Hi guys,
At last, the Régiment de Lyonnais is complete!
It has taken me considerably longer than expected to finish this regiment. I first started working on it back in 2022, returned to it earlier this year, and now the last six musketeers have finally joined their comrades.
For this final base I only needed to paint three new figures, all of them from 1898 Miniatures. Together with three previously finished musketeers they form the last six-man base and, more importantly, bring the whole regiment to completion.
The Régiment de Lyonnais received its provincial title and the privilege of carrying the white colonel's flag on 15 September 1635. From then until the Peace of the Pyrenees it saw almost continuous active service, particularly against the armies of the Spanish Monarchy in Italy and Catalonia. These two fronts are common in my games :)
Its first major campaigns took place in northern Italy. In 1636 Lyonnais fought at Valenza dek Po, Candia, Palestro and Sartirana, and particularly distinguished itself at Buffalora on 23 June, where it helped drive Spanish troops back across the Ticino. The following year it took part in the defence of Asti and the fighting at Mombaldone, while in 1638 it was employed in the relief operations around Breme and Vercelli.
The campaign of 1639 was particularly hard fought. Lyonnais fought against the forces of the Marquis of Leganés, helped relieve Casale and took part in the fighting on the road to Chieri. During the struggle for Turin the regiment suffered very heavy casualties, including the death of its mestre de camp, the Marquis d'Alincourt.
In 1641 the regiment was transferred to Catalonia, beginning another extremely active period of its history. It fought at Valls, Salou and Constantí, participated in the siege of Tarragona and the fighting around Tamarit and Almenar. In 1642 it captured Monzón and fought again at Valls, Tamarit and Lérida.
The Catalan campaigns nearly destroyed the regiment. During the 1644 operations around Lérida, Lyonnais suffered such severe losses that after the fighting only 25 officers and 439 soldiers remained under its colours. Nevertheless, the survivors continued fighting, and in 1645 the regiment took part in the siege of Roses.
In 1646 Lyonnais was sent once again to Italy, this time taking part in the expedition to Tuscany. It fought at Orbetello and participated in the sieges of Piombino and Porto Longone on Elba, before spending the following years in garrison at Piombino.
After a brief return to France during the Fronde, Lyonnais was back with the Army of Italy in 1653. It fought at La Roquette that year, served at Pinerolo in 1654, took part in the relief of Bercello and the siege of Pavia in 1655, and fought at Valenza in 1656. The following year it participated in the unsuccessful siege of Alessandria.
Its last major operation of the Franco-Spanish War came in 1658 at the siege of Mortara, where the regiment lost its major, Monsieur de Monceau.
The Peace of the Pyrenees in 1659 finally brought more than two decades of campaigning against Spain to an end.
So this seems a particularly fitting point at which to finish my own Régiment de Lyonnais. From Buffalora and Turin to Tarragona, Lérida, Roses, Orbetello, Pavia and Mortara, the historical regiment had accumulated an extraordinary record of service by the time the war finally ended.
And, after four posts and rather more years than I originally intended, my 28mm Lyonnais is finished.
I used Fountry triads, and Vallejo paints, then Ultra matt varnish brushed on the miniatures.
I hope you like it!
