Article number: 530008037
Product: 1:72 Hist.Fig.-Set Franz. Kürassier 1812
Parts: 19
Size: 2,4 cm
The cuirassiers were always the elite force of Napoleon's army. Their
crushing close-formation attacks were deservedly hailed as the decisive
factor in Napoleon's success. The Napoleonic Wars represented the heyday
of the cuirassier, and they would continue to be fielded until the
opening battles of World War I. These cavalry soldiers took their name
from the heavy metal breastplate (cuirass) that they wore. While the
armor was not enough to protect against the flintlock muskets of the
era, they were able to deflect shots from long range and they were very
effective in close quarter melee fighting. As close fighting became the
primary purpose of the cuirassier, they fought primarily with swords. Many did carry a pistol as a secondary weapon.
