"Starting Continental Army for Black Powder" Topic

I picked up the Black Powder Continental Army Starter and have been working my way though building the models. So far I have a little over a 100 built and primed.

All my line infantry I have cocked hats (bicornes), but I am considering going with the light infantry cap (I think that is what they are) for my 4th and last brigade. However, I don't know how prevalent light infantry was for patriots and more so if they really made that much use of the caps to model a full quarter of non-miltia troops. At the moment I don't have plans to add more troops (160 is plenty for me for now).

Additionally, I plan on going with the following colors per a recommendation I found on this forum:

Brigade 1: Blue coat, Red facing
Brigade 2: Blue coat, White facing
Brigade 3: Brown coat, Red facing
Brigade 4: Brown coat, White facing

Is this still a good plan? If creating a light infantry brigade is a good idea, which color scheme would be best for them of those four? Or should I go with something different for them?

Your plan is still good.

Rather than a full brigade of Continental light infantry, you might consider building just one regiment in light infantry caps.

Each stand of figures in your light infantry regiment could be in one of the different uniform combinations you used for your Continental line infantry. (The light infantry formations were often drawn from parent regiments -- Chosen Men -- for specific operations).

The Rebellion supplement for Black Powder has a section describing what continental light infantry were used and where. No standardisation to it.

The light infantry formations were often drawn from parent regiments -- Chosen Men -- for specific operations

I believe the reference to a man as a "Chosen Man" did not come into use in the British Army until the Napoleonic period, in particluar in the 95th Rifles. It is therefore incorrect to use it in the period of the Revolutionary War.

Do consider Continental light infantry as being the rebel equivalent of flank companies.

There was an entire division of Continental Light Infantry in the Yorktown campaign, two full brigades. Their coats varied per the parent regiments of the LI companies, but the battalions were organized on a 'regional' basis, so you could put them into the 1779 uniforms for New England, the Middle Colonies, etc. Or whatever suits you. Lafayette made a point of bringing a boatload of light infantry caps from France to build their esprit de corps, and it was common practice to cut down cloth light infantry caps from standard felt hats.

link

Your scheme of coat + facings for four Continental brigades sounds reasonable and evocative of the period. Probably neater and prettier than the reality, but these are toy soldiers, after all.

I like the idea of flank company which works fine as just a regiment or company, I'm not sure of these terms in AWI/Black Powder, basically 12-16 models. I can also mix and match the uniforms as I desire since I have individually based all my troops. In the space left in the base that came with the starter I added that adhesive sheet/tape magnet material. Then I use thin 40mm sheet metal squares that create 4 by 4 stands/movement trays. This allows me to pop the individual troops off for mixed formation or potential use for skirmish games.