The 70e Demi-Brigade Ireland 1798- Shakos and Bayonets

Above  are the three battalions of the 70e Demi-Brigade and their Chasseurs and Grenadiers. Let us have a look in detail.

 

The Chasseurs from Minifigs. I intend adding an officer and another 6 figures including a drummer. It makes for variation. Nice figures all the same as can be said for all of Minifigs French Revolution Range.

The 1^st Battalion. Minifigs and Chariot. I’d like to think someone will put the Chariot French Revolution range back into production. Who doesn’t want a Parisian Mob?

The 2^nd Battalion, once again Minifigs and Chariot 15mm.

The 3^rd Battalion, the same combination of figures as Battalions 1 and 2. I see I have used the same officer for two battalions. Best see all three again with the correct command.

The combined Grenadiers all from Minifigs. Here we have variation galore. 

Once more I will add another 6 figures.

Now for supports. General Humbert had a small cavalry force with him comprised of Hussars and Chasseurs a Cheval. I had a bunch of Irregular Miniatures Crimean Light Dragoons surplus to requirement. The reason being the were sculpted wearing a Mirliton. An error. Even Homer nodded as the Ancients were wont to say.

Anyhow, here they are re-purposed for Ireland 1798. A campaign look and I think they will do. I’m glad to have found a use for them.

They need a General Humbert and an artillery piece and they are done. Additionally I'm adding 4 Chasseurs a Cheval for colour. Chrome if you like, the real work is done.

Next on this project we will see the United Irishmen. Mostly from Irregular Miniatures with a few Chariot mixed in. They are all done save for 6 Shelmalier Skirmishers. For those I'm using Lancashire Games Archive Range Vendeans with muskets.

Then more work begins. I need to paint Militia and Yeomanry infantry for the British. Then British Regular infantry. Flags will be a challenge for the Militia and Yeomanry infantry. Luckily the cavalry and the Highlanders are done.

A question looms in my mind. Should I re-purpose all of my French Revolutionary British for Shakos and Bayonets? If so the Austrians and Prussians will surely follow. A First World dilemma in an age of chaos.

Compagnies Franches de la Marine-Muskets and Tomahawks

 

Muskets and Tomahawks V2 Redcoats and Tomahawks has an interesting feature. a side comprised of the same troop type enjoys certain advantages. 

It so happens that I have sufficient Compagnies Franches de la Marine figures to enjoy this. I should say this is not by design. I was never that gamey. More it is the consequence yet another Ebay bargain. I got a lot for a good price. Matchlock Miniatures no less.

Anyhow, here is the haul. The eagle eyed among you will probably spot a couple of Minifigs and a Blue Moon.

Units 1 and 2 with their officer.

Unit 3 and 4 and their officer. I have all 4 units in Skirmish Order as befits the Scout Trait they enjoy. Should I wish they could deploy in Close Order. Yes indeed, I have a suitable movement tray.

Matchlock offers some officers for the Compagnies Franches de la Marine. I have these above and below. 

All in all a formidable force for a French and Indian Wars game of Muskets and Tomahawks. Of course this level of concentration of Compagnies Franches de la Marine was seldom seen. Mostly they would be in smaller numbers supporting Canadian Militia and/or Indian allies.

Ascherson Miniatures Longhouses above. I have another two. You might note the different colours of bark panel as new replaced old. What I need is a stockade in the Indian style like in the film Black Robe. I will have to make one with wooden cocktail sticks. Khurasan make something very suitable in one of their Japanese ranges. Alas shipping and taxes preclude that option.

I'm continuing to experiment with the multi-bases. I'm starting to get them looking right.

A French Demi-Brigade for Shakos and Bayonets

 

This is about the 70e Demi-Brigade but what follows could apply to others. A French Demi-Brigade had 3 battalions. In addition the Grenadiers and Voltigeurs could operate in detached units.

Regular infantry battalions in Shakos and Bayonets (S&B) are 12 figures strong plus an officer if used. The Austrians are an exception coming in at 16 figures.

The grenadiers in S&B are either 8 or 12 strong. For the 70e Demi-Brigade under Humbert at Castlebar I’d opt for 12 figures. Otherwise 8 might do. We see them at the top of the page. I have given them a flag as I had a Grenadier standard bearer.

