Wednesday, March 25, 2020

ROMANIAN CHASSEURS: RTW

          Romanian Chasseurs: Outpost Wargames Service Russo Turkish War Figures. 

Greetings, fellow shut-ins.  The momentum from the recently completed Dorobanti, carried me through the completion of two more special units of Romanians: Chasseurs.  Although produced by Outpost Wargames Service, these figures are available in the US via Badger Games LLC (shout out to both).  In this post, as usual, you may clix pix for BIG PIX.
 Romanian Army of the Russo-Turkish War Era: Chasseur in the center.

I won't reiterate the brief history of the Romanian Army that I did in my last post. For more on that, I would refer you to the excellent Balkan Military History Blog. However, I will say that it is an elegantly outfitted force (adopting uniforms along French lines, I believe).
The chasseurs are particularly interesting, with the universal green distinctions for light troops and headgear reminiscent of contemporary light troops like Bersaligere and Austrian Jagers. Reaching back to the Hungarian Revolt (1848/49), the headgear is reminiscent of that worn by the Hungarian/Hoved rifles--perhaps indicating a local, Eastern European tradition as well. Here is my study of how I approached these figures:
I embellished the musicians by painting in the wings (which aren't part of the sculpt) and doing their plumes in white.
 Inspiration for handling the trumpeters (above).
Three piles of equipment topped off by hats...

Here, I have to add a bit of a rant. Although wonderful sculpts, I hated painting these figures. As I might have mentioned before, I run hot and cold on painting being a chore. In this case, these figures were definitely in the "chore" category. I was put off because these figures conform to the trend that I find most annoying in figures nowadays. That is, putting every damn piece of equipment that anyone can think of on them. Now, it is true that soldiers are depicted in combat wearing their gear, and it is also true that the French infantryman of the era, in particular, are famous for being weighted down under their equipment. And it is also true that they did go into combat with their gear.  But it is also equally true that soldiers stripped down for combat as well. It's called "combat order."
You will note the complete absence of equipment in the above illustration of the Romanians storming the Grivitza Redoubt at Plevna.

There is something called "marching order": that is when infantry are loaded down like mules to carry all their equipment. That is what these figures (and all the others like them) are actually portraying.  Now I get that you can't satisfy everyone, and that failing to depict equipment slung all over figures would probably fail to meet the expectations of some other sector of gamers: fair enough and fine for them.  I happen to have other preferences.  All I'm saying is that it would be refreshing if there were at least a few figures out there that were less encumbered in to order to balance out this trend. Not only would seeing the uniform peeking out from under the equipment every now and then be refreshing, but given the time that it takes me to paint figures, it is extremely vexing when the majority of it is spent on household detritus: pans, cups, blankets, bags, pouches, cases, shovels, sticks, etc. I can deal with a reasonable amount of it (sort of like doing horses: you get it done as a necessity), but if I wanted this sort of thing to be the main effort, then I would be doing doll houses rather than toy soldiers: end of rant.  
Back to more pleasant thoughts: I included this shot just because it captures how dynamic these sculpts are (when you're not staring at their equipment). Despite my rant, I would still highly recommend these figures.  They are lovely. 

As usual, I did a few on individual bases: always handy for light troops just in case you have a rule set that needs to represent screens or pickets. 

Excelsior!

Saturday, March 14, 2020

ROMANIAN DOROBANTI: RUSSO TURKISH WAR

Outpost Wargame Service 28mm Romanian Dorobanti Militia
In this post, dear readers, we diverge (once more) into Romanians of the Russo-Turkish War. In order to snap out of a period of painting doldrums, I decided to indulge in something unique.  So I mined these Romanian Dorobanti Militia out of my lead mountain. Ever since acquiring them, I had been anticipating seeing them done, so decided now is the time, regardless of whether or not they "fit" into any project or practical need (if one can use that term in connection with toy soldiers). I should also like to give a shout out to Badger Games, the US distributor for Outpost figures (and other lines): highly recommended. In this post, as always, you may clix pix for BIG PIX.
The Romanians refer to the Russo Turkish War as their War of Independence.  The Romanian Army was fairly young at the time, having been organized in 1870. The infantry consisted of regulars and Dorobanti Territorial units, the latter actually making up the bulk of the force: each brigade had one regular regiment and two Dorobanti regiments (each of two battalions). 
Although also referred to as "militia," I think the associations we wargamers have with that label may not hold. I think the more accurate translation would be in line with their "territorial" identifier, indicating forces common to militarized provinces or regions, like grenzers. The Romanian performance in the Russo Turkish War was respectable, and the Dorobanti seem to have acquitted themselves well, despite being equipped with the by-then outdated Dreyse needle gun.
Above: Romanians Storming the Grivitza Redoubt in the 3rd Battle of Plevna. It is interesting, and perhaps significant, to note that this depiction shows the Dorobanti doing the storming. It is clear that they fulfilled a "regular" role on the battlefield, whether or not one would deem them "irregulars." According to the excellent Balkan Military History Blog, the Romanian 3rd division suffered 2,600 casualties in taking this position, and the Romanian military contribution against Turkey was significant: 30,000 infantry, 4,500 cavalry, and 126 guns.
It's clear that the Dorobanti are popular among reenactors, and my non-expert guess is that they are a cultural icon of Romanian national identity (not unlike the Minutemen in the US).
Either late-in or shortly-after the Russo-Turkish War, they would be outfitted with the regular blue infantry tunics, and in later depictions leading up to WWI they take on a progressively more "regular" appearance. 

Here is my study, of how I rendered these fellows:
 My two newly completed units of Dorobanti: given the lines of their headgear, I found them reminiscent of Scottish Highlanders.
These were the kind of figures that just didn't seem to "come together."  Until they were actually based, they seemed unfinished. I think it might have been the amount of white, and the fact that they don't present the usual demarcation between tunic, belt, trousers, and footgear/leggings that we are accustomed to seeing.  To get some definition, I started with an overall covering of light gray, then used a wash of black and then followed up with brushing flat white to bring out the tunics and trousers.  To give a bit more definition, I left the leggings light gray except for the bow, which I picked out in flat white to bring out some relief.
As usual, I did a few on individual stands as well.

No need for color photography: these colorful fellows provide all that is needed.

Excelsior!

Thursday, March 5, 2020

E BOOKS FOR ANTIQUARIANS VII: THE CANNONEERS HAVE HAIRY EARS: A DIARY OF THE FRONT LINES (WWI)

In this post, dear readers, we take a diversion (a meander) into the the seventh installment of my e-book for antiquarians.  In these, I share passages and commentary on open access e-books of interest that have been scanned and are available in their original form on the interwebs, rendering as close to an authentic reading experience as possible. If you click the "e-book" link in the blog labels to the right, you can find the other e-book posts.  In this case, we visit the American Experience in the Great War...
Scan of the Meander's Copy
Above is the Publication information (clix pix for BIG PIX): the "Anonymus" author was actually Robert J Casey who would go on to become an adventure writer, journalist and War Correspondent (WWII) for the Chicago Daily News (a bit more on his later career and publications will follow at the conclusion of this post). This turn to professional writing by our anonymous artillery officer comes as no surprise once one begins to read this text: to say that it is a page turner is an understatement.

But before I get carried away with the contents, let me provide information on where you may access this book yourself.  It is available for reading online via the Haithi Trust through the University of California Library and University of Michigan Library.


THE JOURNEY BEGINS: INFLUENZA
The writing is splendidly colorful and engaging.  In addition to being the narrative of an officer in a US 75mm artillery battery in WWI, it provides excellent glimpses into the underside of history, an unvarnished look at "big events" from the perspective of those who lived them.  For instance, our hero begins the story, somehow appropriately, with the influenza, and we are colorfully introduced to Doc Duffy and his saving cure of raw eggs and cognac (and keeping our hero out of the clutches of the Army Hospital).  In this post, I have scanned the passages and pasted them into the blog in the hopes that they will expand sufficiently to allow visitors to read along.  So as usual, please clix pix for BIG PIX and further reading enjoyment...

PEOPLE'S GAS LIGHT & COKE CO
This book, like others coming from the US experience in the Great War, often has an "attitude"--an irreverent take on authority and a glibness towards potential (and real) dangers.  The below description of the wearing and handling of gas masks is one example of many (and is representative of the soldier's take on items of military equipment that persists to this day, however necessary they may be--I can attest to the fact that in the US Army  75 years later we held our gas masks in similar esteem)...

