From My Sample Box (7) - Hinton Hunt - Early French Napoleonic Infantry (1798-1806)

It's a pity Hinton never developed this range further - there's lots of good Republican/pre-Imperial era battles to fight! These were the only figures he produced in this range for this period. Also, unfortunately, he never made any early Austrians wearing helmets for these figures to fight! Alberken/Minifig did however.
(As Roy points out they can fight the 'Stove-Pipe Shako' British figures that HH made for Penisular battles - which again was another limited figure range)

From Left to right: FN 271 - Officer Charging, FN 274 - Private Charging, FN 275 - Private Firing, FN 276 - Officer Marching and FN 277 - Private marching

The previously completed (around 1973) French Line 1st Division (Hinton Hunt) for comparison

Basic Figures to be used for the New French Line 2nd Division (Hinton Hunt)

From left to right - FN5(88), FN9(22), FN3(22), FN4(4), FN1(10), FN8(2), FN86(2), FN6(5)
FN224(1) and Minifig FN43 Sapper(1)


From left to right/top to bottom: FN31(4), FN35(2),
FN33(2), FN32(2), FN30(2), FN34(4)


Hinchliffe's superb 20mm Artillery: 20/4 8pdr (3) and
20/12 5.5" Howitzer(1)

Recruiting a new French Line Infantry Division

I thought this might a good place to start my posts - I wanted to begin assembling the troops for my French 2nd Division of the Line.

So after rummaging around in the various storage bins, boxes, drawers etc I gathered the figures together to create this division and laid them out to show the makeup. With one exception all the figures are Hinton Hunt 20mm - The exception is the Sapper in the Grenadier battalion which is early Minifig 20mm. I purchased enough figures over the years to make several divisions like this - either Line or Light Troops with some variations of course.

This Division will be identical to my Ist Division and will consist of 4 Line regiments each of two battalions. The battalions will consist of 4 centre companies (I'm a Brit thus English version of center!) , and one Grenadier and one Voltigeur company. Since most of the time (in my games that is) the grenadiers are massed into separate battalions as are the Skirmishers - I make the flank companies from different figures.

There will be divisional artillery attached also which will consist of 3 8prs and one 5.5" Howitzer - all from Hinchliffe's 20mm Artillery pieces (I think I read somewhere that these products will be available again soon - I am trying to confirm that since i want a few more) . This Division is commanded by a French Mounted General FN 224. I'll name him now - It is written done in the master Army List - if I can ever locate it!!

As stated each of the 4 Regts in the division are comprised of 2 battalions - the 1st Btn carries the Eagle which distinguishes it from the 2nd Btn. Each center company is comprised of 3 figs - FN5 Fusilier Charging (although I like to think it is actually Advancing). The 1st company of the 1st Btn differs in that it comprises 1 FN6 Drummer Advancing, 1 FN4 Colour Bearer and one FN5 Fusilier. Each Battalion is commanded by an Officer Charging FN1. Incidentally I paint the pompom's of each of the four regiments in the respective colors of the battalion companies - i.e the first regiment is all Green pompoms and the second is blue and so on Orange, Violet - This is great for identifying the regiment and also, on mass, makes it look large a large battalion!

The 2 Grenadier battalions consists of 4 companies each of 3 figures - FN9 Grenadier Marching but the first company of the first battalion has 1 FN6 drummer and a Minifig Sapper with one FN9. Each battalion is commanded by an Officer Marching FN8.

The 2 Voltigeur battalions consist of 4 companies each of three figures - FN3 Grenadier Firing but the first company of the first battalion has 1 FN86 Bugler (with Colpack) and 2 FN3's.

Depending on the Tactical requirements the Division can be split into 2 brigades of 2 regiments each of 2 battalions with respective flank coy's. or even three brigades each of 4 battalions with one of those brigades comprising the flank coy's. In which cases I recruit some additional Mounted Generals to command each brigade. I can also attach other troops to the Division - e.g. a Swiss Legion regiment and/or some Hessians or other allies - again depending on the tactical situations.

The artillery battery comprise 4 figures per gun making 16 figs and they are made up from all the Line Artillery figures available. I sometimes state that there are 2 batteries represented by 2 guns each - or one battery represented by the four gun's available (It depends on how I feel!)

So there we have it the Division is recruited - the Regiments will receive there No's in the Army Listings and also there Eagles from Nappy! and then we move on to flash cleaning, undercoating and painting - a very slow and tedious process but well worth it when it is completed.

I'll discuss how I came up with this organization and my French army plan in a future post.