyfriends I know. I simply don't have the space to sort boxes in. So I remove everything from the sprue, but them in bags and put these bags in boxes (sorted after conflicts).

I took the box of SYW figures. The first idea was "more then enough"

But what is really left when you need just poses for a firing line? Not enough for a whole batallion:-(

The good thing is, I haven't checked the HAT Sets. With them I am sure to put at least the two Batallions of Gyulay in the right strenght on the table:-)

New figures for Hagen - and also for Korbitz

 Leonid started on a set of Austrian Grenadiers in the SYW. See here the first two masters.

Talking about Leonid's work, I have just finished some of the dismounted Prussian Hussars, which I need to fight the Austrian Grenzers in the woods at Korbitz.

These I've painted as the 7th Regiment Malachowski. I always liked the yellow uniform and was happy to see, they were involved in this fight. 

SYW battle of Zorndorf 1758

 Rüdiger Fischer made some very impressing dioramas on the SYW. When he read, that we started to work on another one, he voluntered at once to help us. 

Charging cavalry is something, he already worked on. Take a look at his splendit Zorndorf Diorama and many others too. 

At Korbitz we have Austrian Cuirassiers, riding down Prussian infantry. The szene could be the same. 

Most of Rüdigers conversions are able in our shop and I hope to add much more figures for this subject to our ranges soon. 

Korbitz 1759

 The last weekend I search for six hours all the books about the SYW, which I had in my collection. It is very hard to find a detailed account. So far, I have searched out around 15 different sources. Some detailed info comes from the regimental histories. Their losses gives a suggestion, in which line they stood. 

At least I found a map with the names of the Generals. Now I know, where the brigades stood. 

The Freibattalion Wunsch (two battalions) defended the left wing of the Prussians against the Reichsarmee in the first line. So I decided to paint them in fighting positions.

In reserve stood combined Grenadiers (2nd "Line" and 2nd Garrison). 

Interesting is, that the "Wunsch Legion" not only had infantry, but also Sharpshooters and Hussars.

Osprey for example has a plate of the Sharpshooter

And we have some hussars too.

A new Diorama project - and a challenge for all of us who are locked in

 Our last "anual" diorama project was the battle of Ulundi, which we have shown on the Dioramica in November 2018. The next project is the battle of the Medway which we wanted to show in summer 2020 in Lampertheim and again in November at the Dioramica.

This means, I am painting on Romans and Celts since over two years. We all painted huge armies and weren't able to meet as a group to make a trial, how it looks like, what space we get etc. etc.

Last week I talked with my friend Schmitty and we decided to already start on a new project. This time a lesser known combat of the SYW, which we want to produce with units in orginal numbers. Well, at least a part of it:-) Better than showing a big battle with units, only 20% of their real size. 

I am a Franconian from birth, so I wanted to have "my" own units involved. One of the best Websources for this campaign is Kronoskaf. 

The best subject, I found is the combat of Korbitz. A very colorful Reichsarmee, including the Franconian regiment Varell, which is the unit I started to concentrate now. 

Now I will read through my collection of German sources to find as many details as I can. Then we decide which part of the combat we want to create. 

All of you are invited to join us - take on the challenge - You can lend us the figures for the project or if you don't want, simply paint units which are involved there. Anybody can send me photos of what he did and I will publish it on the blog.

So we can still be part of a project, while sitting at home. Tell me what you think about it.

And here now, no post without photos - some photos from the regiment Varell:-)