Ros

I really don't know a lot about these. I believe they are the same Ros that did the 6mm Heroics series. They were very cheap - they came in multiple packs, I think you got a dozen infantry or so in a plastic bag. There were Austrians and Prussians available in addition to Brits and French, and there was certainly a French command pack. They disappeared pretty quickly - last time I looked, there was no mention in VINTAGE20MIL.

They were a bit crude, and a bit hefty, but they did make British soldiers in stovepipe shakos, which was very unusual. The range extended to flank companies, and there were riflemen. I think the French infantry must be the ugliest wargame figures anyone ever made - I'll try to find a picture for a future posting.

Anyway - all I have left are my bold Chasseurs Britanniques, shown here. The officer on foot and the drummer are both re-headed Minifigs, the mounted colonel is a Kennington figure on a NapoleoN horse, and the standard bearers are by NapoleoN. A motley crew indeed.

It pleases me to still have these - for all their lowly provenance, they are still with me after all these years, and it is somehow appropriate that the Mongrels of the 7th Division should be Ros - probably the least prestigious figures I have.

Quick nerdy note about the Chasseurs Britanniques: you will read in various places that they were a light infantry unit. Not so. The colonel, Eustace, apparently had pretensions of turning them into glamorous light infantry, and in late 1812 he sent the colours and (some of?) the drums into storage in Portugal, and some companies received new uniforms, but the process was never completed. Since they were not allowed to perform outpost duties (because of desertion rates) for much of the war, they would have made dodgy light infantry anyway. My guys are depicted (correctly, I maintain!) as line infantry, circa 1811, the regimental colour being an exercise in creative licence based on a rough sketch someone sent me showing an early flag incorporating the arms of Conde. As ever, if you have a better flag, please get in touch!