Is that Grouchy? NO! It's the Prussians loaded up and ready for order! (1 Viewer)

[FirstLegion]

That's right, with all of the talks of WWII and Stugs, let's not forget our Napoleon's Europe range. For those of you who were concerned that you might see less Napoleonic figures, you couldn't be more wrong!

We are pleased to present you with the Prussian Army of the Napoleonic Wars. Our first release of what will eventually be exhaustive coverage is NAP0150-NAP0166 Prussian 11th (2nd Silesian) Line Infantry regiment at Waterloo in 1815. We purposely selected this regiment as it was one of the few which fought at Plancenoit and actually carried its standard. These are yet another perfect opposition for our newly released Old Guard Chasseurs and all that's missing will be the Plancenoit buildings to create some fantastic dioramas of the streetfighting that took place there. Don't worry, those will be coming soon.

But for now, those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the Prussians, here you go - done as only First Legion can with the sculpting and painting you've come to expect from our figures. These are now on our site and available for order with a ship date in the first half of August.

NAP0150-NAP0166 Prussian 11th Line (2nd Silesian) Infantry Regiment - 1 of each figure shown above

NAP0150 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Officer in Shako - $49.95
NAP0151 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Officer with Bandaged Head - $49.95
NAP0152 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Standard Bearer - $69.95
NAP0153 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Drummer - $54.95
NAP0154 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Falling Backwards - $49.95
NAP0155 Prussian 11th Line Musketeer Advancing with Shako - $44.95
NAP0156 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Advancing with Covered Shako - $44.95
NAP0157 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Charging with Raised Musket - $44.95
NAP0158 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Advancing with Forage Cap - $44.95
NAP0159 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Charging with Raised Musket - $44.95
NAP0160 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Advancing in Shako - $44.95
NAP0161 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Laying Dead - $44.95
NAP0162 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeers Falling Vignette - $99.95
NAP0163 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer NCO - $49.95
NAP0164 Prussian 11th Infantry Musketeer Charging with Covered Shako - $44.95
NAP0165 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Charging with Covered Shako - $44.95
NAP0166 Prussian 11th Line Infantry Musketeer Advancing with Covered Shako - $44.95

A few images of the figures below....

NAP0150

NAP0152

NAP0153

NAP0154

NAP0156

NAP0162

NAP0163

NAP0164

NAP0165


Oh, and here is a quick trivia question. Does anyone know why this particular regiment has the white circle on their Shako Covers? Sorry, it's not a contest and the only prize you'll get is that feeling of satisfaction of knowing you were right!

Enjoy!

Regards,

Matt
First Legion Ltd

 

[Spitfrnd]

Wow!!! Those are most impressive. Reminds me of Prussian Troops Storming a Village (Hamburger Kunstalle). It rather brings my Rory Muir Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon to life. This has been quite a week for you all Matt, two thumbs up.

BTW, was that white circle introduced in 1812?

 

[FirstLegion]

Wow!!! Those are most impressive. Reminds me of Prussian Troops Storming a Village (Hamburger Kunstalle). It rather brings my Rory Muir Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon to life. This has been quite a week for you all Matt, two thumbs up.

BTW, was that white circle introduced in 1812?

Thanks Bill, it sure has. Suffice it to say I'm pooped. In my former life before First Legion, now would be the time I would spend looking at my toy soldiers...of course now, I'd rather run my knuckles across a cheese grater I think....well, at least until tomorrow.

As for the trivia question regarding the white circle, yes, it was introduced in 1812. But please be more specific than that. Why don't all of the Prussian line regiments wear it?

 

[Louis Badolato]

Matt,

The photos of these look better than the photos of the WWII stuff (which look fantastic - don't get me wrong) - what, do you get more inspired by the old black powder stuff?! Or is it just the photographs are better on these?

 

[FirstLegion]

Matt,

The photos of these look better than the photos of the WWII stuff (which look fantastic - don't get me wrong) - what, do you get more inspired by the old black powder stuff?! Or is it just the photographs are better on these?

Thanks Louis. I guess it all comes down to taste! The photos might be a little bit better on these figures, however, if you look at a GOOD photo of our WWII (unfortunately, I am not gifted photographer and I have some good days and some bad days!), you'll see that they are probably on par with the Napoleonics in terms of painting, but the sculpting is superior on the WWII. Plus, the the Napoleonics are so colorful! The WWII figures have a lot of very subtle shading in them which don't show up as well on a photograph. Plus they have a lot of fine highlighting and shadow lines which make the figure pop to life but that are very challenging to paint well. See this image below for what I'm talking about, which I feel is a good quality image...

One of the figures from GERSTAL010 Pioneer Assault Group

Even the sculpting comes down to taste. Our Napoleonics sculptor does wonderful work with proportions and fine detail, but our WWII sculptor is a true artist who can capture movement and mood in a static figure like few in the world can. For example, our WWII sculptor did the Horse of NAP0167 Colbert, our Napoleonic sculptor did the rider. The rider is gorgeous and highly detailed, but the horse is world class. They'be both phenomenal, but if you look at the WWII figure and then look at the Napoleonic figure, to me, the WWII sculpting is superior and the painting is at least as good if not better. The one area where the Napoleonic painting is better is the faces and that's only because our painters we've been using on our Napoleonic figures have been painting the faces longer! It takes a LONG time to learn our painting style....

Regards,

Matt
First Legion Ltd

 

[Fusilier]

Matt-
These are outstanding! You certainly have outdone yourself this week. I had been hoping for these in order to do a dio like you suggested, with there Prussians facing off against the Guards Chasseurs.

Just looking at these figures reminds me of the extra thought you put into your work. This is not just a group of marching soldiers. This is a dymanic group of fusiliers who actually look like they are marching into a fight. You can see the intensity in thier faces!

