Cuirassiers – WIP

Thanks to a kind donation by Roy of three spare Cuirassier riders I have been able to assemble a full 12 figure unit to bolster the heavy cavalry element of my French forces. This is my test figure FN/310 Cuirassier (dismountable series) and his fellow troopers are now well underway.

Like many of you who read this blog I began my interest in Napoleonic wargaming when Airfix released their 1/72nd French Cuirassiers and Highland infantry way back in 1969. I bought quite a few boxes of both but had to wait until 1972 before they could be reinforced by French and British line infantry. I don’t think I ever painted one of those plastic Cuirassiers preferring to use them unpainted for battles on the carpet.

I’m hoping to have this unit finished in time to take part in Vintage Waterloo the date of which has slipped back to the end of November (any more slippage and it will be a game to mark the 201st anniversary). I think this will give Roy and I four units of Cuirassiers and two of Carabiniers and they should look pretty spectacular en-masse – certainly better than my unpainted plastic ones ever did.