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Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

As followers of my project will know, during the last year, this has developed from a solo performance to a team effort. We maintain anonymity, but I'd like to thank DL for his contribution of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Silesian Landwehr.

The battalion is New Line, with a few casualty figures provided by LF and TM from Art Miniaturen. The battalion is shown advancing from east to west along the line of the meadow astride the tributary of the Lasne Brook.

New Line figures are excellent for showing masses of troops moving in formation. They are slightly back from the contact line, which will be filled by AD's many other Prussians currently waiting for Covid to allow movement from the Netherlands. AD's figures are more action posed and will show the fight closer in to the Young Guard. I really like the contrast between the chaos of the close fight and the orderly masses further back. These are early shots and a lot more work is needed to bed the figures in. There are about 500 figures on show.





















We are also beginning to turn our attention to the high road that runs east-west on the southern edge of the village. This is in fact the single largest group of buildings in the village and, if Alfred North had a place in mind for his famous painting, it was probably along here and not the centre of the village. Siborne's model (courtesy of the National Army Museum) shows the effect needed:




Here is the first group of buildings. In a major innovation these are bing fitted with a battery for light, simulating fire and a smoke machine for a model stream train.







There are about 20 buildings along this road so this is quite a job!

More on my blog at: http://generalpicton.blogspot.com

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

Dear General Picton,

I have been following your Plancenoit diorama for a while now (here and on Bennos) and it all looks quite magnificent. Indeed, Museum quality in terms of both scale and also the overall historical spectacle.

I am not surprised that this has become a 'team effort', given the numbers of figures and buildings involved and the space to fill. It would be interesting nonetheless to understand how much time per week/month it takes to work on a project like this? I am not a diorama builder but do have a moderate 'stash' of figures (25k+ and counting), some of which I know will never be painted because I will not have time to do so!

500 landwehr of 'mainly Newline' provenance sounds like a substantial investment (at around 2 figures per £1.00 Sterling). Newline's late-Napoleonic Prussian range is extensive and covers just about everything you need for an 1815 Prussian army. They are great figures, although too small I have found to mix well with 1/72 plastics. Given that there are several pretty good sets of marching Prussian landwehr in 1/72 plastic - including those made by the hosts of this here Forum - which would provide you with a similar mass effect and be cheaper to buy (and less heavy to store/present), I wonder why you chose Newline??

Minuteman

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

Many thanks for your words, Minuteman. I agree the New Line figures are a touch smaller but actually, when arrayed in these numbers the problem goes away (there will be just over 100,000 when we finish). I also agree that Strelets is producing some outstanding figures at the moment all of which I am using and wish to showcase. The reasons for New Line are straightforward: I have 50 people helping out, some of whom don't likes plastics and are generous enough to buy their own figures; second, of all the metal figures, New Line are the most affordable; third, this just happened to be the next battalion on the production line, next time it could well be Strelets. Personally, I like both metal and plastic and have become a major devotee of Strelets whose figures just get better and better. By the way, if you fancy joining the project, just let me know!

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

Thank you General Picton! This project is even bigger than I had realised.

I have my hands full with Strelets WoSS figures, and a dormant Thirty Years War project with 1,000+ figures to pick up on again; so in the circumstances, I will decline your kind offer to join the project.

I will, however, continue to follow it with keen interest.

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

For my part i have some Newline stuff simply because of no alternative in 1/72 plastic, such as my recent purchase of Brunswick artillery. Some SHQ/Kennington stuff also. (My scots greys & other heavy dragoons are Kennington).

In terms of matching up to 1/72 scale, yes id say they are generally too small, however when trying to make squares, there is very little in terms of kneeling figures (in defence/at ready), so am forced to turn to Newline.

Also I have some Newline Hannoverian Landwehr in caps to go towards Col Bests brigade. I think I will get away with these as its a brigade on the Allied far left flank. I believe it will also help give an illusion of distance too.

So with General Pictons use of Newline, i can understand why sometimes. As for the Landwehr, again, if used further out on a diorama, it helps with an illusion of distance to a diorama id say.

