Camel 1s Dromedary trotting

French 7th bis Hussars two ways

In the abysmal language of TV cooking shows, here are the French 7th bis Hussars done two ways - first with S Range figures, then with Lamming one piece figures (probably SYW ones) with an S Range officer and a Minifigs 20mm one piece casting of Murat.

As I mentioned in my previous post my Egyptian campaign forces on both side were overdependent on camel riders and noticeably short of horsed cavalry.

I found some dragoons for the French and then started on the S Range figures at the top.I have a unit of these on another post (can that really have been nine and a half years ago?). Anyway I believe the figure to be a Napoleonic British Hussar (troopers and officers) in Mirliton, though I haven't been able to find a code on any listing I have seen. It might just be the SYW Hussar (FSWC 2s) which is recommended for use in the French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign, but I think the shabraque etc is Napoleonic. I painted these according to the Knotel plate in Vol 1 of Elting's European Uniforms.

When I picked up a copy of Yves Martin's The French Army of the Orient 1798-1801 I found a completely different plate based on a reconstruction from a written description of a now lost plate by Hoffman.

I therefore thought I might field two units, one of each version. For the second I chose some (not terribly good) recasts of the lovely Lamming SYW one piece hussar, which came in at least two versions, with busby or with (as here) Mirliton. Some of these figures are waiting for sword replacement therapy.

Lamming also did a rather lovely dismounted hussar, kneeling firing. This came in at least two headgear variants - busby and shako - mine are pictured below. The standing figure is an S Range staff officer

More French and Egypt - FRC 3s Mamelukes

I had never seen this figure before but this morning 45 of them arrived from eBay. They are the proper French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign Range Mamelukes, and are particularly welcome as they will provide  a substantial number of cavalry for my S Range Egyptian army, which (similarly to the French I admit) has been overdependent on camelry - FRC 4s Arabs for the Egyptians and FRC 1s Dromedary Troopers for the French.

When I first saw the listing on eBay I passed it by as I thought they were the Guard Mamelukes from the general French Napoleonic Range. As I already had plenty of these, both in S Range and Hinton Hunt, and Napoleon himself only ever had about 200 at any given time, I didn't think much more about it. However, thankfully, on the closing day for the auction I looked at the photos again and saw they were all carrying small round shields which meant they are the proper Egyptian Campaign Range ones. I had to bid strongly for them but I am very pleased to get them.

The photo is a comparison shot - the two figures on the left (the unpainted ones) are FRC 3s Mamelukes from the French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign Range, while the two painted figures on the right are FNC 6s Guard Mamelukes from the general French Napoleonic range.

Identifying features for the Egyptian Campaign figures are that not only do they have a small round shield carried on their left arm they also have a musket slung on their backs.

I had never seen this figure before so am very pleased to have acquired them - just need to face up to the prospect of painting some or all of them now.

French and Egypt bits and pieces

I'm trying to finish off my French Revolution and Egypt figures, particularly the French forces. I have been part way through for months two units of Hussars - S Range in Mirliton and Lamming Hussars in Mirlitons and finishing some standard bearers, using the FR 12s Demi Brigade Officer with some of the rather lovely Adolfo Ramos versions of the distinctive French flags.

When these are finally done I'll try to take some photos of both armies. As with the Landsknechts I resorted to modern figures from the Hagen Miniatures shop to provide some Ottoman artillery, with guns from Newline. I'm happy with these but for French guinners I thought I would just paint som S Range Austrian gunners, which would provide a better fit in style. I still have to source some guns for these figures.

There is a long and convoluted story about S Range ginners which I will probably disclose when I have the army finished - I am waiting for some guns from Kennington.

So first up: French (?) gunners:

Secondly, a figure I had never seen, until I acquired these late last year/early this year:

This is FRC 4s Arab camel Rider with Musket, which is a tremendously versatile and useful figure which would serve from 1790 to 1918 at least.

Conscripted into Egyptian forces

I haven't been able to identify this S Range figure - either medieval or Renaissance I think - but I will be mixing them in with my Arab swordsmen units to give a bit of variety and possibly carry small standards to provide command figures and add more colour to the units.

Mamelukes

I scared up a few S Range maleukes from the French Napoleonic range - FNC 6s Guard Mameluke, FNC 26s Guard Mameluke Officer, and FNC 42s Guard Mameluke Trumpeter, ready to do dual service as Egyptian Cavalry. I think I may have more of these somewhere in the loft (I know I have quite a few Hinton Hunt ones).

These weren't completely repainrted, more a quick refurbish.

Napoleon in Egypt - the French

Surely the most colourful French army ever.

First, Demi Brigade infantry and grenadiers (FR 10s, 11s and 12s):

Then Demi Brigade light infantry FR13s, some with more grenadiers FR10s

FR 14s Demi Brigade Riflemen:

FRC 1s French Dromedary Trooper - I probably have more of these than Napoleon had:

French Officers - these are Fine Scale Factory figures

French horse mounted general:

Things I still have to do: command bases - I have plenty of spare officer figures who will be given flags I currently have on order from Adolfo Ramos. Horse cavalry - I will look out some S Range Dragoons. There is a lovely one piece Lamming Hussar in Mirliton and if I can find some this will give me my light cavalry. I don't know what to do with artillery yet.

