Welcome to Marauder Moments - a chronicle of the Mortimer Street Marauders; the games we play, the rules we use, the figures we play with and the scenery they fight over. Hope you enjoy these pages and maybe call back to catch up with our escapades.

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Polish Foot Battery

In keeping with my theme for September I continue to reveal shiny new trinkets!

I have always wanted a Polish Division for my Napoleonic collection. The Poles seemed to pop up all over the place alongside the French and were numerous enough to form a separate Corps at times. Their distinctive head gear, ferocious Uhlans and variations such as the Vistula Legion make them a striking addition and easily recognizable on the table top which is handy in big games.    

The battery deployed for action, three guns and a howitzer - FIRE!
My issue was the available models which simply didn't appeal! The Elite Miniatures somehow didn't inspire and the Front Rank range looked too "wooden". The older ranges simply looked too old so I waited! Warlord Games caused a stir in the loins with a plastic set which I snapped up only to find ugly separate metal heads which soon dampened my ardor! I shall sell them.

Looking along the battery. The howitzer is about to send a shell high above the enemy - FIRE!  
The stars aligned for me when Roger Murrow released his extensive and ever growing range of Poles under his Murawski Miniatures brand. These are sculpted by Paul Hicks who has come a long, long way since his early works for Gripping Beast. These sculpts are from the "modern" school but fit in alongside everything else in my collection just fine.

Barry Hill and his family of painters in the Philippines did great things with this battery getting the green uniforms and red braid/cords/pompoms just to my liking i.e. very bright! I can recommend his painting service to anyone, neat, quick, bold & bright! Chris and I based them, ammo chests have since been added. Maybe a limber or caisson would be fun?  

Zooming in on a gun and howitzer. these are lovely cannons.

Another close up, this time at the other end of the gun line.

That howitzer again! The officer is an Essex Miniatures chap who replaces the model ramming the gun barrel because he overlapped the base too much for gaming use. He fits in just fine, at least the other crew don't seem to object. 
I picked up an initial batch of four battalions, some skirmishers, this battery and 24 Uhlans, the infantry are all finished and obviously the battery too! The Uhlans came separate arms which I hate so are sitting a box still! Tony has access to a laser welder so may be persuaded to weld them on and then weld the lances in too. It just seems so unnecessary! Maybe I'm a spoiled brat? I don't know.

The final shot is from the rear as the battery fires on a distant foe. I am very pleased with these - cheers Barry. 

I have since picked up a fifth line battalion and 2 Vistula Legion battalions which still require painting. I can't have this many Poles without a general so some high command and of course the original nappy plucky Pole Prince Poniatowski himself are in a box also awaiting painting, Infact I am posting them to Barry soon.

Murawski have released more since of which the hussars appeal most. I don't fancy a horse battery or the Krakus either! Sadly they have fallen into the trap of starting another range ahead of finishing this one; the Baden infantry look very tempting though - must resist.

That's it for today, the remainder of the painted Poles will appear soon so keep your eyes peeled. Have fun out there, Jeremy

17 comments:

  1. They look great... I have Poles already but am tempted to add some od these fine Muraski miniatures myself.

    Why would you want to resist the Badeners? Another distinctive uniform that can make a nice Brigade to support their French allies... :-)

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    1. I know what you mean about the Badeners it's just that this has to stop at some point... really it does! Plenty more to do though so not stopping just yet.
      JJ

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  2. Cool looking battery. Always did like the Polish units for this period

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  3. Me too, and these are just the job, I'll post the whole Brigade soon so pop back!
    Cheers for commenting Neil, Jeremy

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  4. Thanks for the photos, what a splendid-looking battery. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the brigade.

    As for separate arms, I very much agree - the less sweary fiddly glueing the better for me. I'd rather the sculptor just decided lance upright or lance level and I'll go along with it.

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    1. You are a wise man Steve - "Sweary fiddly" is exactly right, just decide arm up or down man!

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  5. Useful and beautiful...excellent job!

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    1. "Both use and ornament!" Oscar Wilde would approve.
      pretty sure it was him who one should only keep things in the house that are "of use or ornament", these are obviously keepers Phil.
      JJ

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  6. Great looking Poles; I don't own any, but from what I've seen (yours here too, of course), Murawski (Hicks) makes some sweet figures.

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    1. Sure do, I'll get some piccies of the rest sorted soon.

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  7. Very nice, grabbed some of these myself too! Lovely figures.

    Agree arms are a pain, I'll probably pin mine...

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    1. That's exactly it though - why are we having to pin every line troopers arm?
      Can't wait to see what you do with your paints on Poles.
      Jeremy

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  8. Great stuff Jeremy, and I took the plunge with some Murawski Poles myself earlier in the year using exactly the same line of thought. I hate preparing figures at the best of times, and fiddling around gluing on heads, arms and backpacks would be too much for me.

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    1. There seems to be a common thread here e "we can't be arsed with fiddly gluing! Manufacturers take note!!!

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  9. Wonderful figures JJ - I too have taken the plunge with about 10kgs of the blighters via Nic at Eureka here in Australia. They are gorgeous figure!!

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  10. Still not finished this Division... Cheers for commenting Paul. I'd love to see what you could do with 15mm Poles.

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