Thursday 13 May 2021

1st Battalion 1st Chasseurs of the Old Guard

1st Battalion 1st Chasseurs of the Old Guard is generally thought to have stayed out of the fight at Le Caillou where it had the somewhat inglorious task of guarding the Imperial baggage.  But evidence suggests that about half the battalion was fed into the fight in Plancenoit plugging the gap left by the collapse of the Young Guard.

I am yet to fix that many of the Lutzow Freikorps on to the model, but even positioning 1/1st Chasseurs has its challenges - just where did massed Napoleonic infantry go in the close quarters environment of a village?  Some Prussians have been added - not from the black coated musketeer battalions, but from the conventionally clad fusiliers in skirmish order.  That said, one company is in greatcoats.  The fusiliers are exploiting either side of the road, leaving the main thoroughfare to the musketeer battalions.  These are coming in two forms.  First, a battalion specially commissioned from Speira; the second being conversions from Strelets.




In respect of my French, the figures are mostly Esci - the smaller bearskins are suited to the shorter Chasseur variant.  These are supplemented by Hat and Franznap.














These are still at the stage where I haven't hidden the stands - this comes next.