"Perry French cavalry kits - what can they make?" Topic

Hi

I'm planning on putting together an army of cavalry, and I like the look of the 3 Perry plastic kits – heavy, dragoon and hussar. Some of the reviews of them I've seen talk about the variety of units that can be made from them, but don't go into a definitive list. I know the 'heavy' set can be made into both cuirassiers and carabiniers, but what else can realistically be made from the sets, with only mimimal converting and/or different paint schemes? Ideally 'd love to make the Guard Chasseurs from the Hussar set but I don't know if there are any drastic uniform differences that would be hard to overcome.

I think that the main (only?) issue, for the 'Guard Chasseurs', is the horse saddle, which is totally different. They should all look as the hussar officer saddle.

You could argue that you could paint hussars as "Guardes d'Honneur" (1813-1814) but technically the cords should be on the other side of the shako.

For conversions from the Dragoons boxset, the Guard "Grenadiers a Cheval" and Dragoons require at least additional cords on the shoulders.

You can make French Line Chasseurs from Dragoon and Hussar bits.
Also Belgian Carabiniers from Dragoons plus the Carabinier helmets.

Actually its the raquetes that should be on the opposite side of the hussar shako for the Gardes d'Honneur.

The main problem is the horse furniture. The French patterns were relatively unique, especially the light cavalry. Most other light cavalry used a cloth shabraque, sometimes with some sheepskin over the saddle but not a sheepskin alone. The heavy cavalry style was used by a few more nations but you have to be careful. The bodies and legs can provide quite a range of uniforms with painting, carving and building up coat tails. As in all these things, a bit of research will pay dividends.

Don't forget Prussian Hussars. You get separate heads with Perry Prussian infantry…slight change to the sheepskin, but I would not bother.

Somewhere on my list of things to do is the dragoons with hussar cylindrical shakos for 2nd Eclaireurs. You need to file off the boots to make overalls or cut off at knee and use French hussar lower legs. You need ACW horses. You need to convert jackets to single breasted. You need to lose the gauntlets, so use hussar arms on right side…….or just wait till Perrys make them.

Dragoons and Grenadiers plus Gendarmes d'Elite are possible and you may spot a trumpeter and full dress trooper of Chasseurs a Cheval in the links below. The dragoons on foot are brilliant for conversion. The Gendarme and two postillions with the Coach are dragoon conversions. (Gendarme, slice off helmet just above the peak, slice off elite dragoon bearskin same place…join together!
Oh, the aigulettes? Buy a nice bottle of Rioja…you know that braided wire that wraps it…….

I have made one of Louis XVIII bodyguard, a Grey Musketeer. from the cuirassiers/carabiniers with little conversion, but never photographed!

I have posted these before…..half the fun is thinking up your own conversions and producing something totally unique and yours!!!

The beauty of plastic is the ease of cutting and sanding, of course. No superglue, which sticks everything except your model…….and cheap!

I'm still a metal fan, but to add variety and use your imagination…great fun. I had planned to use Mahdist tribesmen just for bare arms and legs to do a Waterloo casualty/surgical/stripped bodies diorama….if I ever get time

You could argue that you could paint hussars as "Guardes d'Honneur" (1813-1814) but technically the cords should be on the other side of the shako.

Actually its the raquetes that should be on the opposite side of the hussar shako for the Gardes d'Honneur.

Or should they???

More light cast on this question on my blog here:
link

@deadhead,

Love the way your guards look trampling that wheatfield.

and it is real Waterloo mud mixed with PVA glue….!

I love the Gard d'Honneur above this. No idea why I have never done them!

Deadhead,

Real Waterloo mud!!!!

Outstanding!!!

Paul

with some knife work you can make french chassuers a cheval from the hussar box and I have seen here on TMP were someone made french line lancers from parts of several kits.

Runicus

I've run out of Waterloo mud, so I'm going back in April to stock up again. At the south east angle of Hougoumont garden wall, I try to reproduce what the Belgians did and lower the ridge….but only by a coffee jar full at a time…….every two years.

I dread being stopped by customs to explain what is in this coffee jar……..

Deadhead- awesome job on the trampled grass!

Do you know, every time I look at these figures, all I think is….this colour of grass/hay/wheat is wrong for June! Should be greener. Fine for July/August.

See behind the Gendarme in the carriage photo? The apple tree is beautiful…but red apples in June?

Thanks for the comments though. I am still very new (well newly back to this, after a 30 year gap) to all this so very encouraged.