Thursday, February 20, 2014

French Infantry on Campaign

Wanting to include French in bicorn into my French ranks, I opted to pick up several handfuls of Brigade Games' 28mm early French.  Brigade Games' early British have seen service in my Peninsular project so I was familiar with the quality of these sculpts.  My British have also seen service in Maida replays.

I figured some French would still be wearing the bicorn during the early years of the Peninsular War and almost certainly in 1806 Italy.  With Kevin's interest in the Egyptian campaign, these French in bicorn could see service there too and in many of the earlier campaigns.

Two battalions of these Frenchmen with 16 figures in each march off the table.  The models exhibit much character in the face and appear to have been campaigning for some time.  The facial features are really quite amazing.    Uniforms have a mix of trousers and the models are cut very slenderly.  These are long and lanky soldiers slimmed by the rigors of the march.






13 comments:

  1. They do look great, Jonathan. I think Paul Hicks is the sculptor? I love the droopy mustaches and large bicornes. I once fancied the Egyptian Campaign too. Some of the Eureka guys in helmets would've been nice. I can now be appeased by seeing your project. Best, Dean

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    1. Righto, Dean! These are sculpted by Paul Hicks. He produces some fantastic work. Both the droopy chapeaus and mustaches give the figures much character. Some of the figures look like they have been marching in a rain storm. I love them!

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  2. Great work, I love this bunch! They have the look of fellows long on campaign. Grognards, every one of them.

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    1. Thanks, Monty! These mobs definitely have the appearance of seasoned vets and grumblers extraordinaire!

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  3. You're right about their faces. They have a ton of character. I like the way you've captured the dirty campaign look you were going for.

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    1. Yes, the figures looked to me as though they have spent a long march in the rain. I was attempting to impart that feeling of fatigue and filth.

      Thanks!

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  4. Nice additions! I have resisted the urge to add French in Bicornes, because that way lies Revolutionary armies and their foes, and if all goes well, I might actually, really, really complete my Napoleonic armies by the end of the decade, LOL!

    (My freind Joe will be rolling on the floor laughing if he ever reads this - I have been painting Napoleonic armies since before I met him in 1973, and I'm still at it 40 years later... happily, I might add. When I mused about stopping building new armies by age 65 a few years ago he observed wryly "Yeah, right. They'll have to pry the paintbrush from your cold dead fingers!" BTW, Charlie Sweet was still painting new units in his 80's, I know that for a fact!)

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    1. Resistance is futile, right? At least for me! You might be shocked at the number of painted 15mm Napoleonics I have.

      Years ago, Hal Thinglum of MWAN made a goal of ceasing his painting efforts at age 50. At the time, that seemed a reasonable goal. Then, I would have many years to enjoy gaming with the collection. Now, in my mid-50's I am painting more than ever. I am always finding a new period that catches my fancy. I know you are in the same boat! I don't believe Hal stuck to his goal either.

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    2. I have considered the issue as well. The problem is when I was young I wanted to game, and rarely found time to paint. Now I am old and find the trend reversed. Perhaps a nice balance by the time I retire?

      Excellent painting! My first thought on seeing them was the potential for revolution in Haiti. But that would be yet another era...

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    3. Toussaint L'Overture, et al. Hmmmm.....

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    4. Thanks, Jake! French in Haiti...yes, they would work for that too. Perhaps, the French could take on the British on St. Kitts?

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