From PeteF: Napoleon's Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde for the Guard Room (140 points)

What better way to finish Challenge XI than with more Minifigs*? My dad started this unit in the mid 80s with 6 assorted Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde Imperiale including a Marmeluke. I intended to bring the unit up to a full strength of 30 figures (including 3 additional Marmelukes) by the end of the Challenge but unfortunately ran out of time - should have them all done by the end of this month.

These fine fellows have one of the most colourful uniforms of the Napoleonic wars - with the pizzazz of the scarlet pelisse, a furry hat and a lot of yellow/gold lace they must have been an impressive sight. They were also Napoleon's personal guard.

The Marmelukes rode with them - there were something between 26 and 135 (depending on which source you believe) of these Egyptian cavalry in the Waterloo campaign. The regiment was big with around 1,200 men in the Quatres Bras Order of Battle - although my understanding is that they didn't really see any action that day.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing pictures of the Minifigs as much as I have painting them. The Bloody Little Soldiers as my mum christened them are a family tradition and I finally have a nice big French army to face off against Old Nosey. I added 3 infantry battalions and 4 cavalry regiments so I don't have much more to paint for Quatres Bras - all I'll need then is a bit more terrain and some takers for a days long game in our barn.

The original plan was to visit every room in the dungeon and I did line up something for all of them - but the clock will run out* leaving five chambers unexplored - maybe next time.

12x25mm cavalry and a room bonus for 140 points.

*probably