The title of this post may be considered misleading. The figures pictured are in fact from three of the French Foreign Regiments; Isenburg, Neuchatel, and Preuss. Many men from these regiments went over to the Spanish during the Peninsula war. The Guerrilla leader Mina, in particular, received drafts of recruits from these regiments.
I am putting together three of Mina's regiments and one other Guerrilla regiment. I'm using mainly Front Rank figures (these are also Front Rank's figures) but also some figures from the Perry's Carlist range. Front Rank have excellent Guerillas.
Spanish regiments, even Guerrilla regiments, were very keen on uniforms and maintained them when they could. Most recruits would have been in Mina's brown uniforms when a new draft of uniforms arrived. But Guerrillas also used captured clothing, even from Spanish deserters when they caught them, for a bounty. So a mix of clothing would have obtained in regiments, in between new issue of clothing at least.
Anyway, these are my excuses for uniform selection and I'm sticking to them.
Lace 'n Big Hats is a diary of my lead adventures. The title comes from a remark of Martin Rapier, a member of TMP. Lace 'n Big Hats aggregates historical periods such as the Lace wars, Seven years war, Napoleonic Wars etc, which had this elaborate dress as one common factor. I like the phrase so much I am thinking of using it as a name for a rule set I am working on. My historical interests are actually a bit broader, so I will be throwing in bits and pieces from WW2 and even the Modern era.
Awesome looking troops. These are some of the nicest painting on FR figures I have seen. Very very well done.
ReplyDeleteVery nice... I am now inspired to paint my FR Brits, Dutch/Belgians.
ReplyDeleteThank you for those kind words.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking figures although i am surprised to hear about Spanish Guerrillas accepting French "deserters" in their midst especially from the battalion Neuchatel which is graded as Guard by some. I would have thought they would get their throats cut being "French" foreign or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteNot sure any of the Neuchatel went over to the Spanish. But their uniforms could have been captured. Anyway, they look pretty.
ReplyDeleteDeserters from the regiments Ilyrian and Preuss did go over to the Spanish and subsequently fought against the French.