Befreiungskrieg! What the F#@K is Befreiungskrieg?!?!?!

Hi All
Well, I've started painting my Greatcoat clad French Brigade!
The good news (for me), is this is the first time in about 8 months I've picked up a paint brush.
AB Miniatures do have a way of inspiring the artist in one,..
Sorry, but still no pictures; (probably next week).
In the meantime however I have received some reinforcements from Scale Creep Miniatures in the shape of Fantassin Miniatures "Marie Louise" French Infantry. Ideal as the young, poorly equipped and "ragged in appearance" conscripts of 1814, I figured they'd be just the thing to add some additional variety to my AB Miniature French for the 1812.
Fantassin Miniatures are comparable in both size and quality to AB Miniatures, (though I think the AB are somewhat better). All the same, they will fit in very nicely with the ABs. By all account the French and allied troops were decidedly worse for wear even before the Battle of Borodino, (which is the battle I'm basing my French and Russian armies on). Consequently I obtained the "Marie Louise" types to fit into the ranks of some of my French and Italian battalions.

Other miniatures in the post were some Russians (also in Greatcoats), and the "Napoleon's HQ" set. This "Command Group" is a nice little vignette. It features one mounted ADC, Napoleon examining a map on one of two tables, Mameluke guard, and 4 other foot figures. I've sent it off to Model Citizen Miniatures to paint for me, (as I'm up to my chin in French and Russian Infantry in ummmm, greatcoats).

I also received a copy of the Age Of Eagle, (AoE) Scenario Book: "Napoleon vs Europe" (based on the "Befreiungskrieg" campaigns of 1813 / 1814).
I highly recommend it for those players of AoE; (or even Napoleon's Battle or Volley and Bayonet rule systems). So what's in between the covers?

Well, Each 80 Page Befreiungskrieg Scenario Book Contains the following:

• Introduction - includes conversion schemes for Grande Armee, Napoleons Battles and Volley & Bayonet.
• Battle of Gross Beeren - 23 August 1813, Oudinot vs Bernadotte.
• Battle of the Katzbach - 26 August 1813, MacDonald vs Blucher.
• Battle of Kulm - 30 August 1813, Vandamme vs the Czar.
• Battle of Dennewitz - 6 September 1813, Ney vs Bernadotte.
• Battle of Wartenburg - 3 October 1813, Bertrand vs Yorck.
• Leibertwolkwitz (Leipzig) - 14 October 1813, Murat vs Schwarzenburg.
• Battle of Mockern (Leipzig) - 16 October 1813, Marmont vs Blucher.
• Battle of Hanau - 30 October 1813, Napoleon vs Wrede.
• Battle of Schestedt - 10 December 1813, the Danes vs the Russo-German Legion.
• Battle of La Rothiere - 1 February 1814, Napoleon vs Blucher.
• Battle of Orthez - 27 February 1814, Wellington vs Soult.
• Battle of Toulouse - 10 April 1814, the last battle of the war.
• Hohenlinden 1800 Bonus Scenario - courtesy First Empire Magazine.
• Craonne 1814 Bonus Scenario
• Blank Labels - to copy and use when you create your own scenarios.
• Imperial Glossary - Chasseur a Cheval de la Garde Imperial means what?
• Age of Eagles Supplement - the latest optional rules and interpretations.
• Notes - for all the scribbling every gamer needs now and then.

So what is Befreiungskrieg? Well it's German for "Wars of Liberation" apparently. So now you know.
I for one am just itching to have a go at the Battle of Kulm - Vandamme vs the Czar!
Looks like a real cracker of a battle!
I found the service from Scale Creep Miniatures to be EXCELLENT! This was the second order I placed with them, and on both occasion's the articles ordered were sent quickly and at a very reasonable cost. They actually charged only for what the actual postage was. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Other manufacturers and online shops take note! No "25% of cost of order" for postage bulls#@t here!
The link to SCALE CREEP is:
http://www.scalecreep.com
Highly Recommended!
Anyway, gotta go watch "DEXTER".
Cheers
for now.
Trailape