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.





































6 comments:

  1. James
    Your photographs are excellent but I can't wait to see this Diorama in the flesh.
    DL

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  2. Hello General!!
    Wow!! Simply stunning work!! Wonderful painting and really like how they are organised around the village, using all the available cover.
    Liking the Strelets ACW conversions!! The Spiera figures look amazing too!!!
    I too quite like the old Esci/Italeri French Guard figures. I think they blend together well with the Revell Guard Grenadiers and Hat Chasseur sets.
    Great work again, great "eye candy"!!
    Roger W

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  3. Great work as always - must be fascinating trying to work out how all those troops managed to squeeze into the space available!

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  4. Excellent and wow are apt descriptors. Each time you post new photos of your ongoing work, I am left simply speechless. Amazing!

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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  5. Many thanks all! DL, your battalion will look fantastic once complete. It's funny which figures work well together - the Zvezda (which are the best in my opinion) would have looked terrible next to these. I'm keeping them in reserve for both battalions of the 1st Grenadiers at La Belle Alliance.

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  6. Mavellous additions. Your wonderful diorama is now full of action as the Guard fires from the houses, in the streets, behind hedges and carts. Sensational detail, as always.
    Regards, James

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