League of Augsburg-Going Dutch

 

This is my League of Augsburg Dutch Army.  It forms the core of my Grand Alliance Army.  Its genesis was 24 years ago.  How time races by.  The Blue Guards, two battalions. Flags from Ian at Warflag.

Often thought to be the finest infantry in Europe. Whatever of that, they were elite soldiers in every respect.

Regiment Aylva first battalion above and below.  Figures from Irregular, Essex drummer, and two of David's flags.

Regiment Brandenburg currently with Warflag flags. 

They need a stand of pike men added.

Regiment Keppel also in need of pike men.

Regiment Pallandt, and would you believe it? They need a stand of pike men too. Luckily I have the figures.

A couple of guns, Essex and Irregular.

Guard cavalry, maybe a second squadron needed here.

Ginkel's Regiment, two squadrons. That was unusual like the English the Dutch often simply had one.

Rede Cavalry here.

Schomberg's, I think, in two squadron's.

First above, second below.

Eppinger's Dragoons, an elite unit mounted and dismounted.

Two squadrons as you see.

Dismounted and ready for action below. All of the Eppinger's flags are from Ray at Don't Throw A One.

Seldom seen on the table top, some Dutch Marines.

By my reckoning I need to do 15 pike men and six troopers and that is my League of Augsburg Dutch Army completed. Not bad and it has taken less than a quarter of a century.

The Army of the King of Scots 1688

Scotland in 1688 still had its own military establishment.  Beyond that the Highland Clans were armed to the best of their ability. With judicious political management it was possible for the King of Scots to bring together most or all of Scotland’s military resources.  The circumstances that permitted judicious political management were oft in short supply.

Here is my Scottish Collection for 1688. First the Regulars. Armour was issued to the Scots Cavalry in 1688.

Above the cavalry, below the Dragoons on foot.

The Dragoons mounted.

To the infantry.  

We begin with Dumbarton’s Regiment. Wauchope’s regiment apparently carried the same flags and wore the same uniform.

Now, to the Scots Brigade in Dutch Service.  They could be recalled at will by the King of Scots. Indeed, they were during Monmouth’s Rebellion.

 MacKay’s Regiment.

  Ramsay’s Regiment.

Balfour's Regiment.

A militia Battalion.  Aberdeen Colours for this one.  I may well do another.  If so they could appear in blue coats faced white.  That may have been standard for Scots militia.

The artillery.  A light gun first.  I'll likely add another.

Note the gunners are in their undress coats, grey faced black.  The officer is in full fig, below a Frame Gun. I'll be doing another two of these.

 

Frames were used at Killiekrankie. Anything on wheels could not have got there. Frames could be dismantled and put on pack ponies.  One of those at Killiekrankie promptly collapsed when fired.  The frame was rotten.  Never the less new frames were easily povided and in difficult terrain it is easy to see their utility.  A more portable form of the Battalion Gun in reality.

The Highland Clans make for an interesting game component.  Here are 7 such units.  They could fight on either side.

 

I find the Beneath the Lily Banners treatment of Highlanders to be pleasing.

 

It neatly reflects their strengths and weaknesses.

A Clan unit on the attack was a fearsome thing.  It moved fast and hit hard.

Conversely, when on the defensive lack of firepower rendered them easy meat for most regular forces.

 

I've used figures from Essex, Khurasan, Matchlock, Minifigs, and a smattering of others for my Highland units.

 

The fine Clan flags are mainly from Ray at Don't Throw a 1.

Dutch Horse and Foot - League of Augsburg

 

I’m about half way through my Dutch Army rebasing.  I’ve also taken the opportunity to increase some formations.  Above, you can see the Blue Guards, at the time perhaps the best infantry in Europe. I wonder where their pike men have got too.

 Here above and below are Von Eppinger’s Dragoons.

Von Eppingers got a new second squadron. Eventually, they will get horse holders and dismounted soldiers too.  They were a Guard formation and highly rated.

Next, the Guard cavalry.  I think they will get a second squadron too, not least because I have Ray’s flags for them.  You can find them if you click the side bar for Don’t Throw a 1.  Then look for NYW flags.

Here we have Steinbeck’s cavalry nicely rigged out in blue on white.

The Brandenburg infantry also a blue on white unit. 

A couple of cannons here.

Shortly, they will be joined with another squadron of cavalry and three infantry battalions.

A Highlander Host- League of Augsburg

These figures have seen more bases than some real military formations.  This, I believe, is their last basing iteration.  Beneath the Lily Banners style.  Those rules, I note in passing, capture the abilities and otherwise of Highland Caterans better than most.  

 

I had a look for unit size tips in Barry Hilton's three books War Of The Three King’s, A Taste of Victory and Every Bullet Has It’s Billet.  Barry mentions 2 stