Book 1 of Napoleon’s Battles offers some generic formations for the main combatants. Shown above is a Russian corps with two brigades of infantry and a separate artillery force. Commanding officers’ ranks are indicated by the number of figures per base as well as the size of the base. Each regimental group includes a command unit with ensign, commanding officers, and musician. I have used larger bases for artillery than shown in the rules as it was difficult to cram all those pieces on the base size the rules specified.
The total number of figures here is 124 which gives some indication of just how many of these little guys is necessary for a game. A corps sized formation would likely be as small a force as one would field using these rules. Also worth considering is, that for infantry, the scale is 1 figure = 120 men. To recreate any reasonable size battle from the Napoleonic era would likely require hundreds of figures on either side.
Most of the figures shown above are Heritage/Empire, the artillery and crews and most of the mounted officers are Battle Honors, and the figures on the regimental command bases are by Stan Johansen.
A rather nondescript catalog from Old Glory miniatures circa 2003 likely scooped up at HMGS. The range of miniatures offered is large and the prices seem good. Old Glory and Battle Honors now have new owners with Old Glory now under the name Blue Moon and Anthony Barton of Battle Honors now producing AB Figures.
The quickest way for me to tell which figures are Battle Honors and which are Heritage is to see which ones fall off their horses. Battle Honors cast horses separately while Heritage present a single piece. One thing about miniatures rules is that as time went on, the rules provided roles for every kind of figure. Napoleon’s Battles demanded a command unit in every regiment, a command figure for every battalion, 2 command figures for each corps and 3 for an army.
Battle Honors
Finely sculpted figures in 15mm, 25mm, and 40mm sculpted by Anthony Barton who now produces figures under the AB Miniatures banner. The figures appear to still be readily available sold through Old Glory. The Napoleonic range is one I wish I had started with. The figures are a pleasure to paint and very well detailed.
A side by side view of Prussian Landwehr in 15mm by Essex on the right and Battle Honors on the left. The Battle Honors figures appear more delicate, more carefully proportioned while the Essex figures which one reviewer described as ‘gnomish’ are a little more toy soldierish. Figures are primed white, painted with acrylics and metallic enamels.
From a huge set of Napoleonic figures, these appear to be Battle Honors figures representing a Hungarian unit in the Austrian army. These were painted with a white base coat, a heavy black wash on top of that, and then, everything else in acrylics except for enamels on the weapons.
The figures are based for Napoleon’s Battles, probably the only attempt by the venerable Avalon Hill company to produce a set of miniature rules. The rules offer a hefty figure scale of 1 infantry figure equals 120 actual men. Even so, most people would find the enormous number of figures required to stage even one of the smaller historical scenarios a bit off putting.
