"On 24th June 1812, The First Wave Of The Grande Armée..."

"...Crossed the Niemen from the Duchy of Warsaw into Russia."

These three 28mm scale metal models are sold by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of their FN101 - Fusiliers In Greatcoat Marching set. The figures are three of eight identical Napoleonic French soldiers sculpted by Michael and Alan Perry, and have been painted as some of the beleaguered line infantrymen returning to their homeland following the Emperor's embarrassing Retreat from Moscow.

The trio were initially primed with a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Citadel " Abaddon Black. before having their trousers painted using either "Two Thin Coats" White Star or "Vallejo" Heavy Blue. In addition, I tackled all of the Frenchmen's white straps with a few lines of (more) White Star by "Two Thin Coats". All of these areas were subsequently shaded using some heavily watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade or Drakenhof Nightshade as appropriate.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - This British Rifleman Officer is slowly having all his details 'picked out'

With debatably the most off-putting and challenging element of the miniatures completed, I applied the odd splodge of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown to each trooper's water bottle and chest strap, before layering their firearms with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and Gunmetal. These details were also shaded using "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, apart from the metallic parts, which received a liberal drowning in Nuln Oil. The figures' greatcoats were treated to some "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and very carefully dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Sombre Grey. Lastly, I applied a blob of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow to each Fusilier's pom-pom, doused them with "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and highlighted the ornamental balls with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow.

With the first phase of fifteen Napoleonic soldiers now completed - allowing me to field two opposing 24-point forces for "Xenos Rampant" by "Osprey Games" using single model units, I have perhaps unsurprisingly already started working in earnest on the next stage of this long-term project. In essence I intend to simply double-up the figure count for each unit, including the French Chasseur contingent - which currently sits outside the Emperor's main force and actually take's the Grande Armee up to 28-points in total.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - The Mouth of Sauron awaits a heavy wash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil

However, I do plan to add a few extra embellishments where I can, and thought that 'fielding' an Officer from the blister B080 British Riflemen, would give me the opportunity for the Third Coalition to be lead by a 'proper' Commander, as opposed to just a blonde-haired sharpshooter. Furthermore, I rather fancy adding some Grenadiers and Voltigeurs to Bonaparte's infantry, so its core contains plenty more of its famous Nineteenth-Century Imperial flavour - Albeit, I have since realised that despite wearing greatcoats, some French skirmishers I bought earlier this year off of the "Wargames Foundry" website, are still sporting the time-consuming and fiddly briquet sabres I had hoped to avoid pigmenting.

Finally, despite this year's annual Zomtober challenge now being well and truly over, I thought I would still finish off my partially-painted Mouth of Sauron (Mounted) by "Games Workshop". This seriously hefty, all-metal horse and rider is fortunately predominantly black, so I'm hoping the model won't prove too much of a distraction from this month's main focus upon Napoleonic soldiers...