Noah

 

[Louis Badolato]

Matt,

I was just joking - I know that the Napoleonics always look better in photos than the WWII stuff because of the brilliant colors of the Uniforms, but if I was going to collect Napoleonics (sorry - no interest in this era) I think that mounted Lancer general and these Prussians would be the first on the list.

 

[Fusilier]

Forgot to add....

I thought the white circle on the shakos was to represent units that were in the field.

Noah

 

[FirstLegion]

Matt,

I was just joking - I know that the Napoleonics always look better in photos than the WWII stuff because of the brilliant colors of the Uniforms, but if I was going to collect Napoleonics (sorry - no interest in this era) I think that mounted Lancer general and these Prussians would be the first on the list.

No Napoleonics eh? We'll have to do something about that...WWII Dios are fantastic and all, but nothing can top a MASSIVE napoleonic diorama!

 

[FirstLegion]

Forgot to add....

I thought the white circle on the shakos was to represent units that were in the field.

Noah

Nope, most units in the field didn't have this circular marking. Spitfrnd is close (and probably right), he just needs to be more specific...........

Oh, and thanks for the comments on the figures Noah!

 

[King's Man]

Matt,

Great figures!!!

In regard to the white circles painted on the Prussian shakos. I found this reference to the reason in Dr. Stephen Summerfield’s new book Prussian Infantry 1808-1840, Vol 1. Partizan Press on page 65. I quote:

“For the invasion of Russia. Napoleon ordered the Prussian to have a black and white cockade of painted leather sewn on the shako covers.”

In 1812 Prussia was allied with Napoleon against Russian. I presume he had it added to help separate the Prussians from the Russians and other troops who wore a very similar uniform. The French army in 1812 was made up of many nationalities and languages. I believe the black and white cockade is the Prussian national colors.

In David Nash’s book The Prussian Army, Almark Press, he also makes note that the allied armies, Prussian, Russian, and Austrian, started wearing a white armband on their upper left arm during the 1814 campaign to help separate them from the French troops. This was required after a group of Cossacks attacked a Prussian unit in error.

King’s Man

 

[FirstLegion]

Matt,

Great figures!!!

In regard to the white circles painted on the Prussian shakos. I found this reference to the reason in Dr. Stephen Summerfield’s new book Prussian Infantry 1808-1840, Vol 1. Partizan Press on page 65. I quote:

“For the invasion of Russia. Napoleon ordered the Prussian to have a black and white cockade of painted leather sewn on the shako covers.”

In 1812 Prussia was allied with Napoleon against Russian. I presume he had it added to help separate the Prussians from the Russian and other troops who wear a very similar uniform. The French army in 1812 was made up of many nationalities and languages. I believe the black and white cockade is the Prussian national colors.

In David Nash’s book The Prussian Army, Almark Press, he also makes note that the allied armies, Prussian, Russian, and Austrian, started wear a white armband on their upper left arm during the 1814 campaign to help separate them from the French troops. This was required after a group of Cossacks attacked a Prussian unit in error.

King’s Man

Thanks King's Man.

And yes, your answer is absolutely correct. Thus ONLY those regiments which participated in Napoleon's Invasion of Russia wore the leather circle cockade on the outside of the shako cover. The 11th Line (2nd Silesian) Infantry was one such regiment. The troops tended to keep the marking as something of a badge that they had participated in the campaign.

I thought that this might be harder to answer than it proved to be. Such is a testament to the level of knowledge of our customers!

 

[King's Man]

Matt,

The outstanding Prussian figures, plus the new personality figure of Colbert will give me more then enough to empty my wallet. However, I was disappointed not to see the new Württemberg infantry figures being posted for pre-ordering. Can you give us any idea when these will be listed?

Please don’t think I don’t appreciate all the wonderful new figures, because I do.

Thank you

 

[FirstLegion]

Matt,

The outstanding Prussian figures, plus the new personality figure of Colbert will give me more then enough to empty my wallet. However, I was disappointed not to see the new Württemberg infantry figures being posted for pre-ordering. Can you give us any idea when these will be listed?

Please don’t think I don’t appreciate all the wonderful new figures, because I do.

Thank you

No need to explain, I know you've been waiting for both the Russian infantry and the Wurttemberg Infantry for quite some time now. The pre-order for the Wurttemberg figures will be the next pre-order we start. It won't be too long now, just need to confirm the completion date and space things out a bit. Right now is the Prussians turn in the spotlight.

Best,

Matt

 

[fmethorst]

Wow! when you group the figures like that they look absolutely splendid.

While I don't collect Naps I definitely understand why people do.

As it is I'm having to budget for all the upcoming Stalingrad releases.

 

[DCN1898]

Matt,
Awesome figures! I've put a few in my cart. Your releases just keep getting better! I can't believe that there aren't more Prussian infantry out there either. We could also use some Gordon Highlanders........

 

[FirstLegion]

Wow! when you group the figures like that they look absolutely splendid.

And that's only one of each code. You should see them in multiples.

 

[FirstLegion]

Matt,
Awesome figures! I've put a few in my cart. Your releases just keep getting better! I can't believe that there aren't more Prussian infantry out there either. We could also use some Gordon Highlanders........

Thanks...as for highlanders, good idea. With the loads of French Cavalry we have coming, the British Guards could use another square to help beat them off! (hints abound!)

 

[marco55]

Matt,
You do love the massive wars don't you?Napoleanic and WWII.Why don't you do a smaller war as your next range such as ACW.
Mark

 

[Fusilier]

the British Guards could use another square to help beat them off!

Not to get greedy with the Brit releases, but that is a great idea. I would think that some 1st Guards, either light or battalion company infantry would be perfect.

I can already picture a corner of the square, where the grenadier company meets the light company.......

Noah