"Cavalry vs infantry frontage for basing" Topic

Hello

Would it be reasonable to assume that the real-world frontage of a cavalry regiment with four full squadrons is about the same as that of an full infantry battalion in line formation?

Would a cavalry regiment on four 50x50mm bases in a line with two 28mm models each look decent on the tabletop (as opposed to the typical "in the box" formation of 3x2 bases with 12 models total for a regiment)?

For context:
After a few decades in the miniature world, I recently entered the Napoleonic world. My first project will be recreate the full Waterloo order of battle of both sides. All in 28mm using a blend of Perry, Warlord, Victrix and assorted metal additions where needed. I bought about 2,000 miniatures and am working on regimental breakdown now. Hence the basing question.

I am not hung up on rule system – these will mostly be a collection – but would like to preserve some wargaming utility. So I am trying to stay within the "credible zone" of Black Powder and a reasonable number of other systems. I also like tightly packed formations for Napoleonic and consistent base sizing. With that in mind, I am planning to use 50mm x 50mm bases for pretty much everything (round ones for command).

For a regular infantry battalion this means 4 bases, each with 6 models for 24 models total and a 20cm frontage when in line. In Black Powder terms, a Small unit would have two bases and a Large unit would have 6 which preserves the ability to form all typical formations. Nothing special so far. The only issue here is the breakdown of companies which doesn't quite line up with four bases or 12 models lines. But there isn't any good way to solve this anyhow given that I will have British, French and Prussians all with different company arrangements. So I will just paint the outer 2x2 block of every battalion as flank/elite companies and precision be damned :) (so the flank base would have 2 elite and 1 regular model in the front row, repeated in the second row).

I would like to match my Cavalry to this format by also using 50x50mm bases with two models on each. And that raises the question of how many such bases would be in a standard cavalry regiment. My two obvious choices are to use 6 bases in a 3x2 formation with 12 models total or go with 4 bases in a 4x1 formation with 8 models total. The first option is how most manufacturers "box" their cavalry formations but it makes the unit's overall outline break with the infantry and also breaks up the typical four squadron arrangement. Meanwhile, using only 4 bases with 8 models matches the infantry and natively breaks down into squadrons (1 base per squadron for a typical 4 squadron regiment with a BP "small" formation of only two bases for reduced two squadron units). But I am worried that a unit of 8 riders in a single line would look too small to represent a full regiment.

Any thoughts from veterans on this arrangement and its visual impression would be appreciated. Thanks

PS: Artillery will be based on 100x100mm per gun with two guns for a typical battery (so again the 20cm frontage of a normal battalion. Corps command and higher will also be on 100mm round bases.

PS: I have used this "one base for all" approach for other historical armies and find it quite pleasing so that part is set in stone :). See my Imperial Romans as an example (but using 60x60mm for everything to give a bit more breathing room for ancient formations):
wargamingworkshop.com/historical-collection/hail-caesar/early-imperial-roman

Are you talking French, here? Because it depends. Assuming an essentially full strength French battalion, you are working on about a 1:35 figure to man ration. At near full strength, a French four squadron cavalry regiment would be about 27 figures. But very few French regiments were anything like full strength in 1815, at least not mounted. Three or even two squadrons would be closer to the norm, and those would be under strength as well.

But your 12 or 8 figure regiment would be only 420 or 280 men. Even the latter would have a frontage of over 200 meters which would be about right for your infantry battalion. The basic facts are that a horse has about twice the frontage of an infantryman and cavalry forms in two ranks rather than three. Work from there.

As your figures are principally a collection, you should do what looks best to you for display purposes. As it happens your proposed basing is almost identical, but scaled up, to that used by some vintage 20mil collectors and gamers – see ‘Hinton Hunt Wargame Figures' and ‘Hinton Spieler' blogs. This will give you good idea of how it all works and looks. They even adopt the same solution for flank companies that you propose, or was this your inspiration?

Inf on 3 ranks , cav. On 2: 2-2.5 times wider for cavalry.

It likely depends on what your goals and priorities are.

For me, I'm just trying to have enough 50mm x 50mm bases of 28mm figures, and a variety of units to choose from, to play some games of Lasalle. They use 4 bases per unit of infantry and cavalry, while 2 bases of artillery for each limber. It might not be historically accurate, and I am only using 4 figures per base, except I'm just looking to have some nicely done bases with painted figures to have some fun.

Well there is the way it was and fantasy.

If you are just gaming solo or providing all the figures then do what makes you happy. It is a warGAME.

I got stuck already at the idea of doing four bases for a French battalion. How do you divide six companies into four bases without it looking strange? It would be hard to use them for anything other than formations in line.