Here is another contribution from frequent contributor Scott MacPhee.
Napoleon is rightly acknowledged as an emminent artillerist, logistician, and strategist. The classic French attack was preceded by a massive bombardment, infantry columns attacking to the pas de charge, and the issue decided by the bayonet. Yet Napoleon's knock-out blow was often delivered by his heavy cavalry. The French Cuirassiers, big men in armor mounted on big horses, were formidable troops indeed. The were used not in pursuit, but in shock action.
There are three different sets of cuirassiers to choose from, and each are easily availiable, but none really meet my mental picture of heavy cavalry. The men in all three sets are smaller than average, the poses are uninspired, and their horses are puny when compared with most plastic mounts. The only set of heavy French cavalry that look like heavy cavalry are the Italeri carabiniers, but their historical numbers were so few (two regiments) that the excellent figures are not used to their full potential. But the carabiners wear the same uniform as the cuirassiers, with only one difference - the helmet. A simple conversion can provide your miniature army with the cuirassiers it deserves.
Here are the figures I used for this conversion. The Italeri carabiniers,
left, provided the bodies for my cuirassiers, and the Italeri dragoons,
right, provided the heads. These are two of Italeri's best sets,
and the detail is up to the tremendous level I've come to expect from Italeri.
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The heads are taken off the carabiniers and dragoons, piano wire is
used to attach the dragoon heads to the carabniers' bodies, the figures
are painted, and we have a regiment of French cuirassiers that presents
an appropriately fearsome appearance. I always paint a prototype
figure before I start a project to try out different colors.
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Some changes in painting were used on the remainder of the regiment.
The biggest differences are the red, which was too bright on the prototype,
and painting in belts across the front of the cuirass.
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By using different heads with identical bodies, each man in the regiment can be made an individual. The carabiniers' horses can be used for the cuirassiers by trimming the grenade badge off the saddle blanket with a hobby knife.
Comments are welcome, and can be sent to Scott MacPhee. Many thanks to Mr. MacPhee.