The horse artillery were the cavalry of the guns. Where the foot artillery trudged alongside their pieces, every man of the artillerie à cheval was mounted, able to gallop a battery into position, unlimber, fire, and move again before the enemy could fix them — mobile firepower that could keep pace with the cavalry and rush to wherever a battle was breaking. They dressed the part too, in hussar style with the fur colpack and braided dolman, and they knew their worth. It was an arm close to Napoleon's heart: he had risen as an artillery officer himself, and he built his battles around guns, massing them to blast a hole in the enemy line for the infantry and cavalry to exploit.

The set is a full gun crew in action — an officer and five gunners serving a field piece, with an ammunition chest. They wear the dash of the horse artillery: dark blue faced red, the fur colpack with red bag and tall plume, hussar braid across the chest. One rams the charge, another carries a round, a third stands ready with the linstock. It builds the firing point of a French artillery diorama. Range it beside the French Foot Artillery and the French Artillery of the Guard for a full battery, with the Emperor Napoleon — a gunner himself — directing the fire.

Tradition of London model N3A. 54mm, white metal, hand-painted in gloss enamel. Six-figure set — an officer and five gunners with a field gun and ammunition chest — on painted bases. Supplied in the Tradition Classic Red Box. Allow 2–3 weeks delivery.