Sunday 24 May 2015

Using Up My Légère Time!

DK 13: Der Kriegspielers French Line Infantry 1812, Command, painted as light infantry
DK 13: French Line Infantry 1812 Command

DK 8: Der Kriegspielers French Line Infantry 1812, Charging, painted as chasseurs
DK 8s painted as Light Infantry chasseurs
One of these days I'm going to have to do more than just one of each type of unit before moving on to the next, but it hasn't arrived yet! So, true to form, I've decided to have a go at a battalion of French light infantry.

Commanded by three of Chuck's excellent DK 13 figures are nine DK 8: French Line Infantry 1812, Charging, painted as light infantry chasseurs. As the light infantry after 1812 had a more or less identical cut to their uniforms as the line, all that was required to turn them into light infantry was a different colour scheme.

I was bit worried that the results might look a little monochromatic, but I think the contrast of blue coats and trousers against red collars, with a further flash of scarlet on the cuffs, just manages to avoid this. Although blue pointed cuffs with white piping were more common for the light infantry after 1812, some battalions seem to have retained the older, pre-1812 style of cuff, so I decided this was allowable!

Once again, the DK 8s turned out to be beautiful castings once the old paint had been stripped away, and I was very taken with their fine, aggressive fighting stance! Although the lettering on their flag proclaims them to be the 45me de Ligne,  in my order of battle they are to be the crack 13me Légère. It was the 13th that finally captured the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte from the King's German Legion at Waterloo, and thus for a moment seemed to turn the tide of the battle.

Next up should be the 13th's carabinier and voltigeur companies, using a mixture of DK 8Es and a few more DK 11Es to make up the numbers.

Have a great weekend everyone,

WM

6 comments :

  1. Very nice, love the drummer!

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    1. Thanks Phil. I wasn't at all sure how he would look in blue trousers, but I think I got away with it! Seemed a shame not to make him a carabinier drummer as he was all kitted out for it.

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  2. Excellent results...once again your flags are a labour of love!

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    1. Cheers Matt. It's interesting how much easier they are to do the second time round- none of that nervous uhming and aahing and tentative experimenting. Mind you, the 'TZ" in "AUSTERLITZ" needs a bit of retouching!

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  3. Great stuff Matt! Its a pity Hinton did not make specific legere figures except for the rather skinny carabiniers . Especially annoying as thet Legere are about 25% of the infantry and often provideD the lead regt in a division.For Waterloo period we can use the standard infantry as you have done with the DKs, but as you say wrong cuffs! Lovely paint job.

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    1. Thanks Roy. The DK range included rather nice 1809-era legere infantry, but I have too few to make a battalion!

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