"A British Light Inafntry Battn firing line. Advice please" Topic

Can I pick your collective brains? For some reason (probably simply because it is proving difficult) I simply must do a British Light Infantry firing line. 71st ideally, as I still have those transfers that worked so well on my few skirmishing Front Rank figures. If not then 52nd. I'd rather metal, but appreciate how good plastic are getting. I want them shooting and loading basically.

Original plan was;
A few more Front Rank.

Perry plastics; the minority in flank co uniforms, firing and loading, using the heads from the riflemen in the same set.

Victrix figures, flank companies box, using their old Light Battalion heads set. (Got the latter in the post today from US and, well let's just say they do not compare with the superb KGL figures in the same box. Too small and misshapen for any use, frankly. Very surprising and disappointing.)

Wonder about their Peninsula flank co box and sanding down the plate on the shako…..

Now there are many other companies that I know little of…please any advice?

Oh do you not hate it when you cannot correct the title?

I'd use the new(ish) Front Rank reinforcement packs Light Infantry firing line figures.

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Totally agree. The Reinforcements are far better than their original figures in terms of human proportions…..I guess I need a bit more variety and figures that will complement them.

I'm staying clear of the old front rank. But the reinforcement packs are great.

I mix the uncovered marching Belgic shako reinforcement figures with Perry without an issue – the kicker for on this is the size of musket, cartridge pouch, pack and shako itself, rather than the precise size of the figure, although proportion is very important. Unfortunately, the Perry-sculpted Foundry range is too small, although I do use some of the officers where the considerations above are not quite so obvious.

Another vote for the FR reinforcement packs. Excellent figures (although it helps to whittle down the bayonets some).

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Oh blimey……..Three Armies

Folks, my question has just been answered.

You have not shown these here before have you????

I have done many a search. If not WHY NOT??????????

Do seriously think about opening your own topic to show this sequence. That use of Greenstuff for the sashes on NCOs and Occifers. The homemade wings. The shako badge. The modelling. The photography….

Maybe I will do something else, as this is unbeatable.

No, I am inspired. My 71st will not have colours (and if they did King's colour always on the right, anyway). Mine will have buff leatherwork. Mine will have brass shako bugle badges for rank and file. Mine will have a piper whether right or wrong, whatever the evidence. Mine will have Light Infantry sashes with cord ends…

But…

Mine will be a blatant copy of what you have shown here. That I do know.

Really grateful. Every picture saved! Every single one

What did three armies post. The link doesn't work for me.

Glad it inspired you deadhead. it was a customer commission and that Battalion now lives and fights somewhere in South Africa lol. If I did it again there are many bits I would change too. At some stage I will of course add some to my ranges but I wouldn't count on it for a couple of years :(

Edwulf, these are worth seeing.

Perry plastic Line Infantry converted to Light battalion look by adding wings, altering shako from Peninsular style with the large plate to LI style, but also, for 71st, putting sashes on over the shoulder, not around the waist. Then comes the paint job……….

Deadhead, I am fairly sure that the 71st were given permission to retain aspects of their Highland status conformable with their role as Light Infantry, and that included pipers. There is a letter from AG that I can't dig up just at the minute.

Oh certainly there was permission to parade with a piper in full Highland rig, kilt, feathered bonnet and all……my only doubt is the idea of a campaign dress piper, overalls, diced blocked up bonnet etc.

Courcelle certainly drew him nicely. The Funckens showed him years ago. It is just I have never read of him in on campaign after the dropping of the kilt for the regt. Who cares? He is a must!

As the Peninsular campaign wore on, if we heed Pvt Anton of the 42nd, the likelihood of any Highland soldier wearing the kilt grew less and less.

I can well imagine Gordon, or Cameron tartan was hard to find in The Pyrenees…Knobbly knees maybe, but not Pyrenees. Ho ho (groan)

Must also acknowledge Lord Hill who recently showed us how he did it for 52nd

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Sometime, well back, he did show us how he swapped kilts for legs, on plastic figures, to create 71st, but I cannot recall if ever finished and shown