"French 2nd Hussars Uniform Attractiveness" Topic

Not a big fan of brown in uniforms for Napoleonics, especially for hussars. Somehow they are sort of, well, brown, especially on their brown horses.

Now:

Are the 2nd Hussars popular with wargamers simply because they are iconic and in spite of brown uniforms?

Or, has their iconic status rendered their uniforms attractive?

Discuss, all you hobby enthusiasts.

It makes a refreshing change from all those ostentatious coloured uniforms from the Napoleonic Wars. Besides, the right brown can be quite attractive.

Yes, in Napoleonics, a brown uniform actually stands out as distinctive.

Chamborant, Akhtyrsk, 1st Silesian – clearly brown is an auspicious color for hussars…

Is this the 'new regime' round here?
Trite, uninteresting, opinion driven classism and mind numbing trivia.
Seems the loss of scholars is truly hitting home…
Ahh no, I have no opinion worth "discussion" on such a matter.
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Is this the 'new regime' round here?
Trite, uninteresting, opinion driven classism and mind numbing trivia.
Seems the loss of scholars is truly hitting home…

Oh, phew. For a moment, I thought you were going to ask what uniform colors have to do with miniature gaming?

I like how the brown looks with the light blue, but I think if the uniform had red or green pants, it would not look as good.

The 3d Hussars wore a completely gray uniform, which is subdued but handsome. So is the uniform of the 2d Hussars.

The 2e Hussards is very far to be the only unit dressed in brown in the French Army, including among the Hussars with also 13e and 14e as well as several Dragoons Regiments
it is quite unusual, so original for a French unit
it was given to Black Pioneers, Corsican Chasseurs, Mountain Chasseurs, Légion du Midi, Portuguese Legion and the Nurses Companies
before its militarisation, and in the early post-militarisation period the civilian drivers of the Train were clothed in brown, after this one becoming only limited as a distinctive colour of the new uniform

Paul Lindsay Dawson tempered my enthusiasm concerning others regiments presented as clothed in brown such 13e Cuirassiers remaining in blue according to him

agree with Marbot Chasseurs that brown with light blue is a good association contrary to red,
but not at all that green would not be nice with brown, the Corsican Chasseurs, the Corsican Legion

well taste and colours… ;)

Love my Russian Akhtyrsk Hussars though Chestnut not brown. Though they seem to have only fought Napoleon's armies between 1812-14. Fighting the Turks rest of the time?

Also love my Ott/Radetzky Hussars but again were never it seemed in the central European campaigns but in Northern Italy. Have the Stipsicz Hussars as well that can be used as the Liechtenstein.

Also have 5th, 6th (early), 7th and 8th French Hussars.

I agree with those who think brown can be nice looking, though it took a while getting to feel that way about Grenzers with pink facings. It is nice to have some less ostentatious colors on the battlefield.

Nice uniform and I agree with the discussion – but I still favour the 5th Hussars dans la brigade infernale

I see there's a picture by Knotel which, like the third image posted by MarbotsChasseurs above, shows a trooper of the elite company, 2nd Hussars, holding a lance with a blue/white pennant. Neither trooper is, as far as I can see, a Sapeur (didn't one regiment of Chasseurs a Cheval equip its Sapeurs thus?) Any other sources for this detail?

I believe it was an elite company hussar but I could be wrong. The self portrait was painted by Colonel Barbier, the commander of the regiment at the time.

There are some uniforms that would have looked much smarter in real life than as miniatures. Brown hussars would be one; another would be Austrian infantry officers in white uniforms with a charcoal grey greatcoat. They'd have looked sharp rather than showy.

Like many others, I have 15mm foot soldiers with brown uniforms, such as, Portuguese casadores, Austrian grenz, Spanish militia, etc., and I like their looks. But I wouldn't want brown cavalry uniforms on brown horses.

Some of my units I formed because of their historical significance. But mostly, I don't concern myself with the units real life history and reputation as I find my 15mm units create their own history and reputation on my table top battles. A good example is my battalion of the 42nd (Black Watch) Highlanders. On my little battlefields, my 42nd Highlanders are great Routers!! I've got militia units that fight and have a better reputation than my 'veteran' 42nd.

So, my forces are made up of units that I like because of their uniforms, facings, or their distinctive flag. For me, eye appeal in more important than the actual real life history.

CAUTION: Beware of the prettiest uniforms curse!

But I wouldn't want brown cavalry uniforms on brown horses.

I tend to agree that one has o be careful with brown uniforms on brown horses but many wargamers get the 2nd Hussars painted up. I think because of the battle of Albuera and maybe partly wargamer OCD where they feel they have to paint up strict orders of battle. I am more like you and select units and uniforms I like irrespective of whether they ever served together at the same time in a given uniform.

I have seen a couple of occasions where the brown can work but it's been examples by professional painters such as this one on the Over Open Sights blog:

link

And these on the Old Glory UK Facebook page:

link

So, my forces are made up of units that I like because of their uniforms, facings, or their distinctive flag. For me, eye appeal in more important than the actual real life history.

Would you then paint up something attractive like Bavarian infantry and use them for Peninsular battles?

CAUTION: Beware of the prettiest uniforms curse!

Has your personal indulgence in this transformed you into a sort of were-wargamer?