Restoring a French Napoleonic Collection – last batch.

It has been a pleasure to see the transformation of the French from an old style to new. The figures have a robust appearance, clothing colour is darker which offers a greater contrast with belts and those figures in campaign kit have that ‘rough and ready’ look; shako covers and trousers are no longer pristine white and packs, bags and overcoats have a greater variety of colour.

Reviewing the order of battle for the second and third invasion of Portugal, I have more than enough infantry and guns for the planned engagements, but cavalry posed another problem. I have plenty of Chasseurs and Cuirassiers for which the latter saw no service in Portugal and the light cavalry seem to be evenly divided between Chasseurs and Hussars.

I did not plan to purchase more French as a budget was set for the British, Portuguese and insurgents; yet the Hussars and Dragoons (12 regiments represented) were lacking in the collection. A closer inspection of the figures and comparing online resources I decided to ‘promote’ half the Chasseurs (all in campaign kit) to Hussars and so prepared me for an hour’s exercise with Milliput making a dozen pelisse.

While painting a number of command stands I noticed one hussar actually ‘wearing’ his pelisse which is clearly seen from the fur around the cuffs, waist and neck. Brilliant. This one example offered a better solution than having a pelisse draped over the shoulder and so proceeded to paint my hussars and finish the troopers with a touch of fur (it’s a nippy spring morning).

The photo shows this batch in their 'before' state and hopefully by this weekend I can place photos of the completed project.