Project Waterloo, French Under Review.

I've been concentrating on the Prussian side of the project but the French will need a fair bit of attention. Both Lee and myself will be supplying the troops for this but I believe I will have the lions share given I have  a heads start on Lee, though he will be doing all the Guard.  The French are a mammoth task all on their own and even sharing with Lee and the fact I already have quite a few units based up I am expecting to have to paint up more French than Prussian. I am thinking Peter at Baccus will be very happy he is releasing his new French next month. 

The photo above is of all the French and allies I have at the moment, problem is that a big chunk of the infantry are for Spain and not the 100 days campaign and so should not be used in the big game. I will plan the number of units to paint per month based on not using these bases in expectation of keeping up with the required output.

With the boost from my Secret Santa I have been able to make up a commanding artillery park. A total of twenty guns and eight limbers gives me a good start in this field and whilst I will need more these are not a worry. A total of four wagons is not exactly a lot and yes I will get more but they are not a priority. Just behind the guns are eight bases of Italian's great for Spain but sure to miss Waterloo if I have my way.

At the front we have the cavalry, most of these will be seen on the fields of Waterloo, probably being broken up on British squares. Again I will need more but a manageable amount given the time frame I am working too.

Command bases, under my rules we will need quite a few so these six will need a lot of help, and that goes beyond the one I have ready for basing. Again though I believe one a month would be more than enough and should help to break up the constant line after line of infantry.

Opps just nine bases of Line infantry, that's not big or clever. I had convinced myself I had a much bigger stock of these guys but so many of them had been painted up as foreign help instead. Taking these pictures was a real wake up call. I really need to get the basic line units up, way up and as such need to start on them very soon, but first I need to buy the figures but that task hopefully is just a few weeks away.

The Neapolitan infantry to the front and twelve Light Infantry to the rear. This has a lot to do with the five Light Battalions painted up for the painting Challenge when I thought I was far behind on the Lights. In fact this sparked a frenzied search of my boxes for more Line before I accepted the sad truth that I am somewhat lacking in infantry. Still it's only right and proper that projects like this supply many challengers.

Side aspect, I have to admit I thought it would look like a lot more, still it's rather bigger than a army pack, especially as the cavalry also includes a couple of boosters. Though come the time to lay out the troops for the big battle it will look a little more impressive. 

So not only will you see an endless line of Prussians coming off my table but also a lot of French. Still to be finalised is just how many and the breakdown of who will be doing what. Lee is fortunate that most of the Brits are already painted and based though the allies still need to be added. I suspect these will be done for Lee, rather than by Lee. The French he plans to paint himself but of course sometime in the distant future Lee will have to swap over to making the terrain boards though it may be me painting the buildings to slot into place. 

Whilst I am confident that the Prussians will be finished on time I am a little concerned about the French. I just can't do all the French and I know Lee has a lot of work on for the next six months. At least he is home most of the time during this period but as to painting as well who knows. After that he will be away a lot so fitting in painting is a big ask. I know he will get a lot done but will we be able to do them all? Well time will tell.

The Adler Prussians are coming along nice, may not get them all the way finished but will base them up early next month and move onto the first of the Reserve Regiments. I also have two bases of Cavalry primed ready for painting and these should be quite quick. So overall I am still fairly happy with where we are at this stage but need to sit down with Lee over a cuppa and thrash out what, when and how of the French and then see if it can be done.