 

The first battalion

 

The second battalion, note the variation of the 70e Flag.

  

The Grenadiers, also at the top of the page.

The third Battalion and the skirmishers are painted and yet to be based. As is the artillery-one gun only. The cavalry have arrived in the post and we will see all of these laggards shortly.

Very nice I think. Do note I have gone big on officers. Officers do a lot in this game. I should say the bulk of what you see here was painted decades ago.

At Castlebar Humbert had a small unit of cavalry. Drawn from the 3e Chasseurs a Cheval and the 12e Hussars in fact.  It is possible to upgrade these troopers and I might. Panache sounds useful.

So, nearly there. I think it will make a nice side for a game of S&B.

Shakos and Bayonets for Ireland 1798

The best way to adapt a game is to do as little damage as possible to the original. At least that’s my belief. What follows is my first take on troop types for Ireland 1798. Before we get into the nitty-gritty let us bag an easy win. British or French Regulars are rated as- British and French Regulars! Who knew? We will get to them a later post. Meantime here is a pic of the first battalion of the 70e Demi-Brigade.

Now for another easy one. Of the Yeomanry Cavalry British General Lake opined “ A danger to everyone but the enemy.”  They were on his side. Where can we find a Shakos and Bayonets equivalent? I’m opting for Russian Opolchenie Cavalry. Obviously they will have to lose their lances. Otherwise, not a bad fit. Here are the stat’s.

Type	Discipline	Shooting	Aggression	Defence
Militia	Conscript	7+	6+	6+

 

Equipment	Traits
Sabre and pistol	Cavalry, Cowardly

I’m not sure about the pistol. A bit more digging needed there. A good first pass all the same.

Now to the Irish Militia. The Militia were created to keep an eye on the Yeomanry. This they seem to have been happy to do. They were less keen on fighting the United Irishmen.  Sometimes they just ran away. Fortunately Shakos and Bayonets has lots of Militia examples. They are much of a muchness. I have opted for the Austrian Landwehr one. Here we go. The Light Company of the Monaghan Militia-a work in progress.

Type	Discipline	Shooting	Aggression	Defence
Militia	Recruit	6+	7+	6+

 

Equipment	Traits
Musket	Close order, Idle

 

As you might expect the negative traits of both of the above do reduce the cost of per unit. Should you want to improve their chances you can attach a Militia Officer at additional cost.

There’s more. The Militia had both Light and Grenadier Companies. The Grenadiers should at least have been the biggest men. I don’t know if the Light Companies were really trained adequately enough for separate stats. Another thing to find out. The Militia Grenadiers might have better Aggression.

It’s back to Russia for my first pass on the United Men. I’m going with the Musketeers (Line Infantry). Why so? As General Suvorov said “The Bayonet is  wise, the Bullet a fool”. A translation, and variants abound. The United Irishmen were mostly pike armed and highly motivated. If they closed they likely won. The trick was to shoot them down before they did. Here are the Stats.

Type	Discipline	Shooting	Aggression	Defence
Line Infantry	Trained	7+	6+	5+

 

Equipment	Traits
Mostly Pike	Close order, Swordsman trait.

 

If you know little of ’98 you may wonder at the Trained rating above. Here is Joseph Holt a United Irishmen Commander “My pikemen were the most difficult to manage. I had to teach them to step in time, to face about, counter march, wheel about, but particularly to disperse and form rapidly, and to march in quick or double quick time." You will note Holt did teach them.

What of Shooting? Here is Myles Byrne, another Commander, "For twenty pikemen that kept together, with two or three with fire-arms, was quite sufficient to keep the best of those (Yeomanry Cavalry) corps at a respectful distance."

We will explore all this subsequently. The Wild Fowlers of Shelmalier with their long barrelled guns also need our attention. I will add here, one unit of them only.

All the same a good start.

Less toys than usual and I'm sorry for it. I thought it best to clarify our categories. By way of compensation I intend a post on the available figures for '98.   Next time we will look at the Yeomanry Infantry and others who eluded the first cut. 

