Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge 13 - Almansa 1707 in 2mm

  

Its very nearly that time of year once again. I've had a busy few months getting myself ready for the next installment of the Analogue Hobby's Painting Challenge. This is the 13th Challenge and my 12th.The madness will start soon on Wednesday 21st December.

I will of course be painting up figures for Donnybrook, which as you all well know I'm quite partial to.

There'll be figures for Vienna 1683 and a smattering of other stuff to. The Haitian Revolution will again make a appearance. Not that I really need anymore Donnybrook or Haitian Revolution figures???

But I shall be starting a new period and scale, shock horror???

It's all Reject Richard's fault, he's painted up some great figures for the French Wars of Religion in 2mm. So he made me buy some, I was going to get armies for one of the larger Nine Years Wars battles like Neerwinden or Steenkirque, but instead chose to go for a battle during the War of the Spanish Succession. Postie the Evil Warlord of Posties Rejects already has figures for the Battle of Blenheim, so I chose another theatre. Spain.

More specifically the Battle of Almansa 1707

For the Allies the British, Dutch and Portuguese there are 42 infantry regiments and 55 Cavalry squadrons. For the French and Spanish there are 52 Infantry regts and 76 squadron of cavalry. So I'm gonna be a busy boy!!!

The figures were calling to me in my sleep "Paint me, paint me", so I had a little practice as to how to paint them up, coached by Reject Richard. 

Here we have 2 regt of Dutch Infantry Torsay and Kepplefox, each regt has 240 figures!!!

And here we have 2 squadrons of the Portuguese Cavalry regt Naronja, each has 24 figures.

I've not yet decided how I'm going to decorate the bases, so I need to play around a little more.

These troops of course will not count as points in the Challenge, but I will post them up, with the other regts in their brigades.

Why 2mm you ask?

Well that's an easy question to answer.

Big Battles

I could never to Almansa in any other scale, if I did it would be scaled down so much, it would have nothing in common with the actual battle. Using 2mm, I could comfortably play the whole battle on a 8 foot board, 6 foot if you squash it up.

Cost (very important)

In 6mm a 240 man regt would cost you approx £20

In 15mm a 240 man regt would cost approx £135

in 25mm it would coast a staggering £443

In 2mm it costs 99p!

Yep 99p and that's with a few stands left over for the next regt as well!!!

Some gamers say, you might as well use counters? But that's what any figure you buy is, they'e all just counters.

Now I must admit, they are bloody small and are a bit of a bugger to see, so get yourself a pair of these badboys!

You too, could look as cool as me!

My plan is to paint up a brigade at a time and post the pics up on the Challenge blog and then on mine.

Helping me choose Almansa were two very helpful websites. I'd like to thank them both for doing all the hard work.

Kronoskarf, gives a great oob and also has info on units and importantly a painting guide for some units.

Wyre Forest Gamers , also have a great oob and army list for the battle for different sets of rules.

My OOB is taken from both of these sites. Hopefully they don't mind me posting it on my blog.

OOB for Almansa

Army Commander:

Henri de Massue, Marquis de Ruvigny, Earl of Galway

Total Army: 16,000 men

42 Infantry Battalions

55 Cavalry Squadrons

30 Guns


Right Wing - Das Minas

1st line: General Villaverde: 5 Battalions & 16 Squadrons, all Portuguese

Noronha’s Brigade – 7 Squadrons of Portuguese Cavalry

Marquis Das Minas Gardes 1

General de la Cavallera 1

Don Antonio de Noronha 2

Campo Major 3


Silveira’s Brigade – 5 Battalions of Portuguese Infantry

Don Bras de Silvera (aka Iberia) 1

Don Pedro Josep de Mello 1

Don Bernardo de Vasconzello 1

Jos de Sao Payo 1

Ant, d’Avita (aka Galbo) 1

Amaca’s Brigade – 9 Squadrons of Portuguese Cavalry

Moura 3

Villaviciosa 2

Algarbo (Algarve) 1

Don Pedro Amaca 3


2nd Line: Don Juan de Alayda – 4 Battalions and 12 Squadrons all Portuguese

Mello’s Brigade – 12 Portuguese squadrons

Olivenca 2

Castelo de Vide (aka Veira) 1

Beira 6

Lisboa 3


Vasconcellos’ Brigade – 4 battalions of Portuguese Infantry

Manuel Leiton de Carvalho 1

Georges d’Azevedo Coutinho 1

Nicloas de Tovar 1

Eric Lopes 1


Centre: Erle 25 Battalions

1st Line – Shimpton : 14 Battalions, 6 Portuguese, 4 Dutch, 4 English

Ilha’s Infantry Brigade – 6 Battalions of Portuguese Infantry

Ant. Carneiro 1

Conte d’Aveiras 1

Conte d’Ilha’s 1

Josep Delgardo Pereira 1

Sebastian de Castro 1

Don Louis de Camera 1


Camara’s Brigade – 3 Battalions of Infantry

Novo de Almeida 1

Castro

Viana


Dohna’s Brigade – 4 Battalions of Infantry


Kepplefox 1

Viscouse 1 (Huguenot)

Belcastel 1 (Huguenot)

