Hi Kev

Well, a ramble maybe but I really enjoyed that post. Glad you've finally found
your ideal army, even if I am a bit sad not to read any more of your Austrian
stories.

I'm slowly painting a Prussian army myself (very slowly actually), but I can't
really imagine it becoming my favourite.

Personally, I guess my real favourite to play is Brits and this is definitely
the army I do best with. I like playing French too but am not that successful.
I've rarely had success with Austrians, but then who has?

The only army I can't work up any enthusiasm to play is Russian. Luckily, Ákos
has a Russian army and likes to play with them, so it gives me a chance to fail
with my French quite regularly.

Cheers

Bob

--- In lfslist@yahoogroups.com, "Kev Lowth" <fat.wally@...> wrote:
>
> Anyone want to buy some Austrians?
>
> ¡KSorry, just kidding.
>
> ļ
>
> Its been very quiet on the list recently so I thought its time for a Friday
afternoon ponder. Indulge me, or even join in if you will¡K.
>
> Now, I¡¦ve been a Napoleonics player for many a year and I have always had a
soft spot for the Kaiserliks. Over the years I¡¦ve owned and painted them in
25mm, 6mm and now 15mm and yet they are totally at odds with my playing style.
>
> Austrians in LFS are usually quite slow and ponderous due to their plethora of
cautious/poor commanders, and its nothing short of a miracle if you get an Able
one, right? The units themselves seem to fight well enough, but lets face it
their commanders are usually pants.
>
> Its all to slow, and methodical for me. By my own admission, I am an
aggressive sort of player, often foolhardily rash some will say, but I do find
it hard to defend.
>
> So, I own Brits, well Anglo-Portuguese to be more correct, but I find their
usual lack of cavalry and artillery hard to play with. Yes, I know they had a
bit more in 1813 but the early stuff is more appealing to me and in my
collection it looks like 1815 doesn¡¦t exist.
>
> :-)
>
> I have plenty of French too but being somewhat of a Napoleonic Francophobe
they just don¡¦t seem to grab me. The only time I play as French is when I have
the chance to play against the Brits (jeez, I love an underdog).
>
> Yes, I have Poles and Saxons too but well, lets face it, they¡¦re just French
in a different guise really.
>
> My good mate Max lent me an old WSS a few months back with an article in about
Ligny and the Prussians. Oooh the wargames porn had me reaching for the
internet and my figure lists. In no time at all I had decided to buy a Prussian
force. They hadn¡¦t really appealed to me much before, infact I didn¡¦t really
know much about them at all. After much reading and research I decided to make
some units from Kleist II Corps in the Autumn campaign of 1813 to augment my
Army of Bohemia Austrians.
>
> I decided on two Brigades of infantry, the Prussian Reserve Cavalry and the
Reserve artillery.
> Lots of blue to paint, quite drearily drab, but I tell you they do have a
certain simplicity and charm all of their very own.
>
> Their first outing along with Max¡¦s Prussians was a victory against Clive
(yes we beat Clive folks!) and Paul¡¦s French-Saxon Corps.
>
> Now under LFS there¡¦s a good chance of some talented commanders for the
blokes in dark blue. The cavalry too are integrated usually at Brigade (read
Division) level which is really useful and the guns, though not numerous, are
plentiful enough and you can even have the oddity of a howitzer battery. The
infantry are a weird mix of Regulars (B and C), Reservists (C and D) and
Landwehr (D and E) which makes them challenging to use, keeping your interest
but also quirky enough if like me you like crap troops, which is a bonus because
their cavalry is a real mix too. Regulars (B, C and D) and Landwehr (D and E).
>
> Personally, gaming with the Prussians feels like renewing acquaintances with
an old friend who you haven¡¦t seen for ages. Totally comfortable.
>
> Why did I bother with all those other armies? The Prussians had been there all
along, quietly, waiting to be chosen, like that mysterious dark bird in the
corner of the bar, with a naughty glint in her eye¡K
>
> If you¡¦ve stuck this far with my inane rambling what armies, what periods
complement your playing style?
>
> Just interested¡K
>
> Anyhow, anyone want to buy a load of Austrians?¡KOne careful owner¡Kmust like
white.
>
> Cheers Kev
>