Eagles of Empire Miniatures wishes you all a Happy New Year!

A sneak peak at what's to come in 2018
Zouaves and Turcos

Dear fellow wargamers and Franco-Prussian enthusiasts, as 2017 is fast coming to an end, it’s time to take a look at this amazing year at Eagles of Empire Miniatures. At the same time, I think it’s in order to also look forward into 2018, and get a little sneak peak at all the great things in stall for the many loyal customers and newcomers to our range.

2017 – The EoE range got it’s own set of rules, and expanded to include cavalry

Since we released the rules in Mid-2017, wargamers from all parts of the World have picked up copies, read, played and e-mailed us their feed back. THANK YOU to all of you, who took time to put your gaming experience into words, it seems like you’re all having a lot of great and dynamic games out there. Keep the e-mails coming!


The heroic vignette of Berbegier,
 as he is rallying the French line outside Gravelotte.

These last 12 months also saw EoE try something new – Cavalry. French Hussars were the first out. A great box with 6 individually sculpted horses for that true animated feeling. Also we launched a couple of new historical characters, like Berbegier, as well as the more goory bayonet expansion with casualties. Finally, with the help from our French illustrator, Manu, we got the first historical unit flags out there, starting with the famous 70th and 18th line. Looking back at 2017, we can only be happy with the range taking such huge steps forward. But, we’re just getting started. 2018 will be even better…

Von Halden leading the Prussian infantry to the charge

New Releases coming in JAN-FEB 2018

For those of you paying our FaceBook page a visit now and again, this will be no surprise. EoE will be kicking off 2018 with a triple release, adding the Imperial French Zouaves of Napoleon III, the feared and seasoned Turcos and finally Von Bredow’s boy – Prussian Cuirassiers ready for yet another death ride at Mars-La-Tour. Keep your eyes on the FaceBook page, more pictures will be posted there, as we go from master casting on to production mould in early 2018. 

The EoE skirmish rulebook launched in mid-2017

EoE on YouTube 

Yes, we are making good progress on setting up a YouTube Channel, dedicated to dealing with the EoE rules, Unit Cards and Doctrines. Might be one or two painting tutorials and battlefield walks too, let’s see. But, mainly the channel will run through the EoE rulebook, with a video of about 5-10 minutes, dealing with each chapter. The channel will give all you supporters a forum to ask questions, while watching examples played out, on how to use specific doctrines or play-throughs of historical scenarios. The channel will also have a range of un-boxing videos with products from the EoE range, giving you all a closer look at the products and what you get in each set. We expect the channel to air around mid March, and will keep posting on this matter, as we enter 2018.

It's official... New EoE YouTube channel will be coming in 2018

Coming releases for mid-late 2018

You’ve all been asking for some time now, so I thought this might be a good time to confirm it. Yes, mid-2018 will finally see the dashing French Cuirassiers, most likely dashing into a headless charge saving MacMahon’s behind yet again. But, you may also be on the lookout for the coming Winter Characters. The rough fighting in late 1870 and early 1871 saw the remnants of the French army dress up in sheepskins and scarfs to fight both the German Coalition and the bitter cold. This will be address as a set of expansions, to mix up with your ranks and create that feeling of bitter winter fighting. 

Loads of new metal will hit the range in 2018.

We kick off the year with the much expected Zouaves and Tucos double release!

On the publication side of things, we’re looking two new releases – a cavalry rulebook packed with beautiful imagery from the period and background info on historical units, but also the first in a series of Scenario books. Play though historical battles, broken down into a story line with sequences, and carry over individual game winnings as “tactical upper hand” in your next game. Sound interesting? Much more to come here on the blog, on the YouTube and finally as always on our FaceBook page.

A first glimpse at the coming Prussian Cuirassiers.

Von Bredow will be among their ranks.

Before we wrap up this year, I really want to thank all the many customers and gaming clubs supporting the range during 2017. It’s been an incredible ride, with much more to come. Your continued interest in EoE is the fuel that will keep the fire burning.

EoE wishes you all a happy and peaceful 2018!!!

For more info please visit our website of Facebook page

The Eagle of Empire Skirmish Rules - OUT NOW!

After months and months of writing, play-testing
and graphic design work, its finally here. 

Its been a long ride, from the initial idea of creating a new, innovative and fast moving set of skirmish rules, to the actual design work leading up to the finished book - but we're finally there. 40 pages in full color, including chapters on how to build your army, introduction to the 4 historical factions, free historical scenario and much, much more.

A typical spread from the book. Designed in a classic style,
with inspiring full color imagery.

The Eagles of Empire Skirmish Rules will take you through all the steps of a typical game, carefully explaining each step in dedicated chapters with plenty of explicatory images and graphics. The book also deals with the unique EoE resource system, that is our key to generating very dynamic and tactical games with an average duration of about 1-1.5 hrs.

The book carefully explains how to build your gaming

 units in a very visual and intuitive way.

TEASER:

When playing Eagles of Empire you jump back in time, and into the boots of a 19th or early 20th century officer fighting and directing his squads in the very midst of battle. You’ll not be re-fighting Gravelotte St. Privat or the Battle of Mons as a General, with a range of army corps and a grand overview, but instead you’ve now been put in charge of a number of squads, and given a specific tactical task on a small corner of that same battlefield. Your task is not to win a grand battle, but rather to gain control over a number of Tactical Objectives, and secure them for the army behind you. Eagles of Empire is a modern, fast and innovative set of rules, inspired by a mix of the most successful RTS computer games along with some familiar elements from best sellers in the world of board gaming and miniature war gaming genre. With the Eagles of Empire squad cards, you will not have to open and flick through this rulebook when playing, because all you need is already on the table. The Eagles of Empire rules system is an easy, intuitive and visually enjoyable way of replaying history.

