Scharf's Schützen

Initially each Bavarian infantry company had

 Twenty especially clever and agile men... were designated as schützen to perform light infantry duties; granted short green plumes and other distinctions, they held elite status similar to the company of grenadiers in each battalion. In 1809 the number of Schützen per company increased to 36, and 1811 saw the creation of a separate Schützen company for each line and light battalion (A Soldier for Napoleon, the Campaigns of Lieutennant Franz Joseph Hausmann ed. John H. Gill p.23). 

These designated skirmishers would form a skirmish line on the command "Schützen vor!" 

Light battalions followed the same practice. 

Here are half a dozen rifle armed schützen from Front Rank. I painted them in the green and grey of a Light Infantry Regiment. A significant number of those had black facings and red piping so I went with that.

As I have found with Front Rank figures the quality of the sculpting just seduces you and pulls you in as a painter. I once again found myself painting all kinds of things I normally skip over and I highlighted all the things!, not just the coats.

Because they are significantly chunkier than the Hät figures I opted to put them two to a base. I got a bit dramatic with the flocking and tufts. But I always figure skirmishers are running around out in the weeds.

Comparison with some of my Hät Light Infantry. Same height, just heftier and more imposing. From three feet away they look fine on the table together. Whew!

Of course, now I am thinking about getting more and some leader figures to make a proper Formation out of them with a couple of Big Men: Hauptmann Ricard Scharf and Feldwebel Harfner.