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My latest unit hails from a slightly later period of the eighteenth century than the remainder of my French army. The miniature Regiment Soissonnois is portrayed in the uniforms they would have worn when they were part of the Comte de Rochambeau's expeditionary force during the American War of Independence.
Some of the uniform differences from my earlier Seven Years War French regiments include a more modern cut to the coat, white shoulder straps for carrying the cartridge box, higher tricornes with no coloured edging lace, back-packs with shoulder straps, gourd-shaped water bottles, and different facing colours. French regiments at this time had done away with the bearskins for their grenadiers, but American eyewitnesses state that the Soissonnois had somehow kept theirs, making an imposing sight.
My Soissonnois regiment took part in its debut battle in a game at my friend Paul Crouch's house. Unfortunately the game ended before the regiment could get into the thick of things. But at least, unlike many newly painted units, it didn't run away at the first whiff of gunpowder!
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Several
French regiments were involved in this war, and played a major role
in the victory at Yorktown in 1781. You can see the Soissonnois
flag behind the figure of Lieutenant-General Rochambeau in this
1980 first day cover. 
The
range of AWI miniatures produced by Front Rank are beautiful figures.
I like the way they supply several head variations for the basic
fusilier (some with chubby faces, some with slightly tilted hats
and younger faces, and a couple turning to the side). I also added
a bandaged figure and one in the act of being shot (it is a bit
hard to see in the photo, but the sculptor has made a beautiful
job of the casualty's hat flying off his head).
I
especially like the stately officer with his cane (left). The standard-bearers
are also officers, and (as they are the same Front Rank figure)
were initially in exactly the same pose. I carefully bent the sword
arm on one of them to make him look a little different. My only
criticism of these Front Rank figures is that the drummer is a bit
of a giant!
The
flag, is based on the excellent textured colour swathes from the