French Imperial Guard Horse Artillery Crews

Started by WeeWars, 16 May 2020, 05:40:51 PM

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WeeWars

Not one but two Guard horse artillery crews?

Back in 2010/11, Tony sculpted two Napoleonic French Imperial Guard horse artillery crews. One has been released, the other not.





I believe that Tony used his Funcken book as reference. If you turn to page 55 of Funcken NW part 2, you will see two illustrations of Imperial Guard horse artillery. The first is captioned full dress, 1805. The other, marching order, 1806-7.

I would venture that the released crew is based on the 1805 illustration and that the unreleased crew is based on the 1806-7 illustration.

Now, you may ask why either of these two uniforms are relevant to an 1809 range – or for that matter an 1815 one?

Well, my first inclination is release and be damned. The figures are not at all "redundant" but much wanted – for example, there is an 1805 10mm range out there in non-Pendraken land.

However, the bible that is Rousselot is a better reference and he informs us that the uniform of the Imperial Guard horse artillery remained much the same from 1805 to 1814.

'Huzzah!' I hear you shout.

Therefore, both crews can be released. One as 'in full dress' the other as 'in marching order'.

Marching order is the undress uniform or service dress worn on the march or in the field. The Guard horse artillery wore a long 'Chasseur' type coat. To be more correct, we should snip off Tony's sculpted plumes. But, heck, who doesn't like a plume? In the field, the bag would be pushed inside the top of the colback (busby), and the busby covered in an oilskin. Pretty boring in comparison to full kit.

As an aside, my request for a French ADC dressed as a French hussar officer in busby might also be used as a mounted Guard horse artillery officer in full dress (depending on whether he is galloping or reining in).

Cheers, Michael
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Leon

Thanks for the info, we'll use this when we get to moulding these up.

Quote from: WeeWars on 16 May 2020, 05:40:51 PM
As an aside, my request for a French ADC dressed as a French hussar officer in busby might also be used as a mounted Guard horse artillery officer in full dress (depending on whether he is galloping or reining in).

You might be in luck there, we've already had a horse artillery officer sculpted to go with the horse limbers, but never released it.  He might do the trick for your hussar ADC.
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WeeWars

← click my website button to go to Michael's 10mm 1809 BLOG and WW1 Blog

www.supremelittleness.co.uk

2014 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
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Leon

www.pendraken.co.uk - Now home to over 7000 products, including 4500 items for 10mm wargaming, plus MDF bases, Battlescale buildings, I-94 decals, Litko Gaming Aids, Militia Miniatures, Raiden Miniatures 1/285th aircraft, Red Vectors MDF products, Vallejo paints and much, much more!

WeeWars

Although he's clothed in shadow, I'm pretty sure that Tony has referenced the horse that the
marching-order crew man in the same illustration is mounted on.

That means that he is most definitely not an officer. Nor can he be an ADC.

His horse is saddled with a sheepskin. Apparently, the hussar sheepskin was no longer used after 1808. So the Funcken date makes sense. A pointed saddle cloth was then used for our period. In 10mm, the saddle cloth would also have given him the chance of being used as an officer.

He's an 1805-08 crewman on a horse, riding alongside a limbered gun - is my best guess.
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WeeWars

The officer on the left 16/17 is what we're looking for, which is full dress 1806-14.



The only major difference between the Guard Horse Artillery officer here and the Funken ADCs referred to previously and a hussar officer, in 10mm at least, is the position of the plume. So, for two out of three, the plume is best placed in the centre.
← click my website button to go to Michael's 10mm 1809 BLOG and WW1 Blog

www.supremelittleness.co.uk

2014 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
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