Monday, 1 April 2013

British Napoleonic Artillery - Blue Moon

A month ago I announced to the world that I was the proud owner of a Blue Moon brigade of British Foot artillery. Since then, following painting Portuguese dragoons, British and French casualty markers and putting together the new table, I can now introduce my new table top warriors.

It seems fitting that they should be the first unit to get a photo-shoot on the new table, and to add value to the exercise, I thought you might like some range comparison shots.

So here they are, a Blue Moon 6lbr foot brigade with a Fantassin team of drivers


The first thing I would say is that for the money, I think these are a very nice sculpt that paint up easily. As you can see they fit in nicely with the Fantassin figures.


So in the photo below we have a BM gun and crew (left) next to the AB gun and crew (right) and with the Fantassin driver team behind.

I think you'll agree that if money were no object it would be AB all the way as the sculpt standard is superb. However if there it is one thing I really like with the Blue Moon option its got to be their guns.

If you can get over the fact that they seem to have missed off the elevation screw, the "chunkiness" and brute force look of the barrel, carriage and wheels seems to be more appealing than the rather delicate looking AB option. I have yet to see their howitzer model. I'm hoping to pick some up at Salute, but I think they'll look great lobbing shrapnel rounds at the Emperor's Legions.


BM left, AB on the right

BM left, AB on the right

AB on the left and BM on the right

AB on the left and BM on the right

5 comments:

  1. JJ, they all look really good! The BM figures came out of the comparison very well I think (I'm an out and out AB snob), although that well may be down to your painting skill.

    I'm slightly less excited by the guns than I was before seeing these pictures, as you say, the wheels and barrel look chunky. On the other hand, the wide axles prevalent on the AB guns bug me too. Perhaps some Frankenstein hybrid might be the solution? BM trail with AB wheels and barrel? But that way lies madness...

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  2. Hi LA, yeah I know what you mean re the guns, I haven,t tried the Fantassin offerings yet so will make a final decision on which to standardise on later, as I still have horse and Portuguese batteries to build yet.

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  3. Of course if you could find someone willing to take on the leftover parts of your AB/BM hybrid (so wide trail, chunky wheels and barrel - it's really seeling itself isn't it?) at a reasonable price...

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  4. Great pictures and figures, very nice work!
    Phil.

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