Sabot basing for Blucher and 6mm figures

Sabots for Blucher and some painted 6mm figures

I like Blucher, it gives a you the opportunity to fight a multi corps battle in several hours. I like it enough I decided to make sabots to hold my already based 6mm in the sizes recommended by the rules, it says a base width is 75mm, and while it doesn't actually give a base depth I went with 50mm.

The artillery and cavalry sabots are made of 3mm thick Bass wood, mark out the area to be cut out then drill the four corners of the hole, if I don't,the first one i did followed the grain and split the wood. After drilling the corners, cut out the area that will be filled with the with the figures bases. Glue a piece of card stock to the bottom.

The infantry bases are more steps but easier to make, start with a 75mm x50mm piece of card stock glue a Popsicle stick along the front edge place a 60mm x 30mm base against it and glue the back edge Popsicle stick in place. Then I glue 7mm wide strips of bass wood I got from the nearby hobby store on either side of the sabot. The Popsicle sticks are only 2mm thick so the infantry stand a little proud when placed in the sabot.

Tutorial on sabot construction

I then spray paint the completed sabots black (I could probably skip this step) when dry I paint the top of the sabots light brown then let it dry. Afterwards flock the non hole portion of the sabot and seal flock in place.

Cavalry sabot on the top Infantry on the left artillery on the right.

When I need to use them in a game, I print out some labels and attach them to the rear of the bases.

I painted and based some more French line infantry (Adler). I used a black undercoat as suggested and it seemed to be a bit easier, I also gave then a wash with Army painter dark tone. I need to source some command stand figures i.e flag bearers.

Three infantry to a base, with 5 infantry bases plus a command base forming a unit, a brigade in Blucher.

Blucher playtest

Monday evening at The Game Chamber I ran a game of Blucher, Sam Mustafa's new Napoleonic rules set.

I picked up the rules last week. I stuck my 6mm on some temporary bases and was ready to try them out.

We played the introductory scenario "Along the Danube"

We (Mike, Cecil and I) only managed to get in 10 turns before the store closed, but that was mainly because I was the only one that had read the rules and I had to explain and look up things as we went along. We were getting faster as we proceeded.

Now to do some proper sabots, and a better looking stream/river. I will be running a smaller demo at The Game Chamber for their June 13th "This month in Miliatry History" event. I am thinking the last battle of the Napoleonic Wars "The Battle of La Souffel"