"Old Guard Grenadiers 1815" Topic

Hi all,

I would like to share with you pictures of my two grenadiers battalions, which I just finished painting. please visit:

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There's a lot to be said about the state of the Guard in 1815 (bearskins or not? overall colour? greatcoat or not? nature of fanions?), so I went with what felt right to me.

Oh, and of course, I couldn't paint mud/stain on these beautiful uniforms…!

Exquisitely painted! I particularly like the way you have based the guardsmen in close order elbow to elbow as they should be. Thank you for sharing these lovely photos.

Thanks IronDuke. Frontage is 15mm. I intend to play Black Powder in the New Year – my opponents at the club will use 20mm frontage. That means I have to paint more than them! But like you I like the mass effect.

Packed together like that makes it seem like there are more troops there. Very nicely done.

Very nice! You know, having the 15mm frontage for Old Guard means you can cram more troops into a charge/melee – perhaps reflecting the better discipline and training of the Old Guard versus those less well drilled troops on 20mm frontage

Superb in every respect. Can I ask about the white, and how you achieved such a splendid result?

Hi Fred,
all paints referred to below are Vallejo (Model Color Range). I prime the minis in black. As for the whites:
- On the uniform, belts, I use Sky Grey under Off-White
- for white overalls, Sky Grey, then Off-White highlight. Then I wash them with a very diluted Off-White.
- for beige overalls, Beige, then Ivory highlight. Then I wash them with a very diluted Ivory.
'hope this helps or inspires you :)

Very nice work!!

Great job, Blancard!

As previously observed, the subtle tones added to the white really work.

I think I probably prefer to represent the Old Guard in their blue capotes / greatcoats for the 1815 campaign, but your figures certainly do look wonderful.

I would probably have gone for the greatcoats if the Perries had produced a set of grenadiers in March-Attach with greatcoats. These would have mixed nicely with their ragged Guards as well. Plus it would have been a lot less work!! but how to play a 'Guard Attack' with 'standing at attention' figure? :)

Funny thing. The chaps marching up the ridge at the end have to be seen in the greatcoat. Anything else just looks wrong for 18th June 1815.

But the chaps at the top of the ridge had been specifically ordered, by DoW, to turn in their overcoats for storage, as not now needed. No surprise then that Apocalyptical rainfall resulted.

Great work here. I love the work on the white ammo pouch covers. Then the grenade ornaments on the turnbacks of the coats. Plus the detail of the sergeant's lace….

For me, this painting by Jean Augé of the 3e Chasseurs à Pied at Waterloo is just bang on.

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But Blancard, I take your point about the Perry Old Guard Grenadiers in greatcoats only being at the attention position.

Fanions? Never heard of them in 1815 Guard.
But what numpty makes aiguellettes cross the chest on the colonel? That is so completely wrong.
Yes the battalions look great.
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Many thanks for the painting detail, Col. Blancard!!

They look magnificent! Great job

SHaT1984, I have contacted Alan Perry who kindly gave me the reference to the aiguillettes across the chest, which appears to have been a common fashion in the Guard. It's the Freiberg Manuscript (1813). Unfortunately there seem to be no copy of the plates online.

Don't feed the troll, Col Blancard! You've done a magnificent job (as has Alan Perry, of course).