Muskets and Tomahawks Progress

 

As I paint I’m listening to people playing Muskets and Tomahawks and Shako and Bayonets. I found I’m absorbing quite a lot. Anyhow, to the progress.

 

British Regulars, HM 44^th. Gandamak, if memory serves. Certainly Monongahela. They earned their wages. These are Blue Moon and are depicted skirmishing.  I’m going to add the 60^th Royal Americans. We will see them soon.

The Pennsylvania Provincials with their green coats. Blue Moon again.

The New Jersey Provincials ditto. I have drummers to add for these and the 44th.

Rogers Rangers at the top of the page. The first of three Ranger Companies. Butler’s and Gorhams to follow. I think Gorham’s should wear black coats and blue bonnets. An abiding memory. I must check.

More to come.

Gonzalo -The Final Furlong

 

Above, Blue Moon Spanish Heavy Cavalry, some are fully equipped Gendarmes barded horses and all. Others have lesser armours. This is my take on the Spanish noble cavalry. 

A lot of the lesser nobility were in financial difficulties and it showed in their armament. Distressed Gentry supplied much of the military momentum across Europe. Assets and wealth were flowing relentlessly upwards. Centralising as we might say today.  

Those with good titles but empty purses sought military success to restore the family fortune.  It was worse for the poor of course. They joined the Army too but were unlikely to enjoy the tangible benefits of Royal attention.

I will note that the Caballeros were quite prepared to stick a lance into a French destrier if they thought it would defeat its rider. The French hated this. Good horses were very expensive. Also, Spanish Heavy Cavalry could and did fight as Genitors if circumstances required it.  I cannot say where the first flag above came from. The second is from David at Not By Appointment.  

Blue Moon Genitors above and below.  Good figures with a fine variation of pose and equipment. Note the feathered darts also found in Ireland.

Blue Moon Stradiots next.

Again fine variety of pose and equipment. The resulting units look the part.

I intend two units of these Stradiots. They could after all be found on all sides.

Venexia arquebusiers and crossbows. Mostly I have kept the Blue Moon and Venexia cavalry in separate units. I will make an exception for the Gendarmes. They work well together.

I thought I might usefully add a few flags. Imperial imagery for the Spanish and their Allies.

Pretty good Stradiots from Blue Moon.

A Venetian influence for these Blue Moon Stradiots. Another stronger unit below. I actually have Stradiots from Venexia and Mirliton too. All are good figures. I guess I just like Stradiots.

With that the project is nearly done. A base or two of gendarmes.  Another Colunella and more German Pikes for France are in the works. A unit of Italian swords and halberds and a couple more of crossbow skirmishers. We are near done. Parades will then ensue for each army. 

Gendarmes and Archers 1513

 

When I again turned my attention  to 1513 I thought not to linger over long. Utterly wrong as it turned out. Each Gendarme needs at least one non noble horseman in support. There was a lot of painting.

I have written before about the “Lance” concept. A Lance being variably 2-5 men. One hundred Lances means at least 200 men and up to 500 men. As you can see i have simplified the representation here. 

Even with creative interpretation (cheating) it is a fair few cavalry.  Let us get to it.

Supporting Archer cavalry.

 You can see a lot of Minifigs in the pic's. A lot to like with these figures I think.

Not all Archers were archers.

David at Not By Appointment made me some flags for known French Commanders.

Above we see Berault (Bernard) Stewart. He is the lad in the middle. Note his buckle impressa drawn from his banner. Below Louis de Tremouille once again we see an impressa. In this case Fortuna's Wheel depicted on the surcoat.

Gendarme or Archer  units can fight separately if required.

Now, Burgundian Gendarmes with supporting mounted Crossbow men. A debate meanders on about shooting from the saddle. I think they did, by utilising a latch. We will see more of them in a subsequent post on England's Allies and Mercenaries.

They are shown with latches. Could they dismount to shoot? Of course. They  weren’t centaurs. The ones above are a mixture of Minifigs and Donnington.

There are lots of flags on show today. They are from Pete’s Flags, free ones from Lancashire Games and banners for Berault (Bernard) Stuart and Louis de Tremouille that David at Not By Appointment kindly made for me. 

Next to turn once more to the English.  We will begin with England's Allies and Mercenaries.