Torsay 1


MacCartney’s Brigade - 4 Battalions of Infantry

Mourdant 1

MacCartney 1

Gorge 1

Foot Guards 1


2nd Line – Friesheim: 12 Battalions of Infantry, 4 Portuguese, 4 Dutch, 4 English


Henriques’ Brigade – 4 Battalions of Infantry

Felix Machado 1

Don Heric Henriques’ 1

Mat. Alvarez Galle 1

Francis d’Abru Pereira 1


LiIsle-Marais’ Brigade - 4 Battalions of Infantry

Welderen 1

Friesham 1

Cavalier 1 (Huguenot)

Lilsle-Marias 1 (Huguenot)


Breton’s Brigade - 4 Battalions of Infantry

Bowles 1

Lord Nassau 1 (Huguenot)

Breton 1

Portmore (Queens) 1


Left Wing – Earl of Galway

1st Line: General Tyrawley: 4 English Battalions & 16 Squadrons, 6 Dutch & 10 English


Siluten’s Brigade – 6 Squadrons of Dutch Cavalry, 4 Dragoons, 2 Horse

Drimborn 2

Schippenbach Dragoons 2

Mattha Dragoons 2


Wade’s Brigade – 4 Battalions of English Infantry

Mountjoy’s 1

Blood’s 1

Wade’s 1

Southwell’s 1


Killigrew’s Brigade – 5 Squadrons of English Dragoons

Pearce’s Dragoons 2

Peterborough’s Dragoons 2

Killigrew’s Dragoons 1


Carpenter’s Brigade -5 Squadrons of English Cavalry 3 squadrons of Dragoons, 2 of Horse

Guisgard's (La Fabreque) Dragoons 1

Essex Dragoons 1

Carpenters Dragoons 1

Harvey’s Horse 2


2nd Line: Conte de Alayda: 4 English & 11 Portuguese squadrons


Queyroga’s Brigade – 11 squadrons of Portuguese Cavalry

Tras-os-Montes 4

Don Minho (1st Minho) 3

Dominche (2nd Minho) 4


Hill’s Brigade – 4 battalions of English infantry.

Hill’s 1

Lord Mark Kerr’s 1

Alnutt’s 1

Stewart’s 1


Artillery: 20 Portuguese & 6 English guns



French & Spanish Army Commander: Marshal James Fitzjames, Duke of Berwick

Total Army: 25,000 men

52 Infantry Battalions

76 Cavalry Squadrons

40 Guns


Right Wing

1st Line: Lt General Duque de Popoli: 21 Spanish squadrons

Silly's Brigade

Reales Guardias de Corps 4

Pozoblanco 4

Rosellon Nuevo 3


Ronquillo's Brigade

Carillo 3

Amezaga 3

Real Asturias 4


2nd Line: Lt General D'Asfeld: 16 Spanish squadrons

Croa's Brigade

Reina 4

Amendariz Dragoons 3

Ubeda y Baeza 3 (La Rambla)


Gutierrez's Brigade

Ordenes-Nuevo 3

Ordenese - Viejo 3


Centre: Lt General San Gilles

Centre Right 1st Line: Lt General Labadie: 14 Spanish Battalions


Valle's Brigade

Reales Guardias Espanloas 3

Reales Guardias Valonas 3


Charni's Brigade:

Castilla 1

Murcia 1

Trujillo1

Badajoz 1


Castillo's Brigade

Sevilla 1

Burgos 1

Osuna 1

Valladolid 1


Centre Left 1st Line: Maj General Vicentelo: 15 French Battalions

Sillery's Brigade

Bigorre 1

Isle de France 1

La Sarre 1

Sillery 2


Polastron's Brigade

Medoc 1

Oleron 2

La Couronne 2


Beauvayes' Brigade

Reding (German) 1

Blasisios 2

Mailly 2

Centre 2nd Line: Lt General Hessy: 23 Battalions, 15 French and 8

Pon's French Brigade

Charolais 2

Barrois 2

Orleans 2


Chaves's Spanish Brigade

Guadalajara 1

Valencia 1

Salanmaca 1

Jaen 1


Du Burdel's French Brigade

Lannoy 2

Tess 1 (Savoy)

Labour 1

Miromesnil 1 (Walloon)


Davila's Spanish Brigade

Cordova 1

Bajeles 1

Zamora 1

de la Armada 1


Courville's French Brigade

Maine 2

Berwick 1

Bresse 1


Left Wing

1st Line: Marquès d'Avaray: 25 Squadrons, 12 Spanish and 13 French.

Cordova's Spanish Brigade

Rosellon-Viejo 3

Sevilla 4

Blasco 3


Sandricourt's French Brigade

Vignau 2

Villers 2

Berry 3

Dozevill's Dragoon Brigade

Courtbonne Dragoons 3

Bouville Dragoons 3

Mahoney Dragoons Spanish/Irish 2


2nd Line: Lt General Abre: 12 Squadrons, 6 Spanish and 6 French.

Rufo's Spanish Brigade

Milan 3

Grenada Nuevo 3


Pelleport's French Brigade

Parabere 2

La Fitte de Pelleport 2

Germinon 2



Artillery: 40 guns