Grab your copy now in the webshop - its only £15 for the full color PDF version.

French Hussars of 1870 - Pre-Order Deal now open!

Pre-Order now OPEN!

After months of sculpting and working on illustrations for box art and the uniform plate, its finally time to start production. A big thank you to Ebob and Manu for their work. Not only will the box contain some very cool and differently animated riders, bugler, standard bearer and officer, but also boast 6 different horses to give your unit the most realistic look.

Trooper of the 3rd Regiment.

The box will contain 6 differently posed horses.

For the moment we expect to launch the French Hussars 1870 box in mid-August, pending casting and production of packaging. But, for those who can't wait that long, there is a Pre-Order Deal saving you 20% on the price and allowing you to get your hands on the first batch in June. 

Ebob outdid himself on the officer.
Who wouldn't follow this guy in a dashing charge?

The Pre-Order Deal will end on Sunday the 18th June, so if you want to paint some French Imperial Hussars while your friends are at the beach getting toasted, don't hesitate to grab this deal while its on.

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

TEASER: New French Hussars coming soon. Pre-Order will open next week!

French Hussars of 1870 in all their Imperial glory.

Depicted here is a trooper of the famous 2nd Hussars who gallantly charged in the greatest melee in Europe, during the battle of Mars-la-Tour.

The boxed set will contain officer, bugler, trooper carrying the colors and 3 other charging hussars. 6 riders in total to the box.

Pre-Orders will open next week!

10% Discount on ALL products in the Eagles of Empire Webshop

The IR69 charges up the road towards the French
 defensive position at the St. Hubert farm.

Celebrating the release of the new Prussian infantry characters, the Eagles of Empire
webshop offers a 10% discount on ALL products until Sunday the 14th May.

Inspired by the famous Carl Röchling painting "The death of Mayor von Halden" we've sculpted the Mayor as he leads the IR69 (Rhineland infantry) forward to charge the French defensive position around the St. Hubert Farm during the Battle of Gravelotte-St-Privat in 1870.

A closer look at the wounded Mayor von Halden.

Only moments after the depicted scene, the Mayor suffered a direct chassepot hit to his chest, killing him instantly. The IR69 suffered some 300 casualties during the charge, along with 2/3 of its officers.

In memory of the gallant Mayor, you can now go to the Eagles of Empire webshop and get a 10% discount on ALL products in the shop, using the coupon "Halden" during your check-out.

A little selection of the Eagles of Empire Franco-Prussian War range.

Cavalry is up next!
Pre-orders will open in mid-May, but we'll have more on that soon.

Thanks for stopping by the blog

Christmas Competition - Win a free box of minis!

Here is a question to all Santa's Little Helpers - The Germans are having a party, but who is the guy in the Christmas hat? Post your answer to sorenralph@gmail.com with the subject "Christmas Competition". Any correct answer will put you in the draw for a FREE box of 16 Eagles of Empire 28mm historical miniatures!

The Garde Nationale Mobile

These two Mobiles are painted up using the
Francs-Tireurs box of 16 minis. 

This week I’ve been playing around with the idea of using the Eagles of Empire Miniatures boxes set of Francs-Tireurs as other French light units of the Franco-Prussian War. A perfect match in terms of uniform and equipment would be the ”Moblots”, or Garde Mobile – widely used during the Republican phase of the Franco-Prussian War.

The Eagles of Empire boxed set of 16 Francs-tireurs.

Even though the Imperial phase saw some of the biggest European battles of the late 19th Century, I really love the Republican phase and the desperate struggle France was fighting for political and military cohesion. This phase has also been widely romanticised in many fascinating images by French painters like Neuville and Detaille, wanting to underline the heroic but futile role of the French troops, and express reflection on France’s battered self-esteem in the decades after the devastating peace in 1871, where France ceded Alsace-Lorraine to the newly proclaimed German Empire. 

A unit of Garde Mobile charges into effective German rifle fire.

The Garde Mobile corners the sentiment of a people’s struggle as they were mass-enrolled into a poorly organized republican army, fighting the World’s most professional and well-lead force. A struggle mostly carried out at desperate odds, and with appalling weather conditions as the framework for almost any open battle they were engaged in.

The Mobiles are here seen mixed with normal Line infantry and Tireurs.
Not unusual for the desperate and confused battles of the Republican Phase.

The Garde Mobil was the brainchild of Napoleon III and his Minister of War, Adolphe Niel, as they in 1866 wanted to bolster the number of French troops available for mobilization. The looming power joust with the German Federation under Bismarck, had France at a considerable disadvantage in number of ready troops. The Garde Mobile counted 400.000 reservists, mainly drafted from the lower classes, as the richer had the opportunity to buy their way out through the “Remplacement” system. This loophole created political interest, and the Government Legislative Dept. tried to intervene in different ways, which unfortunately only resulted in poor education and armament for the Mobiles. 

The young reservists of the Garde Mobile.

Like the rest of the French army at the time of the collapse of the Second Empire, the Mobiles paid the price of the rotten leadership in France, with political and social reform lacking tenacity and direction. They fought bravely during countless desperate battles in the Loire, around Paris and in the North, and for that they should be one of the key ingredients in any Franco-Prussian War collectors Republican Phase army. 

Thank you very much for reading!