Introduction:
The drums of war are beating once more, and I'm absolutely delighted to share a project that's been a true passion of mine: my 15mm Napoleonic French Hussars are finally painted and ready to charge! There's something incredibly dynamic about cavalry on the tabletop, and bringing these miniature horsemen to life has been a rewarding journey. Join me as I showcase the finished units and share a few thoughts on their painting and their future on the battlefield.
The Painting Process: Speed and Detail in 15mm
Painting 15mm miniatures is always a balance between achieving detail and maintaining a reasonable pace, especially when you have entire regiments of cavalry. For these French horsemen, I focused on a consistent scheme that would look striking en masse.
I started with a Vallejo White Surface Primer undercoat, which provided a good foundation for the darker tones in small scales. For the vibrant blue of their uniforms, I used a mix of Pro acrylic sky blue and secret weapons verdigris blue. A later highlight with just the sky blue. The shako, boots and other black areas on the Pelisse were painted with vallejo German grey and drybrushed with vallejo white. Collar and cuffs were painted with Vallejo bloody red. The whole rider was then shaded with citadel Nuln oil. The horses were painted using Citadel contrast paints. Darkoath flesh, Gore grunta fur, snakebite leather and skeleton horde. The bridalwear was painted again with German grey. The key was to keep the brushwork clean but efficient, knowing that the overall effect on the tabletop is paramount.
The bases were kept simple, with filler to and sand to base, with a Seraphim sepia wash and drybrushing vallejo earth and beige over the top. The static grass tufts I made myself using 6mm loose static grass and an applicator to grass blobs of PVA glue on baking paper. This helps to represent the European battlefields they'll fight on.
The Regiments of the Empire
This batch of cavalry represents a formidable force on the field. I've focused on completing several key units that will form the backbone of my mounted arm.
Ready for the Charge!
With these cavalry units now fully painted, my Napoleonic French army feels much more complete and ready for larger engagements. I'm looking forward to seeing them thunder across the tabletop in games of Soldiers of Napoleon or Field of Glory Napoleonics.
What are your favorite Napoleonic cavalry units to paint or play with? Let me know in the comments below!
Conclusion:
Bringing these 15mm Napoleonic French cavalry to completion has been a fantastic project, and I'm incredibly proud of how they've turned out. The sheer visual impact of a painted cavalry charge is unmatched, even in this smaller scale. Stay tuned for battle reports and more painting updates as my French army continues to grow!