THE FRENCH WAY
After recounting the elaborate attention that his and other US Artillery batteries had paid to operating "by the book" as they went into their first action--keeping hidden in daylight, erecting camoflauge nets, proper handling and storage of shells, obliterating tracks and trails indicating occupation, deliberate laying of the guns, etc--the author shares a hilarious anecdote of the reaction of US gunners to seeing a veteran French battery of 75s pull into position next door...

THE GOOD GUYS AND GAS: ST MIHIEL
The narrative follows along with the trajectory of US operations in the Great War, with the battery going into combat in the St Mihiel Offensive.  Although I consider myself well read on the Great War, this narrative is the first that I have run across that openly discusses the extent to which the US used chemical warfare in the Great War, and it is an eye opener. By the end of this book, it is quite clear that chemicals were an integral component of US artillery preparations. It is also illuminating to see that the gunners were cognizant of the nature of gas warfare...
...following on from this, the author recounts the reaction of he and a fellow battery officer upon seeing a dispirited group of teen-aged German POWs being marched through their positions on the way to the rear at the conclusion of the operation...

SIGNAL SHOT, BARRAGE, AND MONT SEC AFLAME
The description of the opening barrage of the St Mihiel offensive is quite vivid and reminiscent of other memoirs that describe the thunderous barrages of the Great War...
...the primary target was Mont Sec...
Contemporary Image of Mont Sec, with the US Memorial visible on top 
(image from the Doughboy Center Website)

LIFE AND DEATH "BEHIND THE LINES" WITH THE ARTILLERY
Although one unacquainted with the reality of the Great War may imagine that artillerists, being technically "behind the lines," lived a protected life, this was far from the truth. In addition to active counter battery fire, which meant incoming large caliber rounds by definition, the tremendous amounts of artillery fire directed at harassing and interdicting areas behind the trenches meant that gunners were subjected to horrendous artillery fire, often without the benefit of being entrenched.  Although the author makes light of many otherwise dire incidents, his descriptions of being under artillery fire are unsparing...

A LACONIC FELLOW: TAKING CARE OF A CUSTOMER
The book is sprinkled with character studies, incidents, and observations. An amusingly characteristic one is when our hero was sent forward to do some liaison work.  He "discovers" a German machine gun position (the hard way), which leads to an encounter with a US infantry officer and his men...
  
EYEWITNESS TO EVENTS
Moving into the much larger and costlier later US Meuse-Argonne offensives, the narrator provides first hand witness to the casualties and costs...
...and the chaos of the operation--as well as a remarkable example of the bond between soldiers fighting for one another that motivates them to carry on...

Obviously, I was very taken with this book, both as a good read and a source of information.  I hope that this post has been of interest to others as well.


 LATER LIFE AND WRITING
Robert J Casey, would go on to author of other books, be something of an adventure writer between the wars, a war correspondent in WWII, and a journalist with the Chicago Daily News.
 Two of the author's books of war correspondence:  I Can't Forget: Personal recollections of a War Correspondent in France, Luxembourg, Germany, and England, 1941) and Torpedo Junction, With the Pacific Fleet from Peral Harbor to Midway, 1942.(My copy of I Can't Forget is on its way).

Here is a snippet of his WWII correspondence.  In this case, when he was in London and heard the motor of a V-2 rocket cut out, "I could have sworn that it was squarely above me, though it was probably two or three blocks to the north.  A few seconds later, fire squirted upward through the near distance...and the sky glowed red. The pavement trembled underfoot, a sudden concussion pressed against my stomach and a snarling roar came back to us" (from Ray Mosley's Reporting War: How Foreign Correspondents Risked Capture, Torture, and Death to Cover World War II. Yale University Press. 2017)


Another of his books, from 1949, is available free online on the Internet Archive: The Black Hills and Their Incredible Characters.  

When I think about the state of contemporary media and what I read and see today, I can't help but feel that we have lost much since Casey's days, when the written word was prime and we had journalists/authors who were capable of rendering such fine stories (both fiction and non fiction) so well told. 

Excelsior!
 
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