Napoleonics in 40mm for Sharp Practice

Having decided to build up some 40mm forces for Sharp Practice after being tempted by an experiment, (see my last post) - it's now a month in since the first 40mm print (2 August), so a good place to pause and take stock of progress. I had always intended the forces to be small (so they would fit on my table) and limited. (ha!)

The French - two groups of Line infantry, two groups of Legere infantry, a group of Legere Carabinier,  two groups of Line Voltigeurs, an 8lb Foot Artillery piece and some Chasseurs a Cheval

My intention is to base them all up at the same time, for consistency, and then lightly dust lower legs with a dusty/earthy shade through the airbrush. So for the moment, they remain painted but not finished. (Also, I hate basing... )

With the basic French force completed I raided the Piano Wargames officers for some characters for jump off points, or story characters, and I added in Cantinieres and donkeys from Wargames Atlantic Digital.

Having completed the basic French force (81 points according to the Sharpulator...) I tried various mechanisms to create a viable 3d STL for Peninsular British. 

I tried digital sculptors, who quoted a ridiculous sum for a single figure, I tried mashing up various components from different vendors (the British Light Dragoon approximation below is mashed up from Wargames Atlantic Digital, Piano Miniatures and Kozak from Wargaming3d). 

In the end though, I bit the bullet, and taking advantage of the bulk packs of 40mm British from the Perrys, (at £22 for 10 x 40mm, they are cheaper than many 28mm!) 4 packs of Centre Company gives me 5 Line bases, and a Flank Company pack will give me light troops to add to the Riflemen and artillery from NapoloenicSTL files in Spain. 

The big disadvantage is they are all single pose, with separate heads. I have been trying to get some variation in colours just so they aren't quite as bland. 3 groups painted as of Today (3rd September), so I am aiming to have the force finished by next week.

Oh, and I have also managed to play a couple of games, General de Brigade, and Sikh Wars Black Powder. Not my favourite rule-sets, but a game is a game.