British Napoleonic Rifles, 1808–1815

Revell British Napoleonic Rifles in 1:72 scale are perfect for wargamers who need firing, loading, and observing riflemen to deploy on their skirmish stands. When skirmishing, two men are always sent out together, one of whom is called the second of the other, to support him and never lose sight of him.

Contents

42 miniatures in 12 Poses – 23 mm equal 166 cm Height

• Officer in Dolman with Sabre, pointing (1)
• NCO with Baker Rifle, advancing (2)
• Bugler with Baker Rifle and Bugle, advancing, (1)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, standing, firing (5)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, kneeling, firing (4)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, loading, priming the pan (4)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, loading, handling cartridge (4)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, loading, ramming the charge (5)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, standing, fixed bayonet (4)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, running, fixed bayonet (4)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, charging, fixed bayonet (4)
• Rifleman with Baker Rifle, advancing, drawn bayonet (4)

Equipment

• Discarded knapsack (15)

Evaluation

Excellent choice of subject, the Rifles are unique in this scale.

Nicely detailed miniatures. Folds in the clothing, collars and facings, shakos, knapsacks, rolled cloaks, canteens, belts, buttons, pouches, powder horns, sword bayonets, rifles and metal fittings are well sculpted and easy to paint. The figures are noticeably shorter and slimmer than the Napoleonic miniatures from other manufacturers or even Revell’s own French Old Guard Grenadiers. The sculpting style is similar to Revell’s Prussian Infantry of the Napoleonic Wars.

Useful historic poses. The figures appear very natural, because of the standard poses which have been used. All of the 42 soldiers make excellent wargame and diorama figures, they may be deployed in firing, advancing, and defending units. Relatively few riflemen were engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, and wargamers will find all the figures they need in this set. In addition, the figures lend themselves to a number of interesting conversion.

Satisfactory casting quality. There is some flash, and noticeable mould lines need to be removed prior to painting. Two poses carry mould lines down the center of the face which require careful attention.

The charging rifleman appears to be ambling, he has his left foot forward and the left arm extended forward at the same time. This pose is not nearly as good as the running poses in Revell’s Soviet infantry of World War Two.

The officer’s index finger is much too big compared to the other fingers on that hand. A little carving work will be required to fix that.

One of the advancing riflemen looks like he is about to engage in a sword-fight, using his bayonet. The pose would have been more attractive with the man actually fixing the bayonet on his rifle, because he is already holding the rifle in the required position. The bugler is holding his rifle in an uncomfortable position. The pose may be improved by bending and relaxing the arm a little.

British soldiers of the 95th Rifles, wearing rifle green uniforms with black facings, and white piping. Regulations trousers were rifle green as well, although grey trousers may have been worn in the field. Riflemen attached to the 60th (Royal American) Regiment were similarly uniformed, except that they had red facings, and deep blue (5/60th) or grey (7/60th) trousers. Armed with the Baker rifle, these troops were expert marksmen capable of hitting targets well beyond normal musketry range. The Rifles earned fame during the 1808–1814 Peninsular Campaigns, and they served with distinction at Waterloo in 1815.

Historical Employment

• 60th (Royal American) Regiment, 1808–1815
  • 5/60th Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Salamanca, 1812
  • 7/60th Regiment, Flank Companies, North America, 1812–1815
• 95th Rifles, 1808–1815
  • 1/95th Rifles, 5th Allied Brigade, Picton’s Division, Waterloo, 1815
  • 2/95th Rifles, 3rd British Brigade, Clinton’s Division, Waterloo, 1815
  • 3/95th Rifles (2 coys), 3rd British Brigade, Clinton’s Division, Waterloo, 1815

Possible Conversions

• King’s German Legion Light Infantry, 1808–1815
  • 1st Light Battalion, KGL. British rifle uniform with black shoulder-rolls, except that the officers did not have hussar style braid on their jackets.
  • 2nd Light Battalion, KGL. British rifle uniform, black ball-pompom on shako.
• 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment, 1808–1815.
  Line infantry uniform, light infantry stovepipe shako without cords.
  Some men may have carried French knapsacks originally captured in Egypt.
• British Light Infantry, 1808–1815.
  Line infantry flank-company uniform with wings and fringes,
  light infantry stovepipe shako without cords.
  • 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Light Infantry
  • 52nd (Oxfordshire) Light Infantry
  • 68th (Durham) Light Infantry
  • 71st (Glasgow Highland) Light Infantry
  • 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Light Infantry
• Hanoverian Light Infantry & Landwehr
  • Lüneburg Light Battalion, 1814–1815
  • Grubenhagen Light Battalion, 1814–1815. Light infantry shako without brim.
  • Landwehr Infantry, 1814–1815. British line infantry uniform, light infantry stovepipe shako with cords arranged in British line infantry style. Officers wore regulation British line infantry uniform.
• Netherlands National Militia, 1814–1815. French line infantry style uniform, and British light infantry style stovepipe shako without cords.
• Prussian 21st (4th Pommeranian) Infanterie-Regiment, 1813–1815
  • 1st and 2nd Battalion wore Portuguese style infantry uniform with shoulder-rolls, and conical light infantry style shako without cords.
  • 3rd Battalion wore British rifle uniform with shoulder-rolls.

Bibliography

• Haythornthwaite, Philip: Uniforms of Waterloo, plate 18
• Funcken, L. & F.: L’Uniforme et les Armes des Soldats du Premier Empire, p. 99
• Allevi, Piersergio: Zinnsoldaten, p. 13

British Rifles are a must-have for Napoleonic wargamers and modellers. These Revell figures are great, they fill the niche perfectly. Rifles are a rare troop type, and it is unlikely that gamers and collectors will need many boxes of them. Fortunately for Revell, a similar style of uniform was worn by other allied units engaged in the 1814–1815 campaigns.

British Napoleonic Miniatures