"French Revolutionary Period" Topic

I am toying with painting up French/Austrians for the French Revolutionary period in 28mm…

What minis would the TMP collective recommend?

What resources exist for uniform information?

Any other considerations I should think off for the period?

Check out Trent and Eureka.

BrigadeGames

link

Going through the same process myself but in 6mm although there are issues finding figures in correct uniforms for light infantry in early rev. For 28mm I like Eureka figures. There are a nice assortment of uniforms, poses, etc.

Definitely Eureka for 28mm.

For books:
The relevant Ospreys are a useful start.
'Uniforms of the French Revolutionary Wars' by Haythornthwaite.
The 'Histoire & Collections' series (eg Officers & Soldiers of French … Chasseurs a Cheval, etc) is one of the best uniform guides around.
I'd also try to get hold of the books by Tranie & Carmigniani, eg 'La Patrie en Danger – 1792-1793' and 'Napoleon Bonaparte 1ere campagne d'italie'. Great artwork in those.
Plus the wonderfully illustrated books on Napoleon by Montorgueil, illustrated by JOB, eg 'Bonaparte'.
Plus I always found 'The Life and Times of Napoleon' a great book, as it has a good number of the Revolutionary Wars/1st Italian Campaign caricature illustrations of French soldiers by Raffet in it.
There's loads more, but that's a decent start.

Cheers

Patonius/Darren

Andy from the LoAs here (we had a game of Fast Play Grand Armee a couple of years ago).

I have a large pile of 15mm Battle Honours Revolutionary Wars Austrians and Russians to paint as my next project. If you are not wedded to 28mm, I would be happy to have someone to fight my guys.

Regards

Thanks for the help all….

Andy….I have decided all my armies now to be 28mm.

Knowing me though, I'd be painting both sides anyway :)

I have just finished approx 500 Dark Ages Saxons and approx 200 Caesarian Romans….Now I need a break, and need to get back to my first love….Napoleonics.

The Funcken book is a must. Eureka 28mm all the way – more to come :)

Ah yes, Funcken's 'Les Soldats De La Revolution Francaise: Uniformes Et Armes'. Another essential. :)

No worries. Good luck with the project.

I have done all sides for 6mm Napoleonics, 6mm WSS, 15mm SYW and 15mm ECW, but I am running out of steam to do that any more. Our 6mm ACW project has been a joint effort.

Another recommendation for Eureka. The best on the market IMHO.

The funken book & the Tranie et Camigniani book if you can get it. French language, hard to find and very expensive but well worth the investment.

"there are issues finding figures in correct uniforms for light infantry in early rev."

At the start of the French Revolution they had identical uniforms as the line, only that the coat colour was green

it is a pity there are no Prussian figures available as a minimum, then you could at least cover the period to 1794.

Thought Foundry did Fr Rev Prussians?

Not that I could find

Their website is very problematic, but I found these. Don't know whether they represent the whole range or not.
link

Yup, thought so

I'd go with Elite Miniatures Collector Series. 30mm figures for the period and they are fantastic! I have them and think they are the best on the market, bar none.

eliteminiatures.co.uk/collectorsseries.html

Here are some photos off my blog of Elite's Austrians.
18th-century-studios.blogspot.com/2012/03/latest-french-revolutionary-figures.html

The Foundry Prussians are very nice, being early Perry sculpts, but closer to 25mm than to Eureka or Elite size, so wouldn't mix with either, even in separate units I feel.

Clib those are Foundry 1806 range. Different uniform.

My mistake they are Revolutionary period

"At the start of the French Revolution they had identical uniforms as the line, only that the coat colour was green"

And from late 1786, the light infantry began to wear the hussar-style pantaloons and half-gaiters.

Cheers

In 1791 – long gaiters and the usual line infantry uniform, only the coat colour was different

Not according to 'French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802'. And the hussar-style pantaloons and half-gaiters continued into the Italian Campaign under Bonaparte.

There is no right or wrong way to paint up early Revolutionary French

Also check out Eagle Figures or look for Trent and you don't have to pay £1.50 GBP – £2.05 GBP per figure

link

"

There is no right or wrong way to paint up early Revolutionary French "

Yes and no, here contemporary immages of 1786

and 1791 (bad photo but the coat is gree)

Green coats – cut etc. as for line infantry – long gaiteres.

