Best 'foreign' French regiments (uniform wise) for the Peninsular?

[olicana]

I'm looking to create a generic French army for the Peninsular. I want it to fight the British; I want it to fight the Spanish. I'm not looking to create any specific Corps.

With that in mind I'm wondering what 'foreign' French troops to include in my collection. Obviously, having troops that look a bit different would be best (Swiss in red, and Nassauers in green are the obvious stand outs). Battle performance is not an issue, though being present in a good battalion strength, or more, is.

I'm struggling to find the details of specific units that might be used because at the moment most of my references deal with battles Vs the British where the French are largely 'proper French'. If you were to create an army, using troops from any / every Corps that fought in Spain, which specific regiments and battalions would you choose, for visual variety, to fill your French OOB?

[Romark]

How about Italian troops,nice white uniforms with line ,light and guard units and chasseur and dragoon cavalry units too ?

[Roo]

I have an unfinished Italian 'division' project in Perry miniatures 28mm 4 infantry a battery of guns and 2 chasseurs regiment if interested.

[vtsaogames]

Swiss and Nassau were my bets. Since I don't restrict myself to the Peninsula, I also painted some Bavarians who stand in for other Germans when required. Best thing about Nassau and Bavarian troops is that they can also be Allies depending on the year.

There was one Confederation battalion that was made up of several small contingents, so there was more than one uniform in the unit. Can't recall right now, Reuss-Waldeck and others, maybe?

[Cubs]

A few years ago I painted up some Polish 'Vistula Legion' for a customer, which were basically in French uniform with some identifying differences. I don't think they were in Spain though, so you'll have to take some historical liberties if you want to use them.

[aphillathehun]

There's a bunch of info about foreign regiments online here:

http://napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/infantry_Napoleon_3.htm

[Arthur]

For a wide variety of uniforms, the German division which fought in Catalonia (the Confederation of the Rhine troops known as the Division des Princes) can't be beat. Follow the link below for the complete lowdown :

http://www.academia.edu/5587950/Napoleons_German_Division_in_Spain_Volume_2

As stated above, Italians are an interesting possibility. Check out Palombini's division (more of a strong brigade really) from the Army of The Center in the Nafziger orbat below :

http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CGSC/CARL/nafziger/812JSAP.pdf

If you want more options, my advice is to trawl the Nafziger collection, pick the year(s) you are chiefly interested in and get your ideas from the historical orders of battle.

[Harry Faversham]

Just had a quick pike at 'Military Dress Of The Peninsular War'. You could get away with the short lived white uniforms issued to the froggies... but I reckon the best bet's the Poles, Infantry in Lancer caps, would certainly stand out.

[Arlequín]

La Légion irlandaise would be the natural choice for me; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Legion. These were later folded into the 3° Régiment étranger.

There's also the Swiss of the red-coated bataillon Valaisan, the yellow-coated bataillon Neufchâtel and there are the other three Régiments étrangers to the Irish above, forerunners of the later 'Foreign Legion'; I believe the 1° wore 'French Blue', the 2° wore powder blue and the 4° wore an almost Rifle Green.

I'd double check the details above, as Napoleonics is not my period at all, but all the above wore standard French-cut uniforms, but in different colours. AFAIK all the above fought in, or were garrisoned in Spain.

The distinctive Kzapka-wearing Vistula Legion Cubs mentioned did fight in Spain, including their distinctive lancers, who played a prominent part in the Battle of Albuera.

[Jabba]

Well from Talavera you have:

General of Division Jean François Leval's "German" Division:
Nassau Infantry Regiment, two battalions
Baden Infantry Regiment, two battalions
Hesse-Darmstadt Infantry Regiment, two battalions
Holland Infantry Regiment, two battalions
Frankfurt Infantry Regiment, one battalion
Plus attached Artillery.

General of Division Jean-Baptiste Cyrus de Valence:
4th Polish Infantry Regiment, two battalions

General of Division Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud:
3rd Dutch Hussar Regiment

General of Brigade Christophe Antoine Merlin:
Polish Lancer Regiment
Westphalian Chevau-léger Regiment


Just for starters

Tony.

[Warboss Nick]

I‘d also suggest the kingdom of Holland. White uniforms with colourful facings - what‘s not to like? Along with the 2nd and 4th line infantry some hussars and artillery served in the Peninsular I think.

[custosarmorum]

I have always been a fan of the various Swiss units including the Valaison Battalion and the Canaries of the Neuchatel Battalion mentioned earlier.

I would also suggest the Legion Hanoverienne with their infantry in red uniforms faced with dark blue and their chevaulegers with green uniforms faced yellow, both of which look very nice.   And the infantry were involved in the famous friendly fire incident at Fuentes de Onoro.

If I recall, the 1er Regiment Etranger (La Tour d'Auverne), who wore dark green, were not in Spain.  I am certain that the 2eme Regiment Etranger (Regiment d'Irembourg), who wore a dark sky blue, the 3eme Regiment Etranger (Legion d'Irlandais), green uniform faced/trimmed in yellow, and the 4eme Regiment Etranger (Regiment de Prusse) who wore green faced red, all had at least one battalion in the Peninsula.

If you are not trying to recreate a particular order of battle, there are a good number of interesting looking units (I had many of these done in Airfix or Der Kriegspielers in the 1970s and am thinking of redoing some in 28mm!).

[olicana]

Thank you all, for your suggestions.

I think I'll end up doing two battalions of 2nd Nassau, a battalion of Legion d'Irlandais, one of Legion Hanovrienne, and one of Legion du Midi.

Green, red and brown coats, not to mention the grenadiers in bearskins for some, should mix it up a bit.

[fitterpete]

Google
Paris Municipal Guard uniform 1808
 1st battalion green coats red facings and  2nd red coats green facings. Grenadiers and voltigeurs wore bearskins.
Always wanted to paint this unit up.

[huevans]

Neapolitans!!!!

Err.... you said you didn't care about battlefield performance.....