Oh no! Is it Napoleonic Sharp Practice in 28mm?

Well, yes, I'm afraid that it is. I have been seduced by playing 28mm Napoleonic Sharp Practice at Bristol Independent Gaming back in January into creating my own small force to use at a forthcoming repeat event in September.

The original event was called All Enlisted For Drink and I played using other players' figures. However enjoyable that event was, and it really was a lot of fun, afterwards I decided that I'd like to bring along some troops of my own to the next event, which is in September and will be called Hard Pounding.

Now, first a confession. I've never really enjoyed painting Napoleonic figures. They are far too fussy with all those facings, turnbacks, plumes, belts etc and I have awful memories of painting up loads of Aifix 1/72 scale plastics back in the 1970s, and what a terrible job I made of them. Still, if I am going to play, I have to paint up some figures.

So, what to paint? Austrians? Prussians? Well, not really, although they are relatively simple to paint, because the event will be the Peninsular War. It seems to me that in the true Sharp Practice spirit I really ought to do light troops and skirmishers and what could be more appropriate than some 95th Rifles and their Portuguese equivalents, the light infantry Caçadores, or, more accurately, the Baker Rifle-equipped Atiradores (sharpshooters) from a regiment of Caçadores. Perfect for a brief encounter somewhere well to the northeast of the Lines of Torres Vedras, or over the border into Spain.

I looked at all the available options and eventually settled on the Front Rank Napoleonic range, mainly because you can buy individual figures to build up a small force. I decided that I would have two groups of 95th with two leaders (L1 and L3) and three groups of Atiradores with three leaders ( one each of L1, L2 and L3). I've calculated this will give me a force worth 81pts, which is close enough to the requirements of the Hard Pounding event.

Anyway, The figures have been sitting waiting for me to get started on them and I've now completed the contingent from the 95th. Here they are. First, this is the complete unit, two leaders and a dozen riflemen;

Here is a group of six, led by a dashing lieutenant;

And here is the second group, led by a dependable and unflappable sergeant;

Despite my early fears, they have turned out pretty well, looking suitably battered and dusty, as befits skirmishing troops in the field.

Now, onto the Portuguese. Who knows, but if they turn out OK, I might even think about some Redcoats for use in the future, or maybe some Portuguese line musketeers.