28mm Napoleonic Saxon Heavy Cavalry (Connoissur miniatures)

For people who have visited the Wargames Holiday Center in the UK (now in Berkshire) some  units are evocative. I will always remember their Saxon Heavy Cavalry, made with Connoisseur miniatures. Connoisseur, now sold by Bicorne miniatures, was started by the late, great, Peter Guilder. The figures have great proportions. They look good today - even alongside contemporary ranges.

These figures present certain difficulties to the modeller. In the rush to introduce ranges manufacturers skipped over musicians and other figures we count on today. You only get an officer and a trooper. Forget about getting figures in a variety of poses. In olden times this was not a problem as people could make their own. You try to tell kids today and they don't believe you...

Here are the Saxon Guard du Corps

Napoleonic Saxon Guard du Corps (Connoisseur miniatures)

These are the Saxon von Zastrow Cuirassier

Saxon von Zastrow Cuirassier (Connoisseur miniatures)

28mm Napoleonic French Carabinier and Polish Cuirassier (Connoisseur miniatures)

There are no trumpeters in the range so you have to find suitable figures and convert them. The troopers have Cuirass, so they are no good. I took figures from the Saxon heavy cavalry. The trumpets are made with wire, araldite, green stuff as usual.

These are the French Carabinier

The Polish Cuirassier

Polish Cuirassier

French Carabinier

28mm Napoleonic Bavarian Cheveauleger

I present to you the Konig and Kron Prinz Bavarian Cheveauleger. The metal is from Bicorne miniatures. I think the figures are actually Connoisseur. They don't come with trumpeters, so those had to be made from troopers, using wire, araldite and green stuff. These are the Konig Regiment. The horses I chose were more flat out charging than the other regiment.

Here we have the Kron Prinz regiment

28mm Napoleonic Bavarian Cheveauleger

28mm Napoleonic Baden Hussars (Bicorne miniatures)

Here are the heroes of Berezina. They held off the Russians while the rest of the Grand Armee escaped. Only 50 men lived to return to Baden. The figures are from Bicorne. There is no trumpeter in the range, so I had to make one from a trooper, using wire and araldite.

Baden Hussars

28mm Napoleonic French Gendarme d'Elite

These are from Bicorne miniatures. I don't know if they are Bicorne or Connoisseur figures. Bicorne carries Bicorne, Connoisseur and Firing line. Gringo 40s do Gendarme d'Elite too . As do Perry. Not sure if Front Rank do them. I painted these because they are classics and remind me of the Wargames Holiday Center. Go visit the WHC if you get the chance. They are in Berkshire, UK, not far from London. They have a web site.

I saw someone else painted them here

http://woolshedwargamer.com/2014/05/07/28mm-connoisseurhinchliffe-french-guard-heavy-cavalry-c1984/

and another one here, with snaps of re-enactors

http://blundersonthedanube.blogspot.com/2014/06/gerdamrmes-d-elite-of-imperial-guard.html

Check out these Horse Grenadiers (at the back) from another blogger. I must have some. They look great in sky blue capes.

Gendarme d'Elite

28mm Napoleonic Württemberg Cheveauleger Duc Henry and Lieb Garde

Here are some more of my Napoleonic Württemberg cavalry. They are the Duc Henry and Lieb Garde Cheveauleger. The figures are mainly from Bicorne miniatures (the men) with horses from Bicorne, Connoisseur, Firing line and Elite miniatures. I had to make sure that the men all fitted onto their horses before getting started!

Württemberg Cheveauleger Duc Henry

 Württemberg Cheveauleger Lieb Garde

Württemberg Cheveauleger Duc Henry and Lieb Garde regimental charge!

28mm Napoleonic Württemberg Cheveauleger Duc Henry and Lieb Garde

28mm Napoleonic French Gendarme à Cheval (Bicorne miniatures)

These are 28mm Napoleonic French Gendarme à Cheval. The metal is from Bicorne miniatures. These are unusually fine figures in these days of chubby recruits.

 28mm Napoleonic French Gendarme à Cheval