Black Hussar Figure Review and approach

November 25, 2019

Black Hussar Figure Review and approach

French SYW Fusilier kneeling at ready

My second purchase of French infantry 28mm figures is from the Berlin based Black Hussar Miniatures. They are hands down some of the most elegant fine scale model soldiers available today and they just scream 18th century.

French SYW Fusilier loading

I purchased 37 miniatures for my regiment la Sarre and these are only the second company I have so far sourced for my French army - the other being Crusader Miniatures. They were all purchased from the Seven Years War French Fusilier selections and I thought to model a firing line.

French SYW Fusilier loading (2)

Black Hussar Miniatures make a varies range of standing and kneeling fusiliers firing, loading and at the ready. The equipment is beautifully detailed and their muskets are very fine when compared to Crusader Miniatures whose muskets border on artillery pieces by contrast. Whilst they look superb they do not travel well and he bayonets bent significantly in transit without exception and I lost a couple in the undercoating stage (I brush it on). They are cast is a very malleable alloy.

French SYW Tambour advancing

The Tambours (drummers) are very detailed and require assembly as the drums are depicted swinging freely away from the body once affixed. I drilled and pinned the connection points (the left hand) to further support the join prior to using Selley's Araldite.

French SYW Tambour standing

In fact, some attention is paid in the design and casting process to project the third dimension to these figures. The fusiliers (particularly those standing and shooting) have a superbly rendered and prominently projecting sword and bayonet scabbard with none of the relief in depth issues normally found. They required no cutting in like most manufacturers - just a little straightening.

French SYW Standard Beaerer

The standard bearers come with the flag pole, fanions, cravats and streamers as one piece separate to the figure with both hands forming the flag pole sculpt. I also drilled and pinned the join. As I make my own cloth flags, this altered my usual order of build in that I constructed and painted the flags prior to fixing them to the bearers and proceeding to undercoat stage.

French SYW standard with fanions and hands sculpted on

I also purchased a pair of English officers from the French and Indian Wars selection, one of whom comes with no sash and a gorget , serving just as well as a French colonel on foot. The French company officers with spontoons and the Sergeants with halberds are particularly beautiful.

British FIW officer who will pass for French

All shots are taken after white undercoating. I over did it with the lighting and most likely should have filtered it a little to pick up detail - they look over exposed.

French SYW Line Officer

There's a lot to be said for mixing up manufactures within a unit and across an army just for variety's sake. I will be completing an entirely Black Hussar unit in this instance. I'm looking forward to how they come out.