Sunday, October 10, 2010

Isla Leon Militia

More preparation for Barrosa. I'd bought figures to do another metal battalion for my Napoleonics (adding a unit a month has seen me steadily rise to a position of having a respectable little army now in it's own right), and the game was the spur to research units in the field at the time.

I plumped for the regiment De Isla Leon, as a good match for my figures:
Now it turns out these chaps were at Albuera, a later battle in the same campaign, and were recruited from Cadiz itself - the raison d'etre for the Barrosa battle. So if not actually there themselves, as suitable force to appear in spirit.

The models as more often than not for me, are Front Rank, I love the fact they still let you buy individual models, no messing around with this three packs of foot and one of command to make a unit of 24 men leaving you with 6 spare models nonsense!

My brown is closer to the modern recreations of the cloth colour than the print, which has very likely suffered considerable changes of shade since it was done. A description I found of the regiment indicates white leather cross-belts, typical of the period anyway.

Some touches, like the standard, drummer and officers details, have to be hypothesised. But overall a pleasing and simple job.

3 comments:

  1. Very nice-looking unit. Great choice of colors. I see that the reference picture has exposed lapels; does Front Rank make them like this? Probably not, I suppose - as I'm sure you'd have gotten them. Beautiful work nonetheless. Dean

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  2. Nice figures, I do like to see brown or other unusual coloured units, for the period its makes a change from all the reds and blues. Well done!!

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  3. Nice work indeed - a shame you didn't have a go at the interesting trouser opening arrangement in the picture!

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