For the opposition I think I have some Mamelukes - I know I have a reasonable number of Hinton Hunt figures but I may also have some S range ones. Trip to the loft is called for. I have never been able to identify with confidence  FRC 6s Arab horse lancer and FRC 7s Syrian horse lancer. I have some S Range figures which may be Ancients but could stand in.

When I work out a decent way of photographing them en masse I will see if I can photograph the whole force together.

Egyptian Campaign

I've spent the last three weeks painting and refurbishing a large number of original French Revolution and Egypt range figures from a number of recent ebay wins.

First the Egyptians etc.:

FR 20s Arab with musket

FR 21s Syrian with musket - the largest contingent in my force

FR 22s Egyptian regular with musket - these are the Nizam e Cedit

FR 23s Arab with sword and shield

I have another 30 or so of these figures (sword and shield) to refurbish/repaint but I need to get some more 1p coins to base them on first.

The janissaries are from the Renaissance range (R 9s musketeer, R 10s archer, and R 11s officer) and I am waiting for another 40 or so to make up two units.

The guns at the top of this post are Miniature Figurines but I can't identify them 100%. There is a picture of them with converted gunners on the last page of George Gish's Renaissance Armies book

The only possibility I have found is MFA 1s Medieval Siege Gun (Mons Meg) and my doubt is that Mons Meg doesn't look like these.

I also need to give some attention to possible command figures. I don't currently have any cavalry figures.

Next up, when there is some decent light and I have time to take pictures, will be the French in Egypt - surely the most colourful French Army ever.

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French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign: Egyptian Campaign armies

I've now finished painting the Egyptian Campaign contingents.

The French include light infantry demi brigades, grenadiers, and dromedaires. The mounted general is an S Range Lasalle while the camel mounted Napoleon and general/aide are from Fine Scale Factory.

The opposition include Egyptian infantry, Bedouins, and Syrian infantry.

Something a bit different

This is a unit of 18 FR 22s, Egyptian Regular from the French Revoltion and Egyptian Campaign range, painted as Nizam-i Cedit infantry

Can anyone identify these lancers?

In my continuing quest to find some of the French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign cavalry figures, I wonder whether either of these S Range figures acquired yesterday (thanks Harry) might be FRC 7s, the Syrian Horse Lancer? If anyone can offer an identification of either of these figures, I would be glad to know. They seem to be two variants of the same figure, with shield and without.

Painting help please...Egypt Campaign Syrian Infantry

I find I have twelve of these figures and would like to paint them, but have no uniform reference for them. Can anyone provide any information and/or helpful suggestions? Thanks.

In particular i am not sure if they aren't wearing a breast and backplate, and also what metal their helmets would be.

Help Please!

For a while I have been wishing I had seen some of the cavalry figures from the French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign range. Then in a small moment of lucidity I wondered if these figures might actually be one or some of FRC 6s (Arab Horse Lancer) or FRC 7s (Syrian Horse Lancer). They come from a Colonial collection I bought a while ago, which included many conversions, eg from British Napoleonic Alberken infantry, and gems like Crimean Spahis and Chasseurs d'Afrique. I had always assumed that these figures, which are clearly S Range, would be Ancient types, of which I have almost no knowledge. However, on looking at the catalogue I can't see what else these figures could be, apart form the Egyptian Campaign figures. Can anyone help clear this up with a more definitive identification?

French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign Range - Must List Wargamer's Newsletter 102 September 1970

French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign - Grenadiers redone

Painted as the Grenadiers of the 9e Demi Brigade, figures are five FR10s grenadiers, and one each FR14s rifleman advancing (in helmet), FR12s officer, and based with the officer, FR11s infantryman advancing.

French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign - Dromedaires redone

A couple of these have lost their plumes. 5 x FRC1s mounted on Camel 1s, Dromedary Trotting.

French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign - Demi Brigades redone

I wanted to capture the colourful nature of the army early on, before it was re-equipped with blue cotton uniforms.I decided to repaint the Demi Brigade Light Infantry as two small units, giving a variety of coat colours, rather than as one larger unit. I also wanted to be able to use them for other Revolutionary Wars campaigns. The units chosen are the 4e Legere and the 22e Legere. Both served in the Egyptian capaign, but the main reason for choosing these were thier presence among the uniform plates in Elting/Knotel.

Next I have five dromedaire troopers, some grenadiers, and a single rifleman and line infantryman to repaint.

French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign - new arrivals

I am glad to have tracked down some more figures from this range, and additional pictures have been added to some of the previous posts below. My new figures are demi brigade infantry - mainly light infantry, with some officers, grenadiers and a solitary rifleman - and five dromedary troopers. I need to check the uniform details to see if these are historical, and then decide whether I am up for repainting them. This range is one of my favourites so I was very pleased to find these figures.

French Revolution and Egyptian Campaign Range

This small range contains figures which are full of character, and in my experience quite rare. The examples I have have variously been masquerading as Spanish Guerillas and colonial wars figures. Vintage20mil lists 15 infantry, 4 cavalry and 3 camel riders, together with a number of empty codes.

I thought I would start the blog with this range as it is small, the figures have charm, and I always dream that one day someone will offer me a collection of them - if that person is you, let me know!

FR 1s Citizeness with musket