I'm bringing this thread back to life!
Since my last post, I have been able to obtain some parts which I had been looking for for a long while. I've finally gathered enough to create a decent amount of French infantrymen, and thanks to the pirate duopack I now have the perfect torsos for British infantrymen.
But first:
French fusiliers (1805-1815)
The french fusilier was the standard line infantryman and was the backbone of Napoleon's armies. They were the 'average' soldier,equipped with the Charleville musket and matching bayonet. Since they were line infantry, they fought in massive formations, firing volleys and charging with the bayonet. The effective range of a musket at the time as 5O meters, but firefights were usually held at 100 meters. (At the battle of Waterloo, this meant that only 1 per +/- 460 bullets actually hit the target they were intended for.)
There are basically three formations for line infantry:
-Line: the basic formation. Line formation is the best formation to fire in. Since the line is only a few ranks deep, the troops are spread over a longer distance, and the firepower increases. Spreading the troops has its advantages against artillery fire but the line formation is very vulnerable to enemy cavalry when they attack from the sides or rear. The standard French (and continental) line is three ranks deep, the British standard line is two ranks deep (to improve firepower since more men are able to shoot at the same moment). At the battle of Waterloo, British troops formed lines four ranks deep, so that they could quickly change to square formation. (A lot of enemy cavalry was present at that day.)
-Square: the square is vital for protection against cavalry. The troops form a closed figure (usually a square but in battle this could be a circle, rectangle, ...) which provides protection from all sides. This way there is no weak point in the formation, and the cavalry usually can't break through. (Horses usually aren't too fond of pushing themselves on bayonets.) When the enemy numbers are overwhelming though, a square can break which usually ends up in a slaughter. Holding the square is vital.
When in square formation, the troops cannot move. Only very experienced units are able to maintain the order needed to march in square formation. (Like the last charge of the Vieille Garde at the battle of Waterloo.) Since the men are packed together and can't move, a square is often a favourite target for artillery.
-Column: the column is usually used when marching, but can be used in battle aswell. The French were very fond of this formation, since the tight packing of men had an emotional effect on the front rows, which were supported by their comrades at the back. This was ideal for a bayonet charge but the column has a lot less firepower than the line formation. It also makes a great target for artillery.
Some blame the extensive use of columns instead of lines for the French defeats.
The french fusiliers were better shots than the enemy line infantry since they were trained to aim at a certain target, whereas most were just trained to fire an untargeted volley.
Enough chitchat, here are the pics!
The bayonets are kept on the right whereas most troops carried it on the left. (French fusiliers carry only one belt, except for NCO's.) Fusiliers used to carry bicornes but they received new uniforms and shakos from 1805 on. The uniform changed a bit in 1812, but it isn't noticable on this level of detail.
Hope you like them!
Gaetano
