224 : One Battalion of IR46 Chasteler

It’s a rare moment that the painting of a 12-man battalion raised such celebrations in the 10mm Schönbrunn Palace. It was just an Austrian line infantry unit, after all. But its dark blue facings were very important. Once painted, I realised that with their painting I then had the whole of the Austrian Fifth Column at Aspern-Essling painted. All four line infantry regiments, cavalry, artillery, Grenzer and Freikorps at a ratio of 1:50. And all with the correct facing colours! 

The three battalions of Line Infantry Regiment No. 46 numbered 1,580 at Essling. At 1:50, that meant 30 figures to represent the three battalions. I planned to have just two units, one of 18 figures and this one of 12. Ideally, it would have been nice to have had three battalions of 12 figures each. This, though, would have increased the effectiveness of the regiment to the equivalent of 1,800 men. However, it was still an option. Even if their French opponents objected.

Two battalions of Chasteler also produced sterling service at Eggmühl where the regiment fought over the wood and high ground above the village of Oberlaiching before being withdrawn by FML Rosenberg on the orders of Archduke Charles. We don’t have a record of their number there – or at the Battle of Dünzling, 19 April. But we do know that the regiment was down to 1,190 men at Wagram where it fought as part of Nordmann’s Advance Guard.