But in terms of using Newline etc overall, if there is nothing or very little in 1/72 plastic on a subject you require, there isnt much other choice.
Look at Strelets recent reply about Napoleonic artillery as an example.
Highly unlikely anyone else will make any.

On another note, even plastic manufacturers seem to have trouble sticking within a true 1/72 scale, with sets ranging from 22mm to a ridiculous 26+mm. Waterloo 1815 Prussian general staff? Zvezda Saxon Cuirassiers etc. Not to mention Italeri's 2nd generation of Nap sets.

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

Roger W
For my part i have some Newline stuff simply because of no alternative in 1/72 plastic, such as my recent purchase of Brunswick artillery. Some SHQ/Kennington stuff also. (My scots greys & other heavy dragoons are Kennington).

In terms of matching up to 1/72 scale, yes id say they are generally too small, however when trying to make squares, there is very little in terms of kneeling figures (in defence/at ready), so am forced to turn to Newline.

Also I have some Newline Hannoverian Landwehr in caps to go towards Col Bests brigade. I think I will get away with these as its a brigade on the Allied far left flank. I believe it will also help give an illusion of distance too.

So with General Pictons use of Newline, i can understand why sometimes. As for the Landwehr, again, if used further out on a diorama, it helps with an illusion of distance to a diorama id say.

But in terms of using Newline etc overall, if there is nothing or very little in 1/72 plastic on a subject you require, there isnt much other choice.
Look at Strelets recent reply about Napoleonic artillery as an example.
Highly unlikely anyone else will make any.

On another note, even plastic manufacturers seem to have trouble sticking within a true 1/72 scale, with sets ranging from 22mm to a ridiculous 26+mm. Waterloo 1815 Prussian general staff? Zvezda Saxon Cuirassiers etc. Not to mention Italeri's 2nd generation of Nap sets.
Those are useful observations on the 20mm metal Napoleonics v. 1/72 plastics, Roger. Thank you.

A while back I did in fact buy some Newline Prussians to fill a hole that (at that time) had no suitable 1/72 figures...I think in fact it was before Strelets and 'the other company' brought out their landwehr sets, strangely enough: I needed marching landwehr and the old Airfix set did not include enough of this pose. However, I was unable to reconcile the size difference with other figures I was using for my Prussian army, so left it at that and bought no more metals.

There are still gaps that I would like to fill, less so with 1813-15 Prussians, but more so perhaps with my 1812 Russians. Unfortunately here again the Russian figures I am using tend to be 'larger' (mainly Zvezda) and a 3-5mm height difference comparing with 20mm metals is just too great a difference.

But there is no doubting the quality of Newline figures, which are very good indeed.

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

I find New Line work well with the right kind of smaller plastics and I've used them extensively in my squares for kneeling figures:



Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

Same here. My 52nd Oxfordshires have a mix of Newline and A Call to Arms kneeling figures and they blend together well. The standing figures ive done for this square im less happy about as the old Hat British light infantry set isnt great, frankly poor compared to todays standards, and the ACTA set only had a standing firing pose. Hats Peninsular Brits are ok, but they still dont have any real "in defense" type poses within it or enough with flank company shoukder rolls on them.
I used some of the extra heads but it still just doesnt "look" or "feel" right. Im sure i will end up redoing/changing the standing figures.

Your squares however look amazing and are truely inspirational.

I would still really like to see more dedicated "in square" sets produced, especially for Waterloo, and preferably by Strelets as their new Napoleonic sculpts are the best out there currently in my opinion.

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

General Picton, Sire..

Once again I am fascinated by your Plancenoit-diorama and the wonderful figures.
This complete Landwehr battailon shows beautifully the great dimensions of such a unit. And one can well imagine the enormous extent of a whole regiment of Landwehr (1.800 men).

This diorama is masterpiece...
And everything I have seen shows real passion for our hobby.

Really wonderful.. :heart_eyes:

Re: Plancenoit: 2nd/4th Silesian Landwehr

Thank you Gerd, you are a kind man, but credit to the painter who shall remain anonymous1