"Guard Eclaireurs?" Topic

Trying to think of a way to modify some figs to build all 3 regiments for the 1814 period. I know there are both Old Guard and Young Guard version, so not sure what to do about that. Anyway, here are some thoughts, and I'd appreciate comments and other ideas -

1st Regiment Eclaireurs – seems like I could just use Perry Plastic Hussars with shakos? I believe the historical shako was some bit shorter than the Hussar shako, but I doubt that will matter at 28mm. They would need lances as weapons.

2nd Regiment Eclaireurs – use Perry Plastic Dragoons, but add British stovepipe shakos taken out of the Perry plastics packs. They would need lances as weapons.

3rd Regiment Eclaireurs – use Perry metal Polish Lancers unmodified

This sound reasonable?

Yes, all as you mention except:

The 2nd Regiment Eclaireurs wore the French style cylindrical shako as included in the Perry Hussar set.

All three regts. had cloth shabraques for full dress. Some pics in the Histoire & Collections book #8 show them with sheepskin shabraques and others with plain grey blanket with saddle on top, rolled blanket in front and valise behind – similar to the British Hussar saddlery in the Perry set.

I think you could dispense with the Lances at need. They were largely a psychological issue, to make untrained troopers feel confident on the march. Bit much of an ask to expect recruits to wield them in battle…I wouldn't be surprised if they got 'lost' at the first opportunity on campaign in favour of sword and carbine. A certain amount of frenzied but unskilled hacking with sabres might just inflict wounds, some of them on the enemy, but an entire squadron of tyros thrusting lances around is unlikely to cause any casualties, at least to the enemy, but might unhorse the entire rear rank….

Sorry, that was a bit tongue in cheek. (damn good claret last night) But of course even the official scale of issue was only to the front rank troopers, and given the parlous state of French quartermastery at that stage I doubt even those recieved and official issue!

Must forgive Sparker. My excuse is a bottle of Bourgogne, but then I have been working all weekend and am finally home, with the phone switched off.

Everyone wants to do the 2nd Reg, let's face it. 1st are hussars, 3rd are poorly turned out Polish lancers.

2nd looks different. A habit-veste (unlike Perry's dragoons, but not a huge conversion) ie single breasted with a seam down the middle. The Shako is sometimes said to be more conical than the pure cylinder of the later Napoleonic Hussars. A British light infantry shako may be nearer the mark (if a bit low in the crown, ie not tall enough)but I am not convinced.

Who knows? This may reflect the slightly later fashions of the Bourbon restoration in late 1815. Remember when most "contemporary" artists were truly working; Gen Buonaparte was already aboard for his trip to St Helena, or well established there by then. So many illustrations reflect fashions of ten years later. There is a huge study to be made in Resoration uniforms.

General feeling (Osprey, Jouineau etc) is for very simple horse furniture, no pennants and…on balance…I'd use the Perry hussar shako…it looks right for 1813, if not for 1820