Napoleonic Artillery

The colours of the Napoleonic guns is a rather obscure topics, only interesting for military enthusiasts, historians, wargamers and ... chemists like me, and like Stephen Summerfield, a succesful author of many Napoleonic books (you can watch the Stephen's academic profile at the Academia site) and habitual contributor to the Napoleon-Series site where is the editor of the Smoothbore Ordnance Journal.
The reason behind this digression was the search for the colour of Napoleonic Polish guns (prompted by a friend). I suddenly remembered a book on this subject, Napoleonic Artillery (The Crowood Press Ltd. 2007) by Anthony L. Dawson, Paul L. Dawson and Stephen Summerfield, standing in my bookshelves.
The required information is in the Table 9.2  on p. 229 (and it is not reproduced here to avoid copyright infringement) at the Chapter 9 'The Colours of Artillery Pieces'. The full chapter 9 spans pages 226-231, and it seems written by a chemist, so I suppose Stephen was the responsible of that interesting information.
In addition to the above information, the book is packed with a mine of information about the subject so it is a must for the napoleonic wargamer.

Incidentally, the woodwork of the Napoleonic Polish guns was painted 'mainly blue-grey' with black metal fittings.

Share |

History of Wargaming Project

One knows that is becoming old when the past is more interesting than the future. I don't know my own situation, but I am regularly surfing internet searching for articles and projects about the old wargaming.
Today, following the steps of Tony Bath's Hyboria, I have found the John Curry's History of Wargaming Project. According to his own words: "The History of Wargaming Project aims to make available a library of hobby and professional wargames available from one place. It currently includes books from Donald Featherstone, Charlie Wesencraft, Peter Perla, Phil Dunn, Phil Barker, Charles Grant, Stuart Asquith, Terry Wise, etc. It also includes professional wargaming rules such as Dunn Kempf (American Army) and the 1956 British Army Wargame."

Many of these will be surely unknown to the younger wargamers , but the old grognards there out will immediately recognize the names of the Founding Fathers of Wargaming. All in all, this blog is a must for the wargamer.
Maybe I am growing old (at least for wargaming)!

Share |

How to paint (well) faces

The above video, How to paint faces #1, was discovered while seeing a post in the Befreiungskriege 1813-14 site. This is a very interesting site devoted to 28 mm figures, and I follow it not only because of its background theme (Germany 1813), but also because of the marvelous figures and useful painting tips.
The video is part of the interesting Art Master Studio collection.
I strongly recommend both!

Share |

11M. In memoriam

If I were more pretty

and a bit smarter

If I were special,

Off a magazine cover

I would have the strength

to cross the train

and ask you who you are.

You sit in the front

and you don’t even imagine

that only for you

my best skirt am I wearing.

and as I see you yawn

that crystal panel

my eyes well up.

Suddenly, you see me

I watch you and you sigh,

As I close my eyes,

you turn back silently,

I hardly breathe,

I feel so small

and I begin to tremble.

And thus days go by,

from Monday to Friday,

as the flying swallows

of the poem of Becquer,

from station to station

we sit there, you and I

and so passes the silence.

Suddenly, you see me

I watch you and you sigh,

As I close my eyes,

you turn back silently,

I hardly breathe,

I feel so small

and I begin to tremble.

And then sudden, it happens,

and my lips wake up

pronouncing your name

in a stuttering voice,

You’re probably thinking

“Such a foolish girl!”

and I want to die.

But then the time stops,

You approach to me,
you whisper…

“I do not know you,

But I already miss you.

You know, every morning

I skip the direct route

and board this train”

And now, we are arriving

and my life is changing.

Such a special day

this eleventh of March.

You take my hand,

we enter a tunnel

that turns off the light.

With the help of my hands,

I find your face

I kiss you on the lips

I become very brave

you say that you love me,

and I grant you

the last beat of my heart...

Share |

A quiz every week!

My friend Alfonso (a.k.a. Corsario) and me, play every week-end a Napoleonic uniform quiz in the ALKAID Forum. You can see below the image currently in play:

You are welcome to try the nationality and unit by posting your comments!

Share |

A happy day!

Yesterday was a great day for my family: My daughter Tania received her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Salamanca. Her thesis work deals with pollution topics: "Recovery of trace element polluted soils by stabilization phytotechnologies" and has been carried out at the CEBAS-CSIC Research Institute at Murcia (Spain).
Chance has made that she reached her degree on the same day that me, March 1st, but with a thirty-three years difference!

Share |