French Dragoons in Egypt 1800

Although the French Dragoons fighting in Egypt in 1800 could have the same uniform as back in Europe I decided to represent their summer cotton uniform instead.

I choose to represent the 14th (dark pink facings) and the 20th (pale yellow facings)

Napoleonic British Cavalry rebasing - complete!

A lot of debate on my part about the rebasing of this large unit of Light Dragoons, in the end I decided on a compromise, the originals were all Airfix RHA officer figures and looked very old style as they were all the same pose. So I decided to mix in the Strelets British Cavalry in Egypt set. But I still kept all the common rider poses in one unit, but mixed up the horses.

At the front of the pair is the new 14th Light Dragoons with mixed horses, followed by the older 16th Light Dragoons. To the left is my new 26th Light Dragoons for Egypt in 1800 with their French grey uniforms again containing a mix of figures

Ideally if I had thought to purchase another box of the British Cavalry in Egypt when they were available, they would have been far better.

A little extra for the French in Egypt 1800

Just like the camel drawn limbers (link) when I saw the Perry figures for the artillery train, I had to add them to my French army. This used up a couple of my old Airfix RHA horse team, a pair of resin limbers and drivers created from the Hat Napoleonic French artillery outriders with bicorne head swaps. Uniform details came from Yves Martin's book (link)

French Revolution reinforcements for Egypt

These are the Strelets French Light Infantry in Egypt. I had originally planned to use the figures to double up my existing French units, but I forgot that I had already done that. So they became a selection of more unusual units.

The rear pair of units are French Line in the early blue cotton uniform. In the front from Left to right are Maltese Legion, French Legere in the early cotton uniform and the Greek Legion.

Cisalpine Republic/Lombardy legion

The variety of uniforms for the Cisalpine  Republic and other associated bodies such as the Lombardy Legion tend to have one factor in common, which is the use of green rather than blue. So here are some extra units to support my Republican French in Italy.

Given the difficulties of finding a definate answer, I just picked a selection of the uniforms used at the the time and a similar selection of flags

Extra Austrian Kuirassiers

Observant readers may have noticed that I would have eight Kuirassier figures left over. These were modified with the bicorne heads from the Chevaulegers to provide an earlier version of the uniform suitable for the French Revolution period. I also swapped the horses for some old spare Italeri Carabinier horses as there were a few badly moulded horses in the sets.

2nd coalition - Austrian Infantry

Some more "Austrian" Infantry to finish off my Austrian Army for the War of the 2nd Coalition period.
From front to rear: Hungarian light infantry (to complete a unit), Austrian Infantry, Wurttemberg Infantry (allies of the Austrian Empire) and Austrian Grenadiers.

French Republican Legions

A couple of light infantry units for my French forces the Legion Allobroges (front) and Legion Germanique (rear) The former fought with the Armee d'Italie and the later in the Guerre de Vendée.

These were originally planned to be Spanish Cazadores, but once I started I decided that they did not fit the part as there were too many cross belts, hence the change.

A Mameluke horde

A lot of painting plus rebasing to get a better army organised to face the French in Egypt. It's a mix of various Strelets Mameluke and Bashi-Bazouk sets to create a consistent force to oppose my French in Egypt or Syria.


Cavalry, the skirmishers are rebased Bashi-Bazouks plus a couple of Mamelukes based so they can be either open or close order

More cavalry, the back ranks are all Bashi-Bazouks that fit in well with the Mamelukes


The infantry, all Strelets Bashi-Bazouks on foot. Not quite a complete set as I've kept some to create a skirmish unit


As before, poor light and new camera have affected the picture quality.

Archduke Piccolo, I hope you like the Bashis

The Navy's here - matelot hauled limbers

After a number of false starts eventually I got a combination of the Hat sailors that looked something like they were hauling a gun and limber. There are a couple of oddments mixed in, but I leave that for those interested to identify. The limber is the old RHA limber from Airfix with "shoes" added to spread the load on sand. At the moment I'm still using the Airfix RHA gun, but an older split trailed version was used in Egypt.

