Slitherine

{I truly wish we had the sub-forums. Is there a particular reason, oh powers that be, that we don't have them (yet?)?}

Starting to put together some of the Perry 28mm French Hussars. But just what parts do I use???

-tight breaches or the buttoned overalls??...would both be used on campaign?
-would the pelisses be worn on campaign/in combat??
-they come with a zillion heads...I guess I just pick a year?...would I mix them up in a unit at all?
-the upper bodies seem all the same so I should be fine there

Thanks for any help!

Dan T.

depends on what you like really. The buttoned up grey breaches were for campaign but don't look as snazzy as the colourful pants. Pelisse can be worn as jacket or over the shoulder, really depends on how much detail you want to paint (told you you were insane for ordering all those Hussars).
As for heads pick a year and take that chapeau. Some units would have elite companies with the fur Busby I think the painting guide tells you who had them. Any shako type head gear can have the cover on it, usually black oil cloth and it could be worn on campaign.
In the end its all up to you to choose how pretty you want your horsies to look.

Like deadtorius said, it depends on how 'pretty' you want your Hussars to look.
I like the 'Campaign' look to my guys, but even then the Hussars will cut a 'dashing' look about them.
I have 8 figs to my 28mm Hussar units, so normally either have them all as 'Elites' or all 'Regular \ Line' types. I'll often have the Officer and Bugler as Elites however.
I will usuall pick a head-dress around the 1812 period. That way they can be used up until 1815 without too much greif, and don't look too 'out of place' for 1809.
Cheers

What about the guns that come with the figures? I don't recall reading much where hussars used muskets/rifles. Do you include the guns on the horses when you have made up units?

They had them and according to Osprey they even were trained to skirmish with them. The book on Austrian cav shows a Hussar loading from the saddle, the ramrod has an attached cord so it cant get dropped in the heat of battle, kind of like the swords.

Okay...so then just how do they get placed on the figure? They don't seem to fit on like the dragoons, angled over the right leg, attached to front of the saddle.

Haven't been here f or ages - only just sqaw this one:

the carbine goes on the shoulder belt which passes over his cartouche. There is a small protuberance on the belt, below and slightly behind his right armpit - this is a the swivel mount onto which the carbine was clipped.

The button up breeches were not always grey - a lot of illustrations I have seen depict them (post 1812) as green, and I've seen them in a mid blue as well (but can't remember where - will look later) The seams on the outside of the leg were often red, the leather reinforcement on the cufs and inner leg were usually black.

Headgear - the cylindrical shako (shako rouleau) began appearing sometime around 1812, and became more common (but never, IIRC, universal) later on.The colpack was pretty much reserved for the elite company (half of one squadron in the regiment - think grenadiers of an infantry battalion), sapeurs (yes, they did have them!) and officers - regimental bands (more than just trumpeters) seem to have had them for parade wear, if nothing else.

There are some pretty good books on the subject of French hussars - apart from the veneralbe Osprey title, the Histoire & Collections series has a rather good 3 part set on them - and they are individually cheaper, or no more expensive than, Osprey MAA.

X