The Principality of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt

The Spring Workbench

2011-03-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

There's always lots of stuff to paint for my projects. I'm sure I'm not alone in collecting miniatures faster than they can be prepared for battle. I thought I'd take a moment to share what's on my workbench at the moment. Now that Spring is here and my garage is warming up, I hope to spend a bit more time tinkering on the hobby and get re-energized and motivated to return to painting 60 figure mass units for Imagi-Nations and Seven Years War.

Here's a picture of the SYW side of my workbench (one of two 8 foot tables in the center of my garage).

At the bottom of this picture already primered to paint are four 60 figure infantry battalions of Sash&Saber 28mm Prussians (2 Musketeers, and 1 each of Grenadiers and Fusiliers) and several squadrons of 28mm Minden Prussian Hussars. The Mindens are priority and these Hussars will feel the sting of my paint brush ahead of all the other forces arrayed here. Their horses are not shown and have already been mounted to 1"x2" metal bases from Wargames Accessories, with some acrylic gel medium to transition the integral bases. In the middle of the picture above are two black boxes with additional Hussars from Sash&Saber. Just above are Saxons from Eureka and more Mindens.

In the picture above is a recent order of Saxon Fusiliers I picked up from Rob of Eureka USA. I've attached each figure to a nail with hot glue for primering and subsequent painting. There are so many ways to prep models for painting, but at least for me this method seems to work well for such large units. I paint these perhaps one color or piece of kit at a time, holding them by the nail as I paint and simply cycle through all the models in a unit returning them to the foam holding tray.

And below are some Saxon cavalry, also from Eureka. I've got a few 12 figure squadrons of Dragoons, one dismounted squadron, and a new squadron of Cuirassiers represented in this box.

And last, but certainly not least, more from Frank Hammond's Minden Miniatures collection.

The figures here are Austrian infantry and represent two 60 figure battalions, 2 gun crews, and 2 mounted colonels. These were prepped this past weekend by drilling out hands for the spontoon armed NCOs and standard bearers, and then mounting to nails. Once the Saxons are primered, I'll be switching foam blocks as these are not sealed. I haven't yet decided what color to use for primering these. I use black for the Prussian styled figures, and used gray for the first battalion of Saxons I've almost completed. I'm leaning towards gray again given the white uniforms I plan for the Austrian figures and the green uniforms I plan for the Saxon Fusiliers.

Of course as I sit back and contemplate the tasks before me, I must also mention that the Post Office missed me yesterday and today I fully expect to be in receipt of another two 60 figure battalions plus worth of Minden figures. In this order, more ranks to swell the Austrian army in the form of Grenz and Hungarians. I've fallen quite behind in keeping up with all the items Frank is having commissioned. I still lack French, Hanoverians, British, and some of the cavalry for the Prussians and Austrians. I'd love to have to have a 60 figure unit of everything he's had produced, but we'll see if I have enough time to paint it all!!

In terms of Imagi-Nations, what I typically do is purchase twice the needed standard bearers and also a few extra infantry for when I split up a 60 figure battalion into smaller units. The extra standard bearers are flagged with my Imagi-Nations flags. The finished Prussians become troops in the army of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt, and their Austrians and Saxon adversaries are destined to be in the Grand Duchy of Erdbeerefelder. I'm still considering what figures will represent the Duchy of Hefeweizenbach. It could be that I separate out the Sash&Saber figures from the Minden figures for that purpose, although the S&S range is incomplete and I'd have to still include figures from another range. I've got plenty of time to think about it, since I have so much else to do...

How could I forget to post my Cuirassiers?

2011-03-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

I've been busy with so many projects, gaming, home, and work. Somehow, I'd posted pictures of my cuirassiers elsewhere, but neglected to add them here, in the very place where they will be serving. These figures are from the beautiful Minden figure range.

Together flagged as the 8th Cuirassier Regiment, the five 12 figure squadrons debuted last July in a game of OGABAS as 5 regiments.

Next up on the workbench are some 100+ Hussars...

A year's work.

2010-03-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

The army of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt has been growing slowly but steadily. Regiments Fleisch and Kohler from last season had spent the past year in quarters, joined by converged grenadier battalion Knochenhauer.

Recent additions for the Spring muster are the Jäger Corps zu Minze, Fusilier regiment Halb-Durch, and Musketeer regiment Der Salz.

