The Italians and Neapolitans came to my mind when, decades ago I got Osprey Men-at arms No88 about Italians and Neapolitans. Maybe around that time Military Modelling November 87 came with a nice article on the battle of Maloyaroslavets 1812 and this post started by then with a non existant internet.
The two groups were made initially with line and light infantry and cavalry made from Esci figures and the guard infantry and artillery made from Airfix. The majority of the figures are then the Esci "wrong" infantry, a mix of Bardin tail coats and pre-1812 fronts, only good enough for Jeune Guard. Even so Mike Chappell's plates on Italians and Neapolitans mostly show short coat tails and that encouraged me to move forward with the Esci figures.
The two groups are organized for AgeOf Eagles rules but with a growing eye on the much simpler Valour&Fortitude.
What I only had already painted for the Italian Guard was the front kneeling Airfix figures, an officer and the standard bearer. So in the last few days the two rear lines were added made from a mix of Airfix and Esci figures.
The Italian Line infantry (4th and 5th line) were the opposite as I only added the front rank of kneeling figures from Esci and Italeri. As I do with most packed stands I use a bit of super glue to attach figures to each other using mostly the bayonet or the rifle to lean on backpacks, shakoes and such of the figure standing in front. Like this the figures don´t bend when hold and paint holds much better. Also there are a number of Esci figures that had Hat industries backpacks glued as, typical of Esci, many figures had incomplete gear.
Don´t know really why but this 2nd Neapolitan Chasseurs was the unit chosen to be painted as cavalry. Maybe I found some information about them in those day's magazines. The figures and horses are Esci Polish cavalry with the Czapka replaced by and Infantry shako with added plume made from a pin with Araldite resin for shape. In those days patience was really at it most!
The Neapolitan Line infantry is also Esci and made for years with a few more recent Hat Industry tossed in to complete the three ranks. The regiment to the back is also Esci with a rear line of Airfix artillerymen. The original don´t have pompons and the elite companies had them made from pins with Araldite and the fusilier companies from a piece of plastic burned into a round shape,
The 2nd Neapolitan light infantry was turned into skirmishers as like this they can be used in regimental sized rules. The reason for that is that all had the same kneeling position which didn´t allow them to be used in three lines.
The Italian artillery has two foot artillery stands (left) and one horse artillery. All figures and guns are Airfix but with new heads. The foot artillery has new Esci shakoes as these allow for the peak to be removed and the horse artillery has Esci Polish Czapkas.
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