Frenchies for Eylau

[Battle Brush Sigur]

Heyhey, I got to paint a bunch of French units for Eylau (intended to be used with the Valor&Fortitude rules):


full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2024_10/1Ss.jpg.c89ab62efd24b924cd171378ace62588.jpg


full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2024_10/4Ss.jpg.701f5edc6334d26ebc0dc5e5fcd570e9.jpg






full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2024_10/10Ss.jpg.449919bef4eaf98becfa414e29666a36.jpg



For the “army shots" (it really is just two formations) I did something different than just taking a wintry background. The background here is the battle painting of the Battle of Jena by Rugendas. Ok, wrong battle, but it looks like it fits. And the time fits. At least that's something. Anyway, I'm quite happy with the result because the guys look a bit like they're jumping out of the painting. They don't really look “realistic” either, but very dressed up. What I also really like (and which also helps the somewhat artificial look) is that Murat looks like a flat figure. He's definitely a fully-sculpted regular figure, just modeled very much in the style of a flat figure. But really nicely done and beautifully cast.



3rd Hussars:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2024_10/3rdhussars3bSgg.jpg.7b664bacd5fe47ddefbe2b33271781c3.jpg

Represented by two companies - one line and one elite company. Here's the elites, bearskins and a hussars sapeur(!):



The flag I got supplied with the unit was in fact the flag for the 10th hussars, so I was asked to repaint all the numbers in the flag (9) to be little threes. As you wish..


Hussars officer in his chic red leather boots:



Here's the other unit - light infantry:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2024_10/lt1S.jpg.cc76521a09d7f91cde7b7c410f1240af.jpg

 I'm not quite sure how exactly they are represented here, but it's quite interesting and depicts a lot of interesting bits about French light infantry of the time. Each formation consists of 3 bases. Skirmishers in front (Voltigeur-Chasseurs from Front Rank, beautiful as always). Note the “drooping” plumes on their shakos. Behind them, three bases of Carabiniers, the grenadier equivalent of light infantry. All with bearskin caps and red cords. They even have their own flag, sapper and, most importantly, a leader of the regimental band!



Behind them (in the first picture) there's an interesting representation of a regular light infantry batallion:



 From us on the left, Carbiniers again, then the chief party with eagle, flag, drummer and vivandiere and then a base with Chasseurs (with hunting horn instead of drum, as befits the light infantry). Cool figures, as always very nicely put together by the gentleman for whom I was allowed to paint them. Technically they're three different units (for Valor & Fortitude), but they also make a great attack column:



French light Infantry, especially in the first decade of the 19th century are such sly bastards. Each time I'm told to paint a lot of them I'm happy because I think "ha, I don't have to paint the light breeches!", but then they drive me nearly insane with their absurd amounts of adornments, bows, strings, extra epaulettes and so on. Never take light infantry lightly!



And then something else (as a sort of bonus)! French artillery train for Spain.  A caisson wagon (with ammunition for cannons and muskets) as well as an ostentatious carriage to transport cannons from A to B. And a funny, black and white doggo.




Hope you like them!

[CapnJim]

They look good.  They should do nicely!

[MaleGriffin]

Gorgeous! Masterfully painted and displayed!

[vtsaogames]

 

[OSHIROmodels]

Lovely work mate 

[Freddy]

They look really great!

[waterproof]

Excellent painting work, especially these early Frenchmen are very rarely seen in the forum. This motivates me to pursue my 1806 Prussians again. And the fact that you mixed Front Rank with Perry Miniatures makes the troops look very good. 
But for Eylau coats would make more sense. That was a very dark winter battle with blizzards and bitter cold.

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@CapnJim: Cheers!

@MaleGriffin: Thanks! Always takes a while, but if I happen to have a bunch of Napoleonics finished at once it would have been silly not to.

@vtsaogames:

@OSHIROmodels: Thank you, Sir!

@Freddy: Cheers, much appreciated!

@waterproof: Thank you, and you're making a very good point there about the winter clothes. The gentleman whom I painted these for showed me another unit of his for this collection, and they look great; most of them very much "retreat from Moskow" in style with snow all over and so on. That of course makes much more sense for Eylau, but he sent me the figures like that. Of course they look rather flashy, lightly-clothed and dapper for that time of year. That was part of what made me think of using the much cleared-up version of a period painintg with lots of contrasts and colour as well and make it look slightly more "tin soldier diorama" rather than a proper grimy, cold diorama thing. It makes for a very attractive look I think, but of course it's not very realistic.

[waterproof]

I can only agree with that. The minis are very well staged.

[Bloggard]

cor, corkers ! 

[syrinx0]

Wonderful figures!

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@waterproof: Thank you!

@Bloggard:

@syrinx0: Cheers!



Heyhey, here's a little update for that force! It's the Imperial Guard Grenadiers! Not quite historical for Eylau, but very iconic and instantly recognizable for who they are!


full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2025_03/OGG2s.jpg.7842baf408ebd834d64200e2a5f37b6d.jpg


full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2025_03/OGG4s.jpg.5537d004c82ee8969f2115f83d7a683b.jpg

The photos don't do the figures quite justice I think. I'll see that I find the time to take some pictures with scenery around them again. Anyway, hope you like them!

[Battle Brush Sigur]

Just realized I haven't posted the 'in situ' shot of the Grenadiers! I took that a few hours after the ones against the white background, right before I had to leave for Austrian Salute, so I hadn't posted them so far.




full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2025_03/as1ShS.jpg.c2dc718cf69ba3aa4a8aeef917895a4c.jpg

Hope you like them!

[Basementboy]

They look fantastic! Lovely work, and really nice basing as well- when I try snow it always comes up looking rather lumpy and silly

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@Basementboy: Cheers! I'm constantly dissatisfied with how my snow turns out. In general I usually use two or even three different mixes atop each other, which seems to work OK.