Project: all varieties of pre-1812 French uniforms

Well - there's one specific set from HäT which displays (as far as I think) the pre-Bardin type of French uniform in the best way and that's the set 8095 French line infantry. The set 8166 1805-1812 “French line grenadiers” is technically an extension pack to this set which contains the eight additional stances that are necessary to complete the look of the grenadier battalions of that era.

This type of uniform wasn't only worn by the French core regiments, but also by many of the armies of nations allied with the French until 1813/1814. The pure range of painting possibilities astonisched me, so a while ago I decided to paint each and every variety possible with these sets.

The conditions for this project are:
- Only figures from HäT sets 8095 and 8166 and their parts are allowed, no external material or figure parts from other sets
- Modifications can be done within the sets – for example swapping heads or cutting/melting work that alters shako plates, cuffs, plume positions and other details into the required shape.
- No time limit or certain order of painting and posting

I know that in books and uniform tables many units are shown with gaiters, even with the Hessian type of gaiters that wears a tassle on top of it – and the soldiers in the set wear long trousers. Nevertheless, after reading some sources, talking with reenactors and looking on pictures of soldiers on campaign, I learned that on campaign, trousers were regularly worn above gaiters in order to prevent them from being worn-up too fast. Tassles were often stored in the packpack in order to prevent them from getting lost. So having this in mind, the long trousers are no problem at all. In some cases, I made some cutting work on the trousers in order to simulate gaiters with paint.


The aspect of units being on campaign also offers a good chance to vary with the standard pattern of uniforms and make lively mini-displays with units that have a more "active" look than the ones in parade dress. The most difficult guys in this project are the drummers. There are so many varieties of flamboyant uniforms, really great. But they are sometimes rather hard to paint because of all the flamboyant details on their jackets.


After having based most of my existing units, I now decided to create a complete catalogue of my project work on this place. Completed units are shown with full bases, not completed units have unfinished bases with placeholders that mark the position of the yet-to-be-painted soldiers.
Regiment representative plates show all sub-units that were either available to the specific regiments or available as a uniform pattern - for some, I did not have pictures of i.e. grenadier or voltigeur uniforms, for others, they simply didn't exist. I have also decided to paint drummer and officer versions only for one sub-cathegory (for example a fusilier drummer plus a grenadier officer etc.), because they mostly were only devided by epaulette and plume colours and - which is much worse - my supply of drummers and officers is always low because there are only 4 of each in every set.

To show as many details as possible, I made a front and a backside photo of every unit. So beware - a large catalogue is following this text...

French units

32nd regiment of the line, white uniforms

33rd regiment of the line, white uniforms

63rd regiment of the line

1st foreign regiment (tour d'Auvergne)

2nd foreign regiment (Isemburg)

Grenadiers (from left to right in the periods from 1805-1806, 1807-1808, 1809-1810, 1811-1812)

Voltigeurs (from left to right in the periods from 1805-1806, 1807-1808, 1809-1810, 1811-1812)

3rd foreign regiment (Irlandais)

4th foreign regiment (Prusse)

Chasseurs des montagnes

Piemontaise regiment

Tirailleurs du Po

Bataillon septinsulaire

Regiment Illyrien

Coastal guards

Sapper bombardiers and engineers

German Allies

Baden, lifeguard grenadier in field dress

Cleve-Berg, line infantry (left side) and national foot guards (right side)

Frankfurt, line infantry

Hanover, line infantry

Lippe-Detmold, line infantry

Westphalia, voltigeurs of the 7th line regiment

Wurzburg, line infantry

Wurzburg, voluntary hunters 1814

Italy and the mediterranian Allies

Kingdom of Italy, Velites of the guard

Kingdom of Italy, Conscripts of the guard

Kingdom of Italy, foot artillery of the guard

Kingdom of Italy, Guard grenadiers

Kingdom of Italy, line infantry fusiliers of all seven regiments

Kingdom of Italy, line infantry grenadiers of all seven regiments

Kingdom of Italy, fusiliers of the four light infantry regiments 1810-1812

Kingdom of Italy, light infantry carabiniers of the three regiments in 1809

Kingdom of Italy, colonial batallion

Kingdom of Italy, Coast guard

Kingdom of Italy, Guards of Milan

Croatia, 1st infantry regiment

Croatia, 3rd infantry regiment

Spain (French occupied)

Guard grenadier regiment of Joseph Napoleon

Regiment Joseph Napoleon

Jager regiment

1st-7th regiment of line infantry, fusiliers

Regiment Ile de Ré (left) and Walcheren (right)

Naples, light infantry

Naples foot velites, 1808, 1st regiment velite-chasseur and 2nd regiment velite-voltigeur

Naples guard grenadiers

Swiss regiments

1st infantry regiment

2nd infantry regiment

3rd infantry regiment

4th Swiss infantry regiment

Valais regiment

Others

Dutch grenadiers of the Old Guard

Kingdom of Holland, lifeguard grenadier regiment - grenadier and chasseur

Kingdom of Holland, line infantry, all 8 regiments

Grenadiers

Kingdom of Holland, 2nd light infantry regiment (early uniform)

Kingdom of Holland, Marines