On parade! Eighteenth century French artillery

The guns in my French army, all made by Front Rank Figurines, are wonderfully detailed models that were a joy to paint.

Jean-Florent de Vallière (Director-General of France’s artillery) reduced the pieces in use to a set number of types of cannon and mortars. He also recruited Jean Maritz, who had designed and built a water-powered horizontal cannon-boring machine in Geneva. By 1732 the first Maritz cannon boring machine was operational in the foundry at Lyon, boring out the Model 1732 system equipment. These standardised pieces became known as the “Vallière System”. 

Prior to the outbreak of the Seven Years War, the French army was equipped with the best artillery in Europe. But they were to be overtaken by Austria with their Model 1753 Liechtenstein system.    Source: Kronoskaf

French gun carriages were initially painted red in the eighteenth century. But some time after the Vallière reform of 1732, the gun carriages were painted blue to distinguish them from the equipment of the supply train (caissons and carts), painted brick red. But for purely aesthetic reasons I preferred the red colour, so that is the way I painted them! Source: Kronskaf

The gunners are nicely detailed figures. I could only fit three on each base, so I gave my other two gunners (an officer and a worker with a wheelbarrow) their own small vignette base.

I also painted a light gun for service in the American War of Independence with the Volontaires Étrangers de la Marine (commonly known as ‘Lauzun’s Legion’).

The Legion’s gunners apparently wore the same uniform as regular French artillery, but with yellow cuffs and lapels instead of red. However, when my French AWI project went on hold, I repainted the cuffs and lapels red to fit them in with my other Royal Artillery figures.

So that’s my French artillery. In the last of this series of inspections of my French army, we’ll review the supply train and some civilians. And don’t forget to visit my other On Parade! postings, in which I’m gradually doing inspection parades of every army in my wargaming collection.