Here they are marching across the barren lands of Tisch:

Regiment Halb-Durch was painted up in the spirit of IR40 and Der Salz as IR3. Some basing work and flags for IR3 are still being worked.

And where to from here?

Prinz Kelson has challenged the great stables of Fleisch to furnish his army with the finest steeds. Look forward to some Cuirassier unit pictures in the coming weeks (self-edit:months).

Grenadier Battalion Complete!!

2009-10-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

The Knochenhauer grenadier battalion has finally completed its march to join the Fleisch-Spätzlestadt army. This battalion is freshly outfitted for battle and is of course being assigned to the first line of the army in Metzler's Brigade. The Knochenhauer grenadiers cut an imposing image, but the expectations of the Prinz will be set high.

A second big battalion complete

2009-10-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those who commented on my first battalion.

This past week another big battalion was mustered. Painted in the spirit of Prussian IR25 it will perform double duty as one of the first line regiments of Prinz Kelson von Tisch, and will be known as Regiment Kohler, currently commanded by colonel von Sink. Von Sink's career almost went down the drain due to gambling debt, but he's washed that from his past and is now in favor with the Prinz. When Fleisch-Spätzlestadt goes to war, von Sink and Regiment Kohler will be prepared.

And here is Regiment Kohler behind Regiment Fleisch.

And here Colonel von Sink and Colonel Brauthammer leaving the headquarters to rejoin their men after discussing exciting developments

They've learned that Prinz Kelson will soon be issuing all his regiments with new flags to better display the glory of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt. It is anticipated that when the Knochenhauer Grenadiers arrive in the army camp in the coming weeks that they will also be in possession of new standards for the army.

Regiment Fleisch

2009-09-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

Wow...It took me from February to get something substantial done. What follows are pictures of my first 60 figure battalion for Fleisch-Spätzlestadt.

The battalion was made up to be close to the Prussian IR19. I have yet to make a nice flag for Fleisch-Spätzlestadt, but I have extra standard bearers for that to replace the ones with the IR19 flags.

The large battalion saw its first fight this past Historicon split up for a game of OGABAS as regiment Kohler, led by Colonel von Sink, and regiment Fleisch led by colonel Brauthammer.

Reports will read that regiments Kohler and Fleisch accounted themselves well in anchoring the right flank of the army of Princess Trixie at the Battle of Lagersteinplatzendorff. In truth they failed to activate a few times, but generally looked threatening holding the wooded area on the flank as part of the right wing that repulsed several impressive cavalry attacks and enemy probes.

Spring Muster

2009-02-25T18:04:00.000-08:00

With the approach of Spring, the troops of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt are finally gathering. Here are the beginnings of 3 separate battalions, two of musketeers and a converged grenadier battalion.

I've decided on 60 figures as the basis for my battalions. Starting with a maximum size for the BAR rules gives the flexibility of using fewer figures for battalions in other rules, such as OGABAS and M&R.

These figures in the 3 battalions are all Minden Miniatures. The battalion gun crews however are still in need of some fine battalion guns..the search will continue at Cold Wars.

The Origins of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt

2009-02-05T17:41:00.000-08:00

The House of Fleisch was originally a dynasty descended from intermarriages of both Catholic and Protestant. Landgraves Stephan I and Heinreich III married descendants of King Jorge of Bovenia. However, from Heinrich IV onwards,the family became adherents of Calvinism.

The Landgraviate of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt expanded in 1606 to Principality when Heinrich IV, Landgrave of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt, inherited the Landgraviate of Fleisch-Hamburg from his childless brother, Lucius, the Landgrave of Fleisch-Hamburg (1536-1605).

During the Thirty Years' War, Calvinist Fleisch-Spätzlestadt itself was occupied by Imperial troops. It is most likely that during this conflict the long lasting seeds of tension were sown with its eastern neighbor,the emerging Duchy of Hefeweizenbach.

Heinrich IV was succeeded by Heinrich V and Heinrich VI. In successive years the rulers of Fleisch-Spätzlestadt would be most known for their mercenary attitude and the wholesale bartering out of their regiments for land and wealth. Their steel nerved musketeers and impressive artillery was world renowned. For the ambitious powers in Europe, victory could be won for the cost of 12 pounders served by Fleisch-Spätzlestadt.