A British line infantry battalion in 1780 was organized into ten companies: eight "battalion companies" that formed the centre of the firing line, and two "flank companies" — the grenadiers on the right and the light infantry on the left — which were elite formations of taller, more experienced men used for special tasks. The grenadier company traditionally led assaults and held positions of honour; the light infantry was the battalion's skirmish force, sent out ahead or to the flanks. The battalion companies, the eight that made up the bulk of the regiment, were where the rank and file lived: ordinary line infantrymen, drawn from across Britain, drilled to the same standard, and used in formation as the main weight of the battalion. This figure shows a man from one of those eight companies of the 43rd Foot on the march, in the long-distance carry the British called "support."

This figure shows a 43rd Foot battalion-company soldier marching in the "support" position — musket cradled at an angle in the bend of his left arm, stock at his left shoulder, bayonet pointing up and back. The support position was used for marches longer than a few minutes; it took the weight off the right shoulder and freed both hands for ground when needed. He wears the standard 1780 British line uniform: scarlet coat with white facings, white cross-belts, white waistcoat and breeches, black knee gaiters, tricorne with white binding. He pairs with the British 43rd Foot Company Officer (his marching commander), the British 43rd Foot Sergeant with Halberd (the NCO setting the cadence), and the British 43rd Foot Ensign with King's Colours (the colours that gave the column its centre point) — together composing a battalion column on the move.

1/30 scale (60mm), matte-painted, single figure boxed. Catalog number 16168. As with the rest of the W. Britain modern range, the painting is photographic-quality detail intended to read well in dioramas and display cases.