A steady square almost never broke — which is exactly why the rare times it did became legend. Form infantry into a hollow square, four ranks deep with bayonets out on every side, and cavalry could do nothing but circle it; horses will not charge a hedge of points, and a disciplined battalion could stand all day. But "almost never" is not never. On 23 July 1812, at García Hernández, the heavy dragoons of the King's German Legion broke three French squares one after another — helped, the story goes, by a dying horse that crashed into the first square and tore open a gap the riders poured through. It was so rare a feat that soldiers spoke of it for years. The kneeling men here are the reason squares held.

The eight-figure set is the kneeling front rank of a square — eight privates with musket-butts grounded and bayonets braced up to take a horse in the chest, in red coats, grey trousers and the plumed Belgic shako. Stand the rest of the square behind them: rank the British Line Infantry standing to fire over the kneelers, fill the faces with the British Line Infantry, and set the whole anti-cavalry diorama under Wellington at Waterloo.

Tradition of London model 0710. 54mm, white metal, hand-painted in gloss enamel. Eight-figure set — eight privates kneeling to receive cavalry, 1815. Supplied in the Tradition Classic Red Box. Allow 2–3 weeks delivery.