A close up version


and the idea came from the Perry's in 28mm.

Camel drawn limbers

I blame the Perrys' I saw their version of a camel drawn limber in their French in Egypt range and I had to have a couple. Luckily I had a few spare Italeri Camels (thanks to David P) so I carved the saddlery off and added the harness using green stuff to get a passable likeness.


The handlers are a couple of Redbox Ottoman sailors and the limbers are HaT French Artillery limbers


Here's the cause of all my work

French Hussars in Egypt

Back to the Revolution and the French army of the orient with the 7eme bis Hussars. It was the sole Hussar unit in the army. Figures by Strelets.


Strictly I should have replaced the incorrect saddle cloth, but if I did that I would really have to replace the shakos with peaked mirlitons as well, so I just left them as is. Here's a correct version by Eugene Leprieve.

British Infantry in Egypt 1800 - doubling up

It's been a while, because three batches of painting gradually merged into one big batch and here they are finished. I had to shuffle some figures around to make up the units correctly, So the Foot Guards are completely new figures except the officer and standard bearer.


The combined units, quite an impressive force.

More French for Egypt 1800

Phew, that was an effort. I originally started work on these as three separate batches, but then they all seemed to merge and ended up being completed at the same time. These are all duplicates of my existing French infantry to double them in size from 12 to 24 figures each and 6 to 12 for the Legere.


I've still got some cavalry and limbers to work on.

More French for Egypt 1801

At last some colour in my painting and these are very colourful. To go with my existing four line infantry units I have added another two, plus four small units of Legere. The flags just need printing and adding to the line units.

Figures are Strelets French Light Infantry in Egypt

French Dromedary Corps in Egypt 1801

Something of an impulse purchase. These are SHQ metal figures as there is nothing similar available in plastic. The Regiment de Dromedaires would really be used for patrolling, etc. and not really on the battlefield, but they do look nice. The figures are dressed in their late uniform aound 1800-1802. The figures were sold in packs of three, but only wanting four I added one of the French Generals from the same range as an officer.



On the right of the unit is one of the Generals accompanied by a couple of Strelets infantrymen. I've also added a few other bits, a couple more casualty bases and some mummies and sarcophagus (from an old Atlantic set)

French Artillery in Egypt

A change from all that unrelenting Khaki a shift back to circa 1800 with some French Artillery in Egypt. The figures are those from Strelets, but they a really a generic set of Revolutionary wars French Artillery rather than being specifically for Egypt.
Rather than using the guns provided, which looked too big and heavy to use for field operations I use a couple of spares, probably HaT

None of my sources give any information on the train personnel, they were still unmilitarised in France at the time, but if anyone has any more details please add a comment

Happy New Year - and a colourful end to the old

French Infantry in Egypt must be one of the most colourful armies around and I just managed to complete these four units before the year ended.



Lovely figures and I'll have to get another pack of these Strelets French Light Infantry in Egypt to make some light infantry and a couple more units

Wishing everyone all the best for 2014

British Commanders for Egypt 1801

Things are now beginning to shift off the painting table. With the release of the Hat Napoleonic British Command I've been able to add some generals to my British army in Egypt 1801.

I also added a couple of extra light dragoons as couriers or scouts.

So this army is now complete enough to arrive on the gaming table, perhaps next week?

"Bydand"

Having worked in Aberdeen and as my Scottish Brigade for last years big game came mainly from the Gordon Highlanders, It was the obvious choice for the Scottish regiment to be added to my 1801 British army in Egypt.

The figures are of course the venerable Airfix Highlanders, and thanks to Daff who provided a replacement when one of them broke. A strange case of the brittle plastic disease, as the musket was still fully flexible and the whole kneeling figure just broke off the base at the ankles.