Austrians - update - Grenzer roll in

Snow and ice in Hibernia - so the push to the River Piessting has been postponed owing to weather. That's what you get for campaigning in January ...

Still, I found time to finish off these Grenzer skirmishers (Perry Miniatures) to boost the Austrian options. [ed: thanks Gonsalvo for pointing out the correct spelling) They should add a strong skirmishing element for Sharp Practice games. As much as I love the rifle-armed Jaeger models, they are expensive points-wise and really need the Sharp Practice chits/cards to make them operate effectively each turn. Plus they were annihilated in the last game. These new Grenzer offer a different angle - shorter range, more firepower, more ground covered and a quicker re-load.

Grenzer seem to have been on the wilder side in terms of drill but they were effective at their jobs and particularly "warlike" in their approach to skirmishing. Based on what I've read, I've rated these Grenzer as "aggressive" (a bit of an advantage in melee) and they have the "sharp practice" trait (with the right cards, they can take an extra reload or fire action) and they come with a "moveable deployment point" which allows them and units following them to get up the board a bit/lot quicker if needed. They have the Skirmisher rules which allow bonuses in hard cover and they can screen other units. All in all, handy chaps to have on the team!

This group is based on the 14th Border / Grenzer regiment, raised in Romania I believe. I couldn't resist the challenge of painting brown coats with pink turnbacks, bright blue trousers with yellow trim and red overcoat/bedrolls. The black strapping maybe doesn't stand out as I'd hoped but again it makes a change from off-white. The varnish seems to be shinier on these models than any of the others. Not sure why it set like that! Maybe I needed to shake up the bottle a bit more. Anyway, they're robust. I've already dropped the lot on the floor ...  

Of course, if we're "larding it up" (Too Fat Lardies' rules - look here) then the Grenze leader needs a name and backstory. So ... introducing Lieutenant Longabuscu, a Romanian partizan leader who has signed up (with his gang) to the pay of the Austrian empire because he's tired of waiting around. He's spent years protecting the borders from Turkish incursions but with Napoleon's invasion from the west and the crushing blows that Colonel Scheittekatte has suffered so far, the 14th Grenzers have been sent to defend Gross Lardsdorf. He can be supported by Corporal Curlicu if needed. The Grenzer are rushing up to the River Piessting and may make the next engagement if their powder (paint?) is dry. So, with facial hair in full force and madcap uniforms on display, I fully expect them to fail spectacularly in their first outing (as all freshly painted miniatures are doomed to do).

I suspect the Austrian force for the next battle will therefore change to something like:

Unit	Points
German Fusiliers x3 (24) Leader Level III (Colonel Schiettekatte) #1 Leader Level I (Sergeant Fahrt) #2	12 9 3
Hungarian Grenadiers x2 (16) Leader Level II – (Captain Hamsarni) #3 Leader Level I – (Corporal Mustard) #4	16 6 3
Grenzer Skirmishers x2 (12) Leader Level II (Lieutenant Longabuscu) #5 Leader Level I (Corporal Curlicu)#6	16 6 3
	71