PA80-16: 54mm French Foot Dragoons 1809 Moulds

The Napoleonic Wars (1803-15) were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly owing to the application of modern mass conscription. French power rose quickly as Napoleon's armies conquered much of Europe but collapsed rapidly after France's disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812. Napoleon's empire ultimately suffered complete military defeat resulting in the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France.

This product has 3 moulds that can cast 3 separate 54mm scale metal soldiers. Some assembly may be required. Assembly can either require soldering or gluing parts together. Glue is not included.

Each of Napoleon's Dragoon regiments comprised 54 mounted and 36 dismounted troopers. This regulation existed solely because of the unavailability of sufficient suitable horses under the empire. On many separate occasions, these dismounted elements were grouped together into a distinctive Dragoon division. The first was at Boulogne on the eve of the proposed invasion of England in 1803 and the second occasion at Strasbourg in 1805 in preparation for the coming war with Austria.

During the Italian campaign of 1805 a temporary battalion of foot Dragoons were attached to General Verdier's 2nd division and the following year Napoleon ordered two regiments to be formed and attached to the Imperial Guard Grenadiers and foot Chasseurs respectively. During the Peninsula campaign a detachment of the 9th regt. was dismounted before the Battle of Talaviera in 1809 and for want of suitable mounts, elements of the 10th and 11th regiments were dismounted after the action at Alba-de-Tormes.

This product is not suitable for children under the age of 14.