sails to the Skeleton Seas, and finds inspiration as she goes.
The back bone of the French cavalry arm between 1792 and 1800, the Chasseurs à Cheval, joins our 28mm Wars of the French Revolution range and marks a happy event for us. We have now sold 10,000 figures from our Wars of the French Revolution range since we launched the project. To celebrate this, we are pleased to offer a 15% discount on all orders of WFR figures for the next two weeks (or until our next new release goes up on the website around 14th April). Many thanks to all those who have supported the range - and those of you about to dip your toes in!
Recreating the Revolutionary Wars Chasseurs à Cheval in miniature presented us with a few problems - the principal one being that there were no strict uniform regulations governing their appearance (a situation not remedied until as late as 1812!). There were some rules, of course, but French light cavalry as a whole were a free wheeling lot who liked to cut a certain dash, and the Chasseurs à Cheval were no different. Many Chasseur regiments adopted an appearance inspired by their arguably more glamorous brethren in the Hussars - with the uniforms of some fashion-conscious Chasseur officers being indistinguishable from those of Hussar officers. Other regiments, however, adopted a less ornate and more workmen-like aspect. Accordingly, we have tried to provide customers with a range of figures that cover all the possibilities.
At the start of the wars, the Chasseurs à Cheval wore a Tarleton-style helmet, similar to the one issued to the infantry at the same time in 1791. This appears to have been universally worn for the first two years or so of campaigning, but like its infantry counterpart, the helmet was never popular; and from 1793 the Chasseurs steadily adopted a mirliton-style hat which gave them a more dashing, Hussar-like appearance. The effect was enhanced by the 'flamme' - a cloth streamer attached to the mirliton, that could either be wrapped around the body of the hat or allowed to fly loose in the wind. The mirliton had replaced the helmet by the mid-1790s and remained the head wear of choice for most of the coming campaigns, but around 1798-99 a few regiments took to a new peaked shako which ultimately replaced the mirliton right at the end of the wars, shortly after 1800. (We intend to offer this shako as an additional variant at a later date.)
As well as different headgear, you get a choice of jackets/coats. In 1792, most Chasseur regiments were wearing a short jacket called a caracot, similar in style to the Hussar dolman although of a slightly longer, looser cut and invariably not as ornately laced and buttoned. This continued to be worn until the end of hostilities in 1802, so we have provided figures in this jacket wearing both the helmet and the mirliton. However, even at the beginning of the Wars, a few regimental colonels preferred their men to be wearing the simpler service coat, or surtout. This was essentially a cavalry version of the infantry's long-tailed coat, which gradually gained popularity amongst the Chasseurs until it overtook (but never entirely replaced) the caracot jacket around 1800. So once again - you can acquire our Chasseurs in this coat in either the helmet or the mirliton, as you prefer.
Finally - all these uniform variations can be ordered in either 'at rest' or charging poses.
Remember - Order now to save 15% on all Wars of the French Revolution orders!
More releases coming soon - including Austrian cavalry and artillery and 1799 Russians!
Here are the catalogue details for the new miniatures:
28mm French Chasseur à Cheval c.1792-1800
(from our Wars of the French Revolution range)
Sculpted by Alan Marsh and Kosta Heristanidis
100WFR150 - Chasseur à Cheval, at rest, short 'caracot' jacket, in helmet (4)
100WFR151 - Chasseur à Cheval, at rest, tailed 'surtout' coat, in helmet (4)
100WFR152 - Chasseur à Cheval, charging, short 'caracot' jacket, in helmet (4)
100WFR153 - Chasseur à Cheval, charging, tailed 'surtout' coat, in helmet (4)
100WFR154 - Chasseur à Cheval Officer, short 'caracot' jacket, in helmet (1)
100WFR155 - Chasseur à Cheval Officer, tailed 'surtout' coat, in helmet (3)
100WFR156 - Chasseur à Cheval Trumpeter, short 'caracot' jacket, in helmet (1)
100WFR157 - Chasseur à Cheval Trumpeter, tailed 'surtout' coat, in helmet (1)
100WFR158 - Chasseur à Cheval, at rest, short 'caracot' jacket, in mirliton (4)
100WFR159 - Chasseur à Cheval, at rest, tailed 'surtout' coat, in mirliton (4)
100WFR160 - Chasseur à Cheval, charging, short 'caracot' jacket, in mirliton (4)
100WFR161 - Chasseur à Cheval, charging, tailed 'surtout' coat, in mirliton (4)
100WFR162 - Chasseur à Cheval Officer, short 'caracot' jacket, in mirliton (1)
100WFR163 - Chasseur à Cheval Officer, tailed 'surtout' coat, in mirliton (3)
100WFR164 - Chasseur à Cheval Trumpeter, short 'caracot' jacket, in mirliton (1)
100WFR165 - Chasseur à Cheval Trumpeter, tailed 'surtout' coat, in mirliton (1)
100WFR166a - "Chasseur fraternising at the water pump" vignette. Includes posing Chasseur à Cheval, watering horses, water pump, the focus of his desire (washing clothes), and her not so attractive chaperone! (Chasseur in helmet version)
You can also order our Chasseurs à Cheval in the in the U.S.A. from Eureka Miniatures U.S.A., or the U.K. from Fighting 15s.