Name, Rank & Number???

[Churchill]

Hi all,

Barry has cast his R2E fishing line and I'm nibbling at the bait
Since Bob (toggy) mentioned he's thinking of doing Reille's Corps for Waterloo I've been thinking of doing Cooke's & Alten's Division's.
I need some help with battalion organisation though??? in the R2E rules it states the British battalion were of ten companies and that the size of the battalion was roughly 640 men strong.At the ratio of 20 men = 1 figure this gives us a 32 figure strong battalion or a 3.2 figure company.
As I'm thinking of basing 4 figures to a base would a single base of grenadiers & light infantry with the rest of the bases being the centre companies be correct i.e. (4 x grenadiers, 4 x light infantry and 24 line).
For the Guards of 2/1 & 3/1 numbers are roughly 800 men each which is spot on for the 10 company battalion of 4 figures to a company, but for the 2nd Coldstream Guards & 2/3 Foot Guards the numbers of men are 1,098 and 1,100 which again using the ratio of 20 to 1 gives me battalions of 52 figures each or 13 bases.
Would I be right in thinking 1 base of grenadiers, 1 base of light infantry and 11 bases of ordinary???
As to figures I’ve seen Perry’s & Victrix’s plastic’s and Perry’s & Front Rank’s metal’s, but are there anymore I could consider in 28mm???, because at the moment I’m leaning forward Perry’s plastic’s just because of the sheer amount of pose’s in one box.

Many Thanks,

Ray

[CoffinDodger]

Ray,

I use a standard British battalion of 30 figures (600 men) based in sixes on a 60mm x 40mm base. That works out at three figures per company so the flank bases have three Grenadiers in front with three centre company behind and three Light with three centre company behind for the other one.

I don't know if this helps but, see what you think.

Regards,

Jim

[Churchill]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that, but having 30 figure battalions in 5 bases of 6 figures leaves the battalion uneven if having to form square where as if I had 4 figure bases I can have 2 bases on each side of the square.
I've also consulted my "Waterloo Companion" by Mark Adkin on the British battalion size and they vary from 1/52nd Foot (Oxfordshire) with 1,130 all ranks to the lowly 1/42nd Foot (Black Watch) with only 338 all ranks.
Even with this low number (16 figures) having 4 figure bases, I could still form square with a base on each side.

I've sent you a private message Jim about Falkirk,
Hope to see you there,
Best Wishes,
Ray.

[valleyboy]

All my British battalions are either 30 0r 40 figures strong
This means 5 bases of 8 figures or 5 bases of 6 figures
I usually base the flank and grenadier companies alongside the centre companies. I do have some spare or duplicate flank company figures based up in skirmish order if needed. If a scenario calls for a smaller unit, say 480 ranks I deduct a base. But then again I game in 15mm and therefore must be in league with the devil so best ignore my suggestions
The fromt unit are a bit out of focus but the green pume and the absence of red on the grenadier plumes can just about be made out

[Anonymous]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that, but having 30 figure battalions in 5 bases of 6 figures leaves the battalion uneven if having to form square where as if I had 4 figure bases I can have 2 bases on each side of the square.
I've also consulted my "Waterloo Companion" by Mark Adkin on the British battalion size and they vary from 1/52nd Foot (Oxfordshire) with 1,130 all ranks to the lowly 1/42nd Foot (Black Watch) with only 338 all ranks.
Even with this low number (16 figures) having 4 figure bases, I could still form square with a base on each side.

I've sent you a private message Jim about Falkirk,
Hope to see you there,
Best Wishes,
Ray.

Hi Ray,

I know that an uneven number of bases could be embarrassing as I have to work on this myself because my saxons have 4 companies of about 200 men each, but consider this:
Use 5 bases and place the flag/command stand in the middle?

But what knows a "french-lover" about british

Cheers

Günter

[CoffinDodger]

... but consider this:
Use 5 bases and place the flag/command stand in the middle?

Ray,

Günter has it right. That's exactly what I do with odd-sided battalions.

Jim

[jimmigoggles]

Hello Chaps,

Just going to throw my oar in and have a paddle!

Ray, you could base your units sizes to how they were at the start of the campaigns fighting, bofore Quatre Bras.

Cookes Division was heavily engaged at Quatre Bras. Coming into action at around 6pm and taking many casualties when clearing the Bossu Wood. One French source claims over 500 guardsmen as killed or wounded.

Also, 1st Hanoverian Brigade under Kielmansegge, from Altens Division was engaged at Quatre Bras, taking anumber of casualties.

Most of the British units came into action later, in support of the sterling work done by the Netherlands units.

Pictons Division was very heavily engaged, with Picton himself being wounded. Hard work for Scots units, with the 1st losing 150 from 604, 42nd losing around 188 from 526, 79th about 258 from 703!

Halkett's 5th British brigade from Alten's Division was severly mauled. The 69th, unluckily losing it's colours for the second time in the Napoleonic Wars. Some units in this brigade were so depleted, they had to combine with other units to form square at Waterloo.

British Light infantry battalions were traditionally over subscribed and strong in numbers. But in this campaign, they varied (51st-626, 71st-936, 52-1,130).

Incidentally, Sergeant Morris' memoir's (73rd foot) from the 1813 and 1815 campaigns are very good. As are Captain Mercers (RHA), who mysteriously never received his Waterloo medal(?).

Also, you can field the Duke of Brunswick for the Brunswickers if doing Quatre Bras.

I use the 'In the Grand Manner' Napoleonic rules, which are also 1/20 ratio. I understand what you mean about the British square looking odd with five stands of six.

Organising your units on historical numbers can be a pain. Some of the British heavy cavalry were very weak in numbers. British cavalry also left at least one squadron at home depot (along with it's guidons). French and Prussian infantry battalions were also small during this campaign. You can give some British horse artillery 9pdrs instead of 6pdrs, and most of the French artillery 4/6pdrs instead of 8pdrs!

I've always thought Quatre Bras was a very hard fought battle. With the Netherlanders giving an excellent account of themselves. The French struggling to get to the cross roads, to be bounced back by the newly arriving British and Germans.

I've played it as both French and Allied, and always feel a little frustrated in not being able to make much more headway than the originals. French 24 figure battalions being brittle i find!

Anyway, sorry to have rambled on. Went completely off topic there! Hope this was of interest......

Regards,

Dean

http://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleoni ... E_BRAS.htm

http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Briti ... ERLOO.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... &x=11&y=14

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... &x=11&y=17

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Ligh ... =1-3-fkmr0

[Churchill]

Hi Dean,

I like your thinking to have my battalions at full strength from the start of the 100 day campaign and reduce a number of bases for refighting Waterloo.
A bit more expence on the pocket, but at least I could refight Quatre Bras.

Many Thanks,

Ray.