Napoleonic & ECW wargaming, with a load of old Hooptedoodle on this & that


Wednesday 26 February 2014

At Long Last – proper British Peninsular War dragoons

Le Marchant's Brigade - fresh from the painter
I am delighted to introduce the official version of Le Marchant’s Heavy Brigade, circa Spring 1812. As I have mentioned on a number of occasions here previously, I have been looking for figures in the correct uniform in this scale since about 1975. For a while I considered the Hinton Hunt dragoons, but I could never have collected enough anyway, and I excused myself on the grounds that they would be a bit small for my heavy brigade. I rejected Qualiticast for exactly the same reasons. I also had a serious look at the Minifigs S-Range bicorne dragoons, but the uniform is a little early for my purposes. Another, better option was the Falcata boxed set (now OOP) of KGL dragoons, which are perfect apart from the fore-&-aft bicorne hat fitted with chinscales, which was a local eccentricity of the KGL. Briefly, there was also the NapoleoN version of the KGL boys, which were lovely figures, but - like everyone else - I was snoozing during the short time they were available.

3rd Dragoons
4th Dragoons
5th Dragoon Guards
My final version, therefore, is a hybrid – Falcata men with S-Range heads, on Falcata campaign-order horses. This has been an extended labour of love, and it is only fitting that I commissioned Lee to paint them to his usual high standard, so I am really very pleased indeed to have them ready and in The Cupboard.

My previous (post-1812, helmeted) regiments have moved into the Allied Odd-Bods box, while I decide what to do with them. They served as stopgaps for 40 years, so some respect is due.


8 comments:

  1. That's a really nice job. They remind me of Bill Lamming's figures - you'd never guess their origin. Excellent!

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  2. They are very smart looking fellows!

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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  3. I really like the British Heavy Dragoon uniform pre-helmet too, and these chaps look splendid!

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  4. Great to them all based up, I'm really glad that you are happy with them :-)

    Cheers,
    Lee.

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  5. They do look good (great job Lee) but if you check out the pictures on Lee's blog you will see that they have already been seen off once by my Hinton Hunt French fusiliers!

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  6. Thank you all, gentlemen - I am very pleased with them. Ian - I saw the picture of the confrontation with your infantry - shortly after that they retired all the way to the Scottish Lowlands to recover!

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  7. Well worth the wait, I'd say. Beautiful paint job from Lee too!

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  8. A very smart looking solution, too!

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