Sunday, 4 October 2026

28mm - French Napoleonic Artillery Caisson - Perry Miniatures

 


This is one of those models that looks really nice on the online catalogue, but I always ask myself - do I need it?   Shouldn't I buy another infantry regiment instead?

However, with the rule set 'General d'Armee' I now had the reason to add a French Artillery Caisson to my collection.  In this rule set artillery caissons really do play a part in the battle...and that was good enough reason for me!



Initially I was quite daunted to build it, but it went together really quite well.  Options in the kit allow the caisson covers to be open, showing the ammunition, or closed.  I decided to keep it closed as the whole model gives the impression of rapid movement, and I felt that closed hatches would prevent dust ingress and loss of ammunition when bounding along some long barren Spanish road!




I do rather like the unusual colours of the driver's uniforms.  It is a nice change to the dark blue of the gunners.  There were some quite good resources for uniforms and caisson colours online.  I did also use the Funcken books again (always so helpful).



I will be only too happy to increase my numbers of caissons should I add more French Artillery Batteries to my French.  It really adds something when it is placed on the board and is a lovely model in its own right.


19 comments:

  1. A lovely addition to your forces indeed! Nice terraining on your base too, which always add something special to a unit or model.

    Kind Sunday Regards,

    Stokes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Stokes. I was unsure whether to make it a road devoid of much shrubbery, but it made the track look too well looked after, so I decided to give it the 'rugged terrain' look. Best wishes, Jason

      Delete
  2. Cracking little model and really well painted and based. It looks great and should really add to the tabeltop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Donnie, Thank you, I can't wait to see it galloping about to support the gun line too! :-) Best wishes, Jason

      Delete
  3. That's a great bit of kit Jason.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful work Jason. General d'Armee does provide the perfect excuse although I have been surprised how little I have actually need them to replenish a battery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lawrence. :-) I have spent the last few years building up to playing General d'Armee. I had a brief playtest a couple of years ago, but have forgotten most of the mechanics. I remember it being great fun though. Now that I have a Peninsular pair of armies ready, I have shifted focus to the Romano-British period...ah the fickle ways of the wargamer! Best wishes, Jason

      Delete
  5. I really like that - I think pieces like this are well worth doing, particularly where the uniform (as you point out) is interesting and colourful. Really nice work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Giles, I'm really glad that you like it. Best wishes, Jason

      Delete
  6. Looks fantastic Jason, your attention to detail is impressive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Chris, Glad that you like the model. Best wishes, Jason

      Delete
  7. You have done a fantastic job on this model Jason, but I am with you on the philosophy of defence expenditure - I really don't like paying for carts, limbers, caissons etc! I have even toyed with the idea of MDF versions from Warbases......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Keith, I'm glad you like it. Models like this are expensive pieces. I think one or two on the table are nice and MDF is a good way to go. Best wishes, Jason

      Delete
  8. Great job on this, Janson! Limbers (and even more so, Caissons) take up a lot of space o the table. In some ways that's god, as actual artillery took u a lot of space two, especially when you add the limbers and teams, and then the caissons, etc. I have a number of Limbers plus a French pontoon train to paint up- maybe some day! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Peter, Thanks, I'm glad you like it. These kind of models do have a big footprint on the board, and that's often at a premium...especially as wargames like to get all the toys on the table! I bet your pontoon train will be very impressive! Bet wishes, Jason (actually I quite like Janson as a name, I was never fond of my own first name as it dates me right to the early part of the 1970's! - It was only when I discovered I had ancestors in the 1700's called Jason, that I decided not to change my name!) :-)

      Delete