French Light Infantry Conversions - Campaign Style

 
I was in need of some more French light infantry and in the spirit of trying to use up stuff in the cupboard decided to convert some Nassau Hat infantry to French light. They are a good match for the HaT French light infantry, I'm guessing perhaps even the same sculptor, but they did require some conversion. The Nassau troops have short tails on their coats, only their elite have fringed epaulettes, there are no cuff straps and the coats button down the centre rather than having lapels. But their kit is solidly French, all have the sword/ bayonet frogs combined and the headgear for the elites is exactly the same as the HaT French elites. Bonus for giving them a campaign look is that they wear trousers and shako covers.

Although lovely sculpts I have always found the HaT Light Infantry sets a bit parade groundy, with their plumes and cords and tall gaiters. I took as my inspiration the beautiful Black Watch metal sculpts that I had painted earlier as 16th Legere. Many of those were only wearing waist coats, as was common in the heat of Spain, so some of my Nassau figures lost their tails while others had the tails of their coats lengthened. The wrongly placed coat buttons I worried less about, as they are almost impossible to carve off. Mostly with the elites the buttons either side of the lapels are hidden by the straps so I painted in the few buttons showing instead. 

I added a few Franznap head swaps, used up a few of my remaining HaT French lights to mix in with the conversions because rather than fielding these as their own battalion I will probably mix them up with my existing battalions to give more of a campaign look throughout.

A mixed bag, here are the figures after conversion. The grey and green figures are the converted Nassau, the others the HaT Legere, some with head swaps to non-plumed and covered shakos.

A slightly blurry WIP showing the tails, cuff straps and added epaulettes on the Nassau figures. As mentioned some of the Nassau had their coat tails cut off, putting them in waistcoats only while those with coats also required cuff straps to be added as well as tails lengthened.

As always with conversions, it ended up being more work than I had originally anticipated but I have grown very fond of sculpting conversions and now have enough Legere to handle the Talavera scenarios. I hope you enjoy the results!

Commander and flag bearer are HaT French, drummer and soldier Nassau conversions. The marching figure has waist coat only. I gave this command stand a fanion as was designated for French light troops at this point in the war, rather than an eagle with official tri-colour, which carried the risk of loss, especially with light troops when operating in their skirmish role.

A Franznap head swap to a forage cap for the back figure with the rear forward figure in a white waistcoat.

The two rear voltigeur figures are HaT Legere, the two front Nassau conversions.

Left front is a HaT Legere with head swap, back right a Franznap head swap.

Same here - a head swap on front left for the Legere figure and a Franznap head swap for back right.