Do I Sound on the Right Track?

[Unlucky General]

I've just placed an order for three 32 figure battalions of Piedmont-Savoy in 28mm from Eureka Miniatures on what in the future will be a French-Allied army for the Italian campaign of 1799.

There is scant information out there for this army and this specific period when these troops came under the French Directorship and fought under the tricolour. They only just came under the French dominion either that year or 1798 so I am forced to make the following assumptions. I'd really appreciate anyone's learned feedback. FYI I have already invested in Enrico Acerbi's works on the subject and poured through the website.

I am intending to proceed on the assumption that the battalions/regiments themselves which were grouped under the French model demi-brigade structure retained their uniforms and basic organisation?
I am also assuming that conspicuous national symbols such as previous colonel's and king's colours (or equivalents) would have been discarded/banned and like the French, they will fight under just one colour - in this case the basic tricolour of blue, white and red. I am also thinking that the cocked hat's cockade would be replaced by a tricolour cockade?  I am leaning towards officers retaining the blue sash and sword knots as being both distinctive to the Piedmontese whilst not a too obvious challenge to the new republicanism.

This is all speculative. Any thoughts? Better still, any hard information which prevents my speculation.

[italwars]

hi
I'll do, time permitting,  some research for you...i love and have studied the pre and post Consular period in Italy and the Jacobine Republics and subsequent enrolling of Italian soldiers in the Directoire or into the Napoleonic Armies  but above all concerning the French Campaigns in the Central /Southern Italy Vs Neapolitans, Russians,Pontifical,  British, Insurgents ecc...less in the North ..but sorry if i said that but i'm almost sure that the French gave birth in the North to various short lived Jacobine Republics Armies that saw very few if not at all fights then they gave birth to the  Lombard Legion and then the Cisalpine Republic Army... those last  two above mentioned Armed Forces composed of Italian from Northern regions  fought quite well together with French Demi Brigades Vs Austrians, Pontificals and Rebels; They were allowed their own flags (similar to French but with green replacing the blue) and almost totally green uniforms in absolutly very French cut, except for Lombard Legion which had a distinctive unique appaerance  ...even subsequently the newly formed Royaume d'Italie Army was clad mainly in green but retaining French cut...A small Piedmonse Legion, probably just a regiment was formed to fight along the French but they weren't allowed to retain   their former Piedmontese uniform ..they were clad in brown uniform of French cut....after that not so many former Piedmontese soldiers where enrolled in the Demi brigades and then  regiments but again  without any distintictive Piedmontese uniform or details ....You know Bonaparte did nt like at all the Piedmont and obviously did nt trust it...at the beginning the former Piedmontese soldiers whishing to enter in the French Army were simply defined by him "useless deadbeat" or  better "a people of slothfuls" and he called the Piedmont, concerning their foreign policy.."the whore of Europe" ..ehm..how can resit to give him right?  knowing very well the history of Piedmont and his ridicoulous corrupted and double-crosser Royals ..totally loosers until the end in 1943..so sorry for that but you better use your very fashionably clad true Piedmontese minis Vs the French in the Alps and not as allies..they fought not so bad at Novi ecc even better that their Austrian masters..(by the way i'm waiting to see on Eureka UK virtual shop some Piedmontes in order to buys some and convert them into Neapolitans) ...please see this pict of Légion Piémontaise fusilier and Léger...French cut uniform made out of brown cloth probably because it was the only cheaply purchased on Italian markets without any idea of providing those soldiers with flamboyant of iconic uniforms and cavalry type or Ancien Régime type helmet probably from some oudated dépot...before that with the first Norther Italian soldiers (so including the Piedmonteses) the French had just formed a Bat Italique and then a Légion (Reg) Italique,,,the only concession is the green instead of the blue of the very first Battallion Italique (penultimate plate) in the totally French cut uniforms...it's  true that a shadowy Piedmontese Garde Nationale was created and tolerated by the French in the occupied Piedmont (just about one year) but from what i know they never fought neither they had a known uniform if we really want to give some credit to the short lived Republic of the ocupied Piedmont before being totally absorbed by the French and just after by the Cisalpine French satellite Republic there was another misterious, just from one year, Piedmontese Republican Legion but their uniform is again in French cut with a unique but quite anonimous flag and, also in their case, they never fired a shot (see very last added plate).. anyway i'll do some more accurate research for you

[bluewillow]

Chat to Richard Mirrabello, he has researched this and has a number of great books in Italian. I will scan my stuff for you and send it to you.

Cheers
Matt

[duc de limbourg]

AFAIK, a lot of information is te be find at
http://www.bandieresabaude.it/index1.html

You should look at Vittorio Amedeo III for the first yars of the FR period and then the revised info
http://www.bandieresabaude.it/Bandiere033.html

[Unlucky General]

Thank you all - there is some incredibly useful information in you postings and links which I wasn't finding myself.

Italwars - thank you for the generous offer. Your information and images whilst often later and broader than what I was after are still very useful. Thanks.

Duc de Limbourg - that's very helpful indeed. It doesn't look like that site specifically addresses my queries and assumption for the 1799 campaign. Nevertheless, it's incredibly helpful as an extremely comprehensive painting guide. I'm gaining confidence that these units retained their uniforms for at least my campaign period and for that, the site you referred me to is pure gold.

Cheers Matt - I've also posted on FB and called Richard out.

Many thanks again.

[italwars]

I’m almost 90 per cent sure they did nt retained their uniforms..they could have done if they were allies but the 1798 request from the French to join and march south to counter Neapolitan Army was rejected ..the Piedmont king escaped , the French declared a Piedmontese Republic and as you can see from last plate they allowed the formation of a Legion formed of few liberals but they never fought ..then they amalgamated the rest in Legions Piemontises dressed and lead by French ..after that only recruiting inside French regiments ..

Anyway tonight ill take from my library two essential books that should explain everything i ll look carefully and i ll let you know..