Infantry fought in ranks, and the second rank had the harder job. To fire, a man in the rear rank stepped his right foot across and brought his musket up over the shoulder of the soldier ahead, the muzzle thrust past that man's ear and the lock spitting sparks an inch from his face. The front-rank man learned to stand it. Fired together, the two ranks doubled the weight of a volley without doubling the frontage — the whole point of the close-order line. It demanded nerve and absolute trust in the men around you, which is why drill was endless: a line that fired as one machine could break an army.

The figure stands at the firing position — musket levelled, head bent to the lock, the campaign dress of white trousers and dark blue coat with red cuffs under the plumed bearskin. As a second-rank man he is meant to stand behind a kneeling front rank: place a French Imperial Guard 1st Rank Kneeling ahead of him for the classic two-deep firing line. Extend it with a French Imperial Guard Standing Firing at Will alongside, and deepen the formation with a French Imperial Guard 3rd Rank behind.

W. Britain model 36175. 1/30 scale (approximately 60mm), matte-painted metal. Single foot figure on a sculpted groundwork base. Boxed.