Napoleonic French cavalry units, 15mm

[Fred Mills]

I'm painting up some French cavalry units, based for Age of Eagles. On average, there will 12 to 16 figures per unit, or 6 to 8 bases of two figures each.

I am looking for some suggestions on how people depict these units visually - the mix of troop types, command figures, musicians, standard bearers, elite squadrons, and so forth.

My current thinking is one command stand (officer + musician or standard bearer); one elite stand; and the rest troopers in the same uniform, but I'd appreciate some thoughts from others.

Thanks in advance.

[vtsaogames]

Sounds good. My units are only 4 bases, so command and others. Every now and then a stand of elites, but not every unit has them.

[Jemima Fawr]

That sounds fine and is how I do mine.  French cavalry regiments had three or four squadrons, so your 12 or 16 figures works perfectly, with four figures per squadron.  Although wargamers often talk about 'elite squadrons', the elites were only a company (half-squadron) rather than a full squadron, so would be two figures, but that also fits with your existing plan.

N.B. The Cuirassiers, Carabiniers and Guards didn't have elite companies.

[vtsaogames]

N.B. The Cuirassiers, Carabiniers and Guards didn't have elite companies.

You can teach an old dog new tricks... once in a while. Thanks.

[Fred Mills]

Thanks for the feedback - greatly appreciated!!

[Sweign]

I play Emperor of the Battlefield using 15/18mm figures.
My cavalry units are mostly 12 figures strong based with 3 per stand.
In "Classic" scale this represents four squadrons which may be fielded as two separate units. So I have an extra officer on one of the bases to lead the other unit.
In "Grand" scale these 12 figures are one unit. Note Large units are 50% bigger.

Emperor of the Battlefield combines any small units into a normal sized one. An exception might be Grenze artillery in an Advance Guard formation (if you must). Well, you do tend to command a Corps each. Huzzah!

[Fred Mills]

Thank you, Sweign! I like the extra officer.

[Fred Mills]

Also, a small update on the figures. For this project, I opted for cavalry from Dermot at Campaign Game Miniatures, and will try, where I have the right figure mixes, to include a two-rider command stand, an elite stand (where they existed), and the rest regular troopers. I have some other manufacturers' troops to use too, but CGM now constitute the majority of my French.

Also of note, they do Polish cavalry with sabres instead of lances, as the transition was made in later 1809. Nifty.

CGM, by the way, shipped my order to Canada from Spain on April 3 and it arrived today April 8. That is a wicked fast five days over an intervening weekend.

I don't recall ever having had faster transAtlantic service.

[Jemima Fawr]

Also of note, they do Polish cavalry with sabres instead of lances, as the transition was made in later 1809. Nifty.

While that's certainly true of the Polish Light Horse of the Guard (who famously took lances from the Austrian Uhlan Regiment #2 'Schwarzenberg' at the Battle of Wagram, thus becoming the Polish Light Horse Lancers of the Guard), the Uhlan regiments of the Duchy of Warsaw were equipped with lances from the outset.

[Fred Mills]

Yes indeed, Jemima Fawr - I should have been clearer. My other Poles will have lances, also from CGM.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Jemima Fawr]

Yes indeed, Jemima Fawr - I should have been clearer. My other Poles will have lances, also from CGM.

Thanks for the reminder!

Phew!  I thought that's what you meant, but thought I'd better say something before you bought an army of 'em! 

[Fred Mills]

Well, to be honest, over-buying is sometimes a delightful sin. You plan a stand or two, and then they come in bags with twice what you need but only half of what the next-largest scaled unit would be..... so you buy more. And before you know it you 'accidentally' have half a legion of some obscure troop type or other.

The "how many do you need" question from patient household management is sometimes answered with a disingenuous shrug!

[Jemima Fawr]

Well, to be honest, over-buying is sometimes a delightful sin. You plan a stand or two, and then they come in bags with twice what you need but only half of what the next-largest scaled unit would be..... so you buy more. And before you know it you 'accidentally' have half a legion of some obscure troop type or other.

The "how many do you need" question from patient household management is sometimes answered with a disingenuous shrug!

"Moderation in war is imbecility" has always been my motto when building wargames armies... 

[jon_1066]

I would advise to ditch the command stand.  Musicians typically rode on the end of the line not separately.  This site has lots of great info:

http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/French_Cavalry.html

If two troopers are a company then maybe just have one musician on a grey at the end the line.

[Fred Mills]

Jon_1066, Thanks for that and for the helpful link. I still like the look of the musician, so I'll keep one based within the unit, but the point is well made. Really appreciate all the thoughtful comments here!