Painting British Household Cavalry for Napoleonic Wargames

Quick answer

Paint your British Household Cavalry by focusing on the distinct blue and red uniform colors of the Royal Horse Guards and Life Guards, using a systematic layering approach that works well for wargame units.

Step-by-step painting guide

1. Prepare and prime the figures: Assemble the cavalry figures using plastic glue, leaving the riders separate from the horses for easier painting. Prime with a black or dark grey spray primer to create shadows in recesses. Common mistake: gluing riders to horses before painting makes it hard to reach the saddle area and the rider's inner legs.
2. Paint the horses: Basecoat the horses in a dark brown or black. Drybrush with a lighter brown or grey to bring out the muscle definition. Paint the hooves, mane, and tail in contrasting colors (e.g., black mane on a bay horse). Common mistake: painting all horses the same color makes the unit look uniform but less realistic. Use 2-3 different horse colors for variety.
3. Paint the riders' tunics: For Royal Horse Guards, basecoat the tunic in a deep blue (e.g., Prussian Blue). For Life Guards, use a bright red (e.g., Vallejo Game Color Red). Apply a wash of dark blue or brown to the recesses, then highlight the raised areas with a lighter tone. Common mistake: applying wash too heavily can make the tunic look muddy. Use a controlled wash and wipe away excess from flat surfaces.
4. Paint the metal armor and equipment: Basecoat the cuirass, helmet, and other metal parts with a dark silver or gunmetal. Apply a black wash, then drybrush with a lighter silver. Paint the leather straps and belts in dark brown or black. Common mistake: skipping the wash on armor makes it look flat. The black wash adds depth and a polished look with minimal effort.
5. Paint flesh and details: Paint faces and hands with a flesh basecoat, then a flesh wash, and highlight the nose, cheeks, and brow. Paint the plume on the helmet in white or red depending on regiment, and add the officer's sash in gold or yellow. Common mistake: painting eyes too large can make the figure look cartoonish. A simple flesh wash over the eye area is enough for wargame standard.
6. Assemble and base: Glue the rider onto the horse, touching up any visible join lines. Base the figure on a 25x50mm cavalry base using textured sand or static grass. Paint the base rim in a neutral color like dark brown or green. Common mistake: forgetting to match the base style with your army's basing scheme. Consistency across your collection makes a big visual impact.

Product details

• British Household Cavalry: This set includes multiple head and arm options to create a varied unit, plus a command frame with a trumpeter and officer. You can pose each cavalryman differently, making the unit look dynamic on the tabletop, and the command frame lets you highlight the leader and musician.