Austrian Jager

I've just completed a small unit of Austrian jager,

For these I used the following figures:

• The new infantry kneeling and standing firing
• The new hornist
• The Russian infantry officer with 'musket'
• The Prussian NCO with 'musket' from Russian officer
• The Prussian advancing infantryman
• The new jager head

My troops have gaiters rather than the high boots depicted in most illustrations. The figures have gaiters, and the information is contradictory, I did not feel it worth the effort of showing boots, which would be difficult to model on the bent legs.

The casket in the mould is not quite right, so I made a couple of modifications:

• The casting has a domed top, whereas I think it should be level - not a difficult job to file it down. (Do it before sticking on the plume, I had not spotted the need to file the top down until after I had glued on the plume, which made it more tricky).
• They are usually shown with a green plume, which is not present in the mould. I made one by cutting the bayonet off the muskets (see below), gluing it on the side, cutting to length (it is easier to cut off the top after gluing, as it gives more to hold as the glue sets (superglue and accelerator)), and then roughening up the sides using a mini-drill.

All of the figures have the musket cut down to a rifle. The Austrian jager rifle was 1120mm long. Assuming an infantryman is 5'5" (1652mm), with the figures standing 42mm high this gives a length of 28.5mm.

I quite enjoyed making these, they are a good example of what we have been trying to do with the range, making a figure which is close to the historical detail by mixing and matching other components.

Austrian command variations

I've been having a play with the mounted 'general', with a bit if filing around the arm locating lug he can be given the sword from the dragoon officer (the sword should probably be filed down to a more gentlemanly epee), With three arm options, the ability to vary the arm angle, and a variety of heads there is a fair scope for making the commanders for our metal armies.

I have also taken the dragoon officer's horse and body and fitted the bare head and arm with hat from the general. Again the arm needs a bit of filing to make it fit, I decided to have the arm/hat lowered in a sort of respectful greeting - I think it works well. (He needs another coat of varnish - fell over whilst wet!)

Moving on from the mounted officers, I painted up the new foot officer as a dismounted 'general', the new figure is modeled with gaiters, however the buttons can easily filed off to allow cavalry boots to be  painted on - again a nice figure.

With a little more effort it is possible to make a nice bare headed 'general' figure on foot. Cut off the sword and hand just above the cuff , then replace it with the cuffed hand and hat from the mounted officer's arm (I suspect it would work just as well using the hand and hat), and slot in the bare head. He should have a sword in his scabbard so glue on a hilt from a French infantry sword. I think the resulting figure is another cracking officer.

Next I need some commanders for the other armies.