1:72 Royal French infantry and guards 2 half of the 17th century

The real subject

The French royal infantry and guards of the second half of the 17th century belong to the time when European infantry was only just freeing itself from the formation with pikes and an ever larger part of the rank and file carried a firearm. Alongside the line regiments stood the guard units, which differed from them in equipment and in the splendor of their clothing, and it is on them that time spent painting pays off most.

The set

The set holds figures of infantry and guards in 1:72 scale, that is at the size at which a whole formation can be built and not just an individual. The figures suit a diorama, a line arranged on groundwork and also an addition to models of field guns and buildings of the same scale.

Painting tips

Wash the figures in lukewarm soapy water before painting and let them dry thoroughly; the paint then holds better. Apply the base, ideally with spray paint in a thin layer, so that the fine shapes of the face and the buttons do not get flooded. Let the uniforms be lightened with a dark wash into the folds and a drybrush along the edges. The barrels and the blades will stand out if you underlay them with a dark shade and only lightly pass the metallic color along the edges. With a larger number of figures, work in batches at the same step; it goes faster and the result looks more uniform than figure by figure.

Who it is for

For modelers and wargamers who build scenes from the battlefields of the 17th century and want to people them. Paints, brushes, bases and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.