Zvezda 8030

1/72 Scale

French Imperial Old Guard

41 figures

The Old Guard was the name of the veterans of the French Army's Imperial Guard under Napoleon Bonaparte. The Old Guard were some of the finest soldiers in Europe, who had served Napoleon since his earliest campaigns. All soldiers within the 1st Grenadiers, 1st Chasseurs, and the Sergeants of the 2nd Grenadiers, Chasseurs and Fusiliers were in the Old Guard Infantry, while the Mounted Gendarmes, Mounted Grenadiers, Mamelukes, Mounted Chasseurs, and 1st (Polish) Lancer Regiments bore that honor for the Cavalry.

The Old Guard Grenadiers were known to complain in the presence of the Emperor, giving them the nickname, les grognards. After being disbanded by the victorious coalition in 1814, the Old Guard along with the rest of the imperial guard was reformed after Napoleon's return from exile, and later fought at the Battle of Waterloo. The Old Guard infantry were pivotal in the defense of the town of Plancenoit against the Prussians, and served as a kind of rear guard after the failure of the attack of the Middle Guard on the British Center. The Old Guard Cavalry had the misfortune to be involved in the wasteful midday charges against the British infantry, and were unavailable at the decisive moments of the battle. Napoleon had used up every last reserve except the old guard. Faced with overwhelming firepower and numbers, they fell, and were forced to retreat.