explores the Master & Commander starter set for Black Seas.So far, we have concentrated on the ubiquitous bicorne hat wearers for our French infantry of the French Revolutionary Wars. However, you cannot have a French army for this period without representing the Tarleton-style crested helmet (casque), issued in 1791 and widely worn by the white uniformed regular army battalions for the first few years of hostilities from 1792 - and beyond. Sculptors Alan Marsh and Kosta Heristanidis have again provided multiple variants, available in regulation uniform or a ragged campaign appearance.
Combining these new figures with the previously released bicorne-wearing models in this range enables collectors to start recreating any French line infantry battalion for the Wars of the French Revolution with all their subtle variations of appearance with the passage of time. For the early campaigns (1792-93), whole units wearing the casque and painted in white uniforms (with the appropriate coloured facings) will represent the regiments of the regular army (les blancs), while blue-uniformed bicorne-wearing figures will form up as battalions of the National Guard (les bleus). For tabletop generals wanting to raise armies for the middle years of the French Revolutionary Wars, the possibilities become almost endless as casque and bicornes become inter-mingled even within individual formations following the merging of regular army and National Guard battalions to create the famous demi-brigades. Blue uniforms steadily replaced the white from late 1793, but many regulars retained their casques into the 'blue period', while others happily swapped them for the more comfortable bicorne hats. By the later 1790s the bicorne had gained the ascendency, but casques were still to be seen as late as Napoleon's campaign in North Italy in 1796 and the 9th demi-brigade are known to have retained their helmets until at least 1798.
The casque was issued to replace the bicorne (or more accurately - the flat-fronted tricorne) worn by the regular French infantry regiments prior to 1791, and it appears to have been distributed with remarkable efficiency (by the standards of the Revolutionary government). So although it is possible some regiments never received them, many of the regular army's infantry none-the-less went to war wearing the distinctive new helmet in 1792, and they continued to be steadily issued during 1793. Made of reinforced leather, with a front-to-back fur crest, the casque featured a tricolour cockade and a short plume (the latter often removed) on the right side, and a head band of cloth (painted to imitate leopard skin) wrapped around the skullcap. The quality of manufacture, however, varied somewhat, and 'economy' versions of the casque were issued with imitation fur crests that could be as crude as a rough fabric sausage stuffed with straw or similar material. Although it offered better protection than a soft hat, the casque was generally not popular, being heavier and uncomfortable to wear in hot weather, and a common complaint was they began to smell after prolonged exposure to rain and the elements. In 1796, one regiment was so disgusted with their casques they all formally marched down to the Rhine at Strasbourg and threw their casques into the river in a mass demonstration. Each man then bought a replacement bicorne - paid for out of their own pockets.
As with our bicorne-wearing French infantry, our casque infantry in the march-attack pose are available in either a relatively neat 'regulation' uniform suitable for battalions at the beginning of hostilities, or a more ragged and dishevelled version better suited to the appearance of units suffering the rigours of a long campaign. You can mix the two types in varying quantities within the same battalions according to taste. Later this year, we will add ragged versions of the advancing and firing and loading figures, and grenadiers. Officers, drummers, and standard bearers in the casque are all provided with this release.
Here are the catalogue details for the new miniatures - plus details of our New Release Special Offers.
New 28mm Wars of the French Revolution
Sculpted by Alan Marsh; further conversions by Kosta Heristanidis
Number in parenthesis denotes the number of variants. Variants are supplied randomly
Fusiliers in (casque) helmet c.1791-1798
100WFR08 Fusilier, casque, regulation uniform, march-attack (6)
100WFR09 Fusilier, casque, ragged campaign uniform, march-attack (9)
100WFR10 Fusilier, casque, regulation uniform, advancing (4)
100WFR12 Fusilier, casque, regulation uniform, firing & loading (5)
French Line Infantry Command in (casque) helmet c.1791-1798
100WFR33 French officer, casque, regulation uniform, marching (1)
100WFR34 French officer, casque, ragged campaign uniform, marching (2)
100WFR35 French drummer, casque, regulation uniform, marching (1)
100WFR36 French drummer, casque, ragged campaign uniform, marching (1)
100WFR37 French standard bearer, casque, regulation uniform, marching (3)
100WFR38 French standard bearer, casque, ragged campaign uniform, marching (2)
100WFR39 French officer, casque, mounted on horseback (1)
NEW RELEASE SPECIAL OFFERS
DEAL ONE: The "Nice headgear, François!" deal
Buy a 20-figure casque-wearing French infantry unit in neat, regulation uniforms - command (including mounted officer) for the special price of $55.00 AUD* (normally $62.05 AUD).
DEAL TWO: The "odeur de le casque" deal
Buy a 20-figure casque-wearing French infantry unit in a random mixture of regulation (c.25%) and campaign uniforms (c.75%) - with command (including mounted officer) for the special price of $55.00 AUD* (normally $62.05 AUD).
DEAL THREE: The "Skirmishing casques" deal
Buy a 19-figure band of skirmishing French infantry in casque, in advancing and firing and loading poses - with mounted officer - for the special price of $52.00 AUD* (normally $59.10 AUD).
DEAL FOUR: The "try all the casques on for size" deal
Buy a complete set of every figure in this release (35 figures in total) for the special price of $95.00 AUD* (normally $106.30 AUD).
* Excluding postage and 'Goods and Services Tax' payable by Australian customers only
All these miniatures can also be ordered in the U.K. from Fighting 15s, and in the U.S.A. from Eureka Miniatures U.S.A.