| paxx88 | 20 Nov 2016 11:44 a.m. PST |
Hi all I have just uploaded pictures of the first unit of my Kingdom of italy 1805-1814 The Elite Gendarmes. Thanks for looking. link |
Dave Jackson  | 20 Nov 2016 12:52 p.m. PST |
Nice, like the Italians! I have them in 15mm |
| Jcfrog | 21 Nov 2016 4:29 a.m. PST |
And now Campaign Games is doing specific minis for them! |
| Dr Jeckyll | 21 Nov 2016 5:00 a.m. PST |
Nice job on those!
I had no idea that the elite gendarmes were in green coats! They are now on my to-do list as well.
thx for sharing! |
 deadhead | 21 Nov 2016 9:10 a.m. PST |
I just love to see such imagination going into such an obscure unit and painting to this standard. Inspired.
For Italians any colour other than green would have surprised me, but Knotel suggests they started in blue, as for the French Garde. The characteristic features of the Gendarmes d'Elite of the French Imperial Guard were;
The famous peaked bearskin (as for Artillery a pied)
The triple holsters
The aigulettes on the left shoulder for all but officers.
The only picture I could find suggests your placing is right for the last in these folk. Triple holster is not critical……but are you not tempted even now to add a small peak, a little crescent disc in black?
|
| deadhead | 22 Nov 2016 3:30 p.m. PST |
This chap is described as a "Soldier of the Imperial Guard" by Georges Jacques CHARTIER. But in Green with all the gendarme features………..looks Italian to me
|
| deadhead | 23 Nov 2016 12:09 p.m. PST |
Further researched these chaps, having never heard of them before. Just about to give up today. Funny thing about Google. Change one word and use a different PC and totally different stuff emerges. Found this which does suggest blue giving way to green, but you do need those peaks. Does again suggest you are right with aigulettes on right side, once in green. Go on, you know you want to!
|
| deadhead | 24 Nov 2016 9:13 a.m. PST |
Forgive me….I could not resist it. Did it for you! See how even better they look now? (and I save many of your pictures as a lesson in painting) Nice attention to painting detail in the characteristic cross belt and the gloves with the buff finish. Clearly conversions from the Grenadiers a Cheval and no one will notice which way up the firearm goes or the side of the bearskin flounders. The lace work is ideal then for the Italians, if not for their French bretheren. How did you manage to do the trumpet banner????? Never knew these existed. A bearded chap with an apron I once saw with delight…a pioneer of Gendarmes d'Elite! Till someone pointed out the Naples bit Most unusual and inspiring unit I have seen since the 71st HLI recently……but I have a lead mountain to tackle!
|
| paxx88 | 25 Nov 2016 2:04 p.m. PST |
Deadhead they do look good with the peaks, If i do another lot perhaps in blue I will find away to attach the peaks that wont break off as my test pieces did, I based the green coats on the 1813 variation of the uniform. |
| deadhead | 25 Nov 2016 5:26 p.m. PST |
I love the green coats. Otherwise they cannot be distinguished from French G d'Elite. Your figures are quite unique |
| Gonsalvo | 26 Nov 2016 7:12 a.m. PST |
Great looking, unique unit that I was also all but unaware of. |
 Il Granatiere | 26 Nov 2016 2:23 p.m. PST |
The origin of this unit is connected with the presence of a detachment of French Gendarmerie de la Garde in Milan. When this unit was recalled in December 1807, Eugene de Beauharnais requested to the Emperor the possibility to maintain in Italy two officer and 25 Gendarmes as the basis for a new Italian unit. On the margin of the letter dated 12 December with the request of Beauharnais, the Emperor noted "approved". Probably the unit reached the strength of a Squadron but surely not more. |
goes to sea with the Terrain Mat.
