Easy-to-build Napoleonic French Chasseurs à Cheval!
A single Chasseurs à Cheval (light cavalry) plastic trooper compromise of only six parts each: a 2-part horse, rider body, head, arm and sabretache/sabre scabbard. You’ll have these great-looking plastic horsemen on the tabletop and be harrying your opponents flanks in no time!
Formed in 1743, the Chasseurs à Cheval (mounted hunters) were hard-riding, green-clad light cavalry whose main role was patrolling and raiding for the French armies.
A good Chasseur was at home on his light horse, skirmishing with the enemy cavalry or scouting enemy movements and thus providing valuable intelligence for their commanders.
Armed with carbine, curved sabre and bayonet (an item disliked by the cavalrymen who used it to dig up vegetables or ‘lost’ it on campaign) the Chasseurs were happiest in the saddle, although they were also trained to fight on foot should the need arise.
At the height of the French Army under Bonaparte’s reign, there were 31 regiments of Chasseurs à Cheval although only 15 regiments were available for the titanic Hundred Days campaign that culminated at the Battle of Waterloo.
The box contains 12 plastic cavalry models, plus metal parts to make the command models.
Our superbly detailed Chasseurs à Cheval are provided with covered and uncovered shakos as well as the colpacks favoured by the elite companies.
Although requested not to wear the sabretache beyond 1808 many Chasseurs would keep this item well beyond this decree and thus we’ve included it on our models. For those of you wishing to follow regulations over reality simply snip the sabretache off. Similarly, we’ve included an arm carrying an eagle as although they wouldn’t have carried this into battle (in fact, Napoleon forbade them to do so after so many were lost in battle!), we know that many wargamers like to have one in their regiments!
You can order these great figures as a single box, a 2-box ‘Brigade’ deal or, for the more dedicated French general we have a great value 4-box ‘Division’ special offer too!
For a detailed guide to the history and uniforms of the Chasseurs à Cheval, take a look at this fantastic article from Warlord’s own David Matthews!
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
