Orders of the Day

Last week I finally got my hands on some of the cool Order Markers for REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE. Each set comes with 14 counters, two of each Brigade Order. They are available in five different national sets, each with their own distinct shape.

The small tokens shown above with the Order Markers are Manoeuver Point chips and are available separately in bags of 30. Every game turn players will accrue a number of Manoeuver Points (MPs). These will vary from turn to turn. They will have to be allocated to brigades and units in order to make them obey orders. These chips can be placed behind each unit or brigade to keep track of your MP spending!

In addition to both of these, there are also Condition Markers to denote various Resolve and Disorder status...

You can get your own sets of these great game aids at the League of Augsburg shop! I should point out that none of these items are required to play REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE, but they may enhance your game.

Speaking of something that is not required, I am never one to leave well enough alone. For me wargaming is as much about aesthetics as the rules. I want my games to look as good as possible! The Order Markers seemed to stand out a little too much on the table so I sat down and gave my French set the Quindia Studios treatment...

Basically, I assembled my counters - I recommend super glue as the super shiny plastic seemed slightly resistant to my first attempts with plastic model glue. Then I sprayed the models with black primer - I think it would be hard to brush on a case coat, again because of the glass-like smooth surface of the counters. I painted the entire counter with the same colors I use for my French coats: Foundry Deep Blue Shade (20A). Then I simply drybrushed the counters with Foundry Deep Blue (20B), leaving the original color on the bottom third to create a gradient. Finally I drybrushed the top third of the counter with Foundry Deep Blue Light (20C) and outlined the indented lettering with the same color (not necessary as they were perfectly legible without it, but I already mentioned my inability to leave well enough alone). Still not satisfied, I decided to add mud spatter in the same manner I use on some of my units and finished of the bases in the same manner as my troops!

It may sound like it was a lot of work, but I actually painted these seven counters in about an hour. The second half are on my painting table and they have provided a nice distraction from painting buttons and crossbelts while still keeping me on track with Napoleonics. My British counters will get the same treatment with Foundry Terracotta (37A-C) in the coming weeks to break up the monotony of a 36 model unit of the French 82nd Line which is on deck...

Stay tuned!