"Performance of the minors at Leipzig" Topic

Howdy all, looking to paint up a brigade of French minors that were at Leipzig. Trying to find some infantry that don't look like cheap French, Russian or Austrian knock offs.
Also, I haven't done a lot of research on the minors performance. I suspect someone if not several here could tell me if Italy, Naples, Wurttemberg & Baden all made a good showing off themselves. I am leaving out Saxony cause they changed sides:)
Thanks in advance for any help, happy gaming!!!

Duchy of Warsaw troops are always a good bet.

Yah, I got some of them. Thanks.

Wurttembergers were solid performers. I am painting up an 18mm Cavalry brigade now along with their Light Division ( 2 Bns of Jaegers and 2 Bns of Light Fusiliers)

Poles were probably some of the best minor troops Napoleon had.

I did not know there was a unit of youth at Leipzig. Is this a reference to the Pupils of the Guard? Or Marie-Louise" regiments? For the latter see
TMP link

Some of Jerome's rebuilt Westphalians show up there. But I'd go with the Poles for Leipzig.

Yah I think the Poles were probably his best minor troops were ever they were. Were the Italians okay? Some give them a bad rap but I have others give certain examples that they did as well as could be expected? ……..and what about the Naples guys?
I got excited about the brown cause I wanted to paint some colors besides French, Russian & Austrian look a likes, after all isn't part of the fun of this period all the different colors:) BTW one other quick one……..French old guard "HVY" cav, didn't some reg. of them have bearskin hats instead of the metal helmets?

Gamer1--
Helmets for carabiniers, cuirassiers, dragoons, and line lancer regiments. Guard cavalry would only have helmets if Guard Dragoons; Horse Grenadiers and Chasseurs would wear bearskins of differing styles.

Thanks.

IMO the troops of Duchy of Warsaw were Napoleon's absolutely best at Leipzig.

Italians
from northern Italy – good
south of Italy – poor

Germans – for me they were annoying

The Poles, Swiss, and various troops from the Confederation of the Rhine were excellent, as were the Italian units from the Kingdom of Italy.

I have to agree with Brechtel198. The Saxons were excellent troops, superb artillery and cavalry. The changing sides was political and NOT a failure in their ability.

Remember you are fighting in Saxony and the King was a hostage of Napoleon.
Stephen

I would go with Poles, wonderful figures available as well.

I think the Neapolitans at Leipzig did okay but then there were only three bns of foot and one of those was an elite bn, composed of (IIRC) the elite companies of three other bns., so better than normal.

If you want to choose stuff to make a change from painting French or Prussian blue or Austrian white then most of the other nations on the French side are wearing a similar blue or white!

Italians do have the advantage of some light infantry wearing green if you are not fed up of painting dragoons or chasseurs a cheval) and the Milan guard are generally shown in a medium blue with red collar which looks very nice.
Other than that, French can be varied by using units in greatcoats to give a bit of variety. If you do the 'Marine' infantry (actually rearmed Navy gunners from coastal batteries) then they are probably in blue greatcoats – they were mistaken for guards at one point.

Your brown coated unit may well be one of the Croatian regiments, though they weren't at Leipzig. I think some were in Italy with Eugene and others perhaps in the north of Germany.
I think there is some dispute about the actual colour of the Croatian uniform though one of the Ospreys does have them in brown.

Thanks guys. I found some "Northern Italians" that look like they had grey paints with white jackets and purplish collar & cuffs. Also some with all white paints(no boots),white chest & green coat. Both with Shako hats, think I will do one of those two, at least that will be some what different from blue-white-green:)
Really wish he had some all brown units I could use for 1812-13 Europe just because that would be really a different mix.
Probably why I have a bunch of Russian Cossacks, cause they add color, even if it is browns…………….

The Italians in green with white 'chest' may well be in the early uniform.They changed to white c.1806/07, with only the light infantry ans some of the guard in green.

Legwear was either breeches with knee length black or white gaiters, or they were covered by white overalls

You can see the range of Italian uniforms at link