Gallery 2 - Napoleonic - Italy 1809 BBB Army

 Gallery - Napoleonic - Army of Italy

The Army of Italy has been a favourite of mine for 40 years.  It is compact (6 Line Regts, 3 Light, 2-4 Light Cav, 2 Medium, a "mini" Guard), has colourful and interesting uniforms, fights in Spain, Italy, Austria, Russia.  What's not to like? !

Overview.  

Based for the BBB ruleset, and giving enough troops to fight in the 1809 campaign, the Army of Italy has 3 units of Infantry (5 bases each), 2 Guns in Bicorne, 2 Guns in Shako, 1 Light Cavalry, 1 Medium Cavalry, 1 Light Infantry Unit (Dalmation Regt), the Guard (4 bases), 2 Generals & Eugene de Beauharnais as C in C. 

Not strictly needed in BBB, but eye candy none the less, are two Artillery Limbers & a Pack Mule base.

Commanders

Eugene de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy (standing in for Napoleon, who was King), proved to be a quick learner as he handled the Army of Italy in 1809.  Once he got into his stride he beat and pursued the Austrians under Archduke John out of Italy, into Austria/Hungary and the Italians took part in the battle of Wagram.

Eugene wears his French uniform.  He is supported by an Italian ADC and a trooper from the Guardia D'onore 2 Compagnia Bologna.  As the Guardia D'onore are too small a unit to figure in BBB games, this seemed a good way to sneak one onto the tabletop.

Italian Generals

One General gets an ADC as escort, one gets a Dragoon trooper.

Cavalry

Italy had two regiments of Medium Dragoons & 2, later 4, regiments of Light Cavalry.  The dragoons are a simple conversion - add a plume to the left hand side of the helmet.  Dragoons are "Regina".  Pretty in Pink!

Light Cavalry are "Reale Principio", the second regiment with red facings.  

Reflecting the Polish influences on earlier iterations of the Italian army, the light cavalry had a czapka, sat square on the head rather than a diamond, as worn by Polish lancers & their imitators.  

So, frontal lobotomies and the addition of plastic card to French Line Chasseur a Cheval gives six suitably behatted light cavalry.  Plumes from bayonets.  The Czapkas were black, with a prominent white band about half way up.  Simples - use a bit of lettering transfer... let's just say that it was a real pain - but I got there eventually....  the lengths I will go to for my 1809 Italians!

Infantry.  

The six regiments of Infantry had white, red or green lapels, then a combination of turnback, collar, cuff & cuff flap colours to differentiate further.  I went with 5th regiment (red lapels) for all my Italians, so as to give them a homogenous look.

Flags I got off the internet - Nap flags, I believe, which I lightened and slightly increased in size.

Pictures 2 & 5 have an Italian Light infantry base as skirmishers, not line skirmishers.

I made Grenadiers as separate bases, as in at least one 1809 battle, Piave, the Lights & Grenadiers get stripped from their regiments and brigade as elite shock troops.  Two Grenadier bases are Grenadiers in Shako, one base is Grenadiers in Bearskins.  One Grenadier on each base got an apron and beard, to be a sapper.

Light Infantry.  

There were 3 regiments of light infantry, I chose to model one base, from 1st regiment :

I also modelled two bases as the Dalmatian Light Infantry regiment.  The Lights are Austrian Jaegers, with plumes attached.

Artillery

The Italian gunners of 1809 wore a uniform similar to the French, but with black lapels.  Headgear for 1809 was the Bicorne, changed to Shako in 1810.  Italian artillery was painted light grey.  Gunners in Bicornes first :

Gunners in Shakos

Artillery train.  Not essential under BBB rules, but nice to have!

1809 Uniform - Corse Hat.  Baccus Austrian Limber crew with French Limber

1810 onwards - Shako.  Baccus French Limbers with paint job.

Supply train.  Currently this is one base of Pack Mules...

The Italian Guard

 Modelled on the French, in 1809 there were two "old" Guard regiments, Grenadiers & Chasseurs, together with two regiments of Velites.  In BBB terms, 4 bases is probably too many!

Guard Grenadier & Chasseur regiments - equates to French Old Guard.

Velite Grenadiers & Chasseurs - equates to French Middle Guard.  The Guard Conscripts were raised for the 1812 Russian campaign, so will be added later...

I have previously posted more pictures of the Italian Guard here...   Italian Guard Pictures

Italian Guard Horse Artillery - just the one battery...

In 1809 the Guard had Horse Artillery (modelled and equipped in a similar fashion to the French Guard Horse Artillery) and this was not "table ready" in March.  As a small battery I have put it on a 1" x 3/4" base.  So, here it is now:

Details:

Reference - WJ Rawkins CB3 Army of Italy ebook

Figures - Baccus 6mm French (plus suitable Austrian defectors...)

Bases - Warbases 2mm thick 1" square mdf (unless cavalry or limbers)

What's next?  Supply wagons, maybe more light infantry...