"BOKI Gendarmes d'Elite" Topic

Doll is ready and wait for other dolls to mould and cast together.

This will be set of Gendarmes through Napoleonic history.
Ordered by Richard Bird.

And as AB will release Gendarmes Trumpeter anyway, we will make Gendarmes Kettledrummer.

Hm, the holster flaps are almost reaching the toes? Maybe you should make a more narrow overlap?

Yes, they are somewhat overexposed.
But this is intentionally, as 3 holsterflaps are signature for Gendarmes.

and Garde Dragoons also had triple holsters of course………funny that. Wonder why?

"and Garde Dragoons also had triple holsters of course………funny that. Wonder why?"

We had already a good discussion on this, please re – read.

But the triple holster flaps are clearly overexposed, I would opt for a more narrover spacking

Well, I give this problem to Richard to solve.
He ordered, he decide.
Smaller flaps mean less relief details also, flaps will be more plain, like AB do.

So we are all agreed that they might be slightly overscale, but they are so characteristic a feature of these gents and the sculpted lade detail is just begging for a nice paint finish……….modellers will thank you for the result!

Tried searching TMP for discussion of the triple holsters for Dragoons and G d'Elite. I guess they simply wanted to carry more pistols then?

Empress Dragoons changed from the conventional two flaps to three in about 1810, as far as I know the number of holster flaps is not in proportion to the pistols carried.

As for modellers, it has to be a balance of exageration to reality, so far as to paintings the lowest holster flap would end with the top rim of the boots.
This is one of the reaons why ABs look so great, the art to give an excellent impression and paintability without loosing too much proportion, very difficult to achieve.

May be removing the lowest flap and adding one to top is solution?

Maybe something like this?

difficult to judge – wait what Richard has to say

Richard says – a little overscaled, resculpt.

von W ,thanks for that.

Sure enough the Rousellot plates and Jouineau and Mongin's work in the Histoire and Cllections series states just that!

Two became three 1808 according to the former.

My vote. The original Sho Boki version was overscaled and it hung too low….but I know which will look better when painted up!

"Two became three 1808 according to the former."

The former who`? Certainly not Rousselot, he did 2 plates on that – on the second he rectified some errors of the first, a rare step of an artist, so according – alt least to him the change did happen in about 1810.

I claim no expertise here at all. I am only quoting from "Napoleon's Elite Cavalry" Subtitled "The paintings of L R etc"

Plate 52 "The single hoods and skirts over their pistol holsters will be replaced in 1808 by a triple-layered design"

However other sources suggest that the change came in time for the wedding to Marie Louise…1810……

von W, you may be right!

Far more important to me is what they wore on 18th June 1815. The horrible, boring, surtout or the classical coat with the white lapels?

I agree with Deadhead. The new outlook of holster flaps looks disapointing.
I destroy these flaps at all and start again from zero.

New one. I am not happy. Too wide and too high.
Must start again.

Done. Losing sword and then whole torso in process.

And big thanks to von Winterfeldt, who keep me on right track despite my whining! Keep up the good work!

Now moulding. The mould matrix are filled with dolls and wait for last one – Gendarme.

P.S. I saw on photo, that flaps are not enough rounded. I fixed this.

I admire your grit and determination

Savary

I was planned to release the Gendarmes after infantry and cover all periods. But these were commissioned long time before infantry and Richard wanted to get them.
So on next week small set of Gendarmes will be moulded and released instead of next set of infantry. Set will consist two 1808 trooper poses in campaign uniform, Savary and Kettledrummer.

1792 Prussian Infantry will be available on evening today, mould cool down after hardening in oven now and casting begins.

Carbines to add..

I see missing hat grenades, portmanteau belts and carbine belt connections. Any other mistakes?

hat grenades one can surely paint on anyway. Portmanteau belts obviously easier if some moulding already there. Suggestion seems to be triple for the portmanteau and double for the blanket.

One suggestion, which might be difficult. The drummer had very distinctive lace on his lapel fronts. A short segment from each button hole, as here;

Yes, of cource! Lace on lapels. Thanks!

This is not an important thing…..

A few strokes of paint, if folk do their research.

I have no idea why I am so obsessed with this unit.

But my attic has more of them than Ligne cuirassiers, or indeed any cavalry unit of Napoleon's Garde Imperiale !

I do not throw dice, I paint figures and keep them in plastic boxes, in my pitch dark attic. My wife asks…why?. Or she did. She has now come to understand and walked the field of Waterloo for her first time on our third "family" visit. She simply loved the officers' leather cartouches shown in la Musee de l'Armee en Paris.

It is a handbag thing for those with XX chromosomes…..trust me. The fair sex cannot resist the design that went into them.

Your Gendarmes are superb. In anatomical proportion, bearskins not exaggerated, they are what we expect from this scale. If only we could attract you to the Dark Side…..TOTS…The One True Scale….28mm…….

You would be in your yacht in Monte Carlo by now, if so. Moored next to the Perrys' cruiser yacht.

Boats.. water.. unstable surface.. horror.. brrrrrr..
Thanks for warning, I never will sculpt TOTS now.. ;-)

Most of noted mistakes are corrected and I add lace on lapels now.

I am thinking, may be not to add carbines to these first two troopers?
This allow possibilities of variations on next set of Gendarmes.

My vote would be to NOT add carbines. They are impossible to remove, but dead easy to attach if wanted. Leaving them off greatly increases their potential.

I am currently working on 28mm conversions of Brigade Games latest release of early chasseurs a cheval. If only they did not have the carbines attached, they would be wonderful for Horse Artillery of the Guard

Mind you, I had meant to say that if they already have the crossbelt, to carry the carbine, moulded on….might be too late now. Shame to spoil all the work you put into such nice modelling of the belts, with their distinctive white edging created for us!

The crossbelt is the tool to carry carbines, not the part of carbine itself.
Also the cartridge box belt below the carbine belt have white edging, but are narrower.
I see no problems if not to add carbines.

Will be available on the evening.
I cast now and then will prepare the selling page.

That timbalier…how good is he?

Heck, they all are…..just "the wrong scale", but wonderful.

NB, black horses (other than musicians), only ,for Garde Heavy cavalry

Timbalier? He can play.

"The wrong scale"? Yea, too big, only for beauty. The right playing scale is 6mm. ;-)

They are available here..
boki.ee/Painted_Figs/FRANCE/FR_0006/Boki_Shop.htm