Skirmishing Orange-Nassau 28th

I suppose the first observation is that I elected to run with Front Rank miniatures for this company. This particular unit (28th Orange Nassau Regiment) is not well represented and Front Rank sculpts appear inconsistent with several sources. They have; however, taken a middle-way approach which I think works quite well all the same.

The sculpts have a pleasant bell-topped but unadorned Dutch Line Infantry shako whereas they should have French shakos with chin-scales, front plate and cords. I cut away the back-peak off the shako which then achieves something more representative of most sources, albeit very plain. They come with cockade (including button and lace) and a plume rather than a pom-pom. Some on-line sources refer to the shakos having simple cords instead of chin-scales - which these figures represent.

I generally went with the Osprey 'Wellington's Dutch Allies 1815' guide which opted for white trousers, black gaiters and shoes, whereas others cite grey trousers and gaiter. Similarly, I opted for brass buttons rather than white metal. There was no reference to the lace on the Front Rank shako cockade so I went for yellow for my fusiliers and silver for the officer.

I vacillated for a while but in the end I painted on a plate detail using steel paint and 'engraving' the 'W' cipher detail and crown with a toothpick, which brought the black background of the shako through the paint. I feel I should have used green-stuff to build a properly defined plate but forgot at the outset in my eagerness to get painting.

I furthermore mis-ordered the figures, mistakenly buying centre company rather than flanker figures. I am only representing one company in my scenario (for the time being) and as the regiment was undoubtedly 'light' infantry, I am simply representing a centre company in skirmish formation. As Mark Adkin (The Waterloo Companion) has the regiment strung out from Smohain to La Haie in their pre-battle dispositions, my depiction is in keeping with the entire regiment being dispersed in skirmish order. Phew!

I continue to base Napoleonic miniatures for Black Powder in accordance with In The Grand Manner rules basing conventions - because it matters little and that's the rules I originally migrated from. To differ from my dedicated skirmish troops (British Rifles or Jaegers etc.) I am basing my 'Mixed Order' skirmishing troops at two instead of six figures on an equivalent centre company rectangular base - the same base dimensions as a stand of six figures in close order but with a third the figures representing an open order formation.