I agree from February 1793 there would be a transition period with a mix of differents in cut und coat colour.

But for Valmy and the whole 1792 campaing a usual line infantry miniature could be easily painted as for light infantry

in 92 the French army was not much better then a mob, and a great deal of the army did not have much of a uniform, it was more of a mix and match.

Well this is what the Allies said and thought, and they were in for a shock, the old regiments of the Royal Army were well uniformed and the new volunteers looked good as well, only by constant campaigning and by tremdenous increase of man power the out look deterioted as was also for the regular armies of Prussia or Austria as well.

While some light infantry may still have worn breeches and long gaiters (see examples in images below), others were shifting to the hussar style pantaloons and half-gaiters from late 1786.

From 'French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802'…

"On 1 October 1786 a far more detailed regulation replaced the 1784 provisions. The implementation of this regulation was slow, since coats, for example, had a life span of three years. The most noticeable changes were that the breeches were replaced with a trouser-style garment cut just 4 inches above the ankle. The external seams of this pantalon were open from the base up to the level where the garter strap had previously been worn, and were closed by six small buttons. The colour of the coat and waistcoat was changed from chamois to dark green. The new gaiters were entirely different from the infantry model: they were cut to resemble hussar boots, and were closed by ten small buttons, with a double button-hole at the top which fastened the gaiter to one of the trouser leg buttons."
"In place of gaiters the officers now wore hussar-style Hungarian boots."

I'll cut quickly through the rest:
Ordinance of 1 November 1789 – a few minor changes, but hussar-style pantaloons and half-gaiters remain.
24 April 1791 – a few minor changes, but hussar-style pantaloons and half-gaiters remain.
National Convention's decree of 7 September 1793 – future light infantry demi-brigades would be in blue coat of infantry cut. "This uniform also reaffirmed the light infantry's traditional affinity with light cavalry fashions by readopting Hungarian-style breeches and half-gaiters."

So from October 1786, for those light infantry fortunate enough to get them, the hussar-style pantaloons and half-gaiters were prescribed. And it was a long time before they went out of fashion.

1787:

1786-89:

1790:

1790:

1791-1792:

1791-1792:

Cheers

thanks for the plates, ok – fortunately the wargamer has some choice then, and a line infantry miniature painted according to a Hoffmann plates of 1791 would be a good way to show early French light infantry, at least the 12 old Chasseur Battalions

I agree. BTW a similar 1791 Hoffmann plate to yours appears in 'French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802', in that case showing a Line infantryman in the white coat.

Cheers

He did the complete French Army of 1791, here and there are good immages to be found in the web, I got some nice French line infantry and some cavalerie lourde, would be interesting to see the other cavalry as well.

Is there no published collection (book) of the images? That would be great to have.

Blandford/Sterling published Uniforms of the French Revolution about 25 years ago!

Yes, I have that one in my collection. It has some lovely illustrations, but is pretty light-on in some areas (like the French light infantry being discussed here). A book compiling the Hoffmann plates is what I was inquiring about. :)

Cheers

none that I am aware off – for the 1791 plates, one has to scan the web and sometimes one finds plates, Hoffmann is very good on details, like on the 13e cavalerie, he even got it right how the trooper is holding the reigns

or look at this German regiment, and see how the famous bleue celeste foncé is looking like

Thanks for those. He has a very realistic style.

The 13e cavalerie figure in particular is excellent. I like the attention to his hair and moustache, and the particular style of numerals on the valise. I once converted a mounted French revolutionary officer for Eureka, and specifically made his hand hold the reins like that. (I also swore never to do it again.) :)

Cheers

It's how reins are held in continental European riding schools to this day – but of course that grip would be extremely difficult to sculpt unless on a one-piece casting.

I actually had the reins ending (chopped) in 4 separate end sections coming up above the horse's mane, where they then joined fairly seamlessly with the continuing stubs of the reins in the hand of the separate rider. Never again! ;)

I always thought that I was a fanatical, but I am paling against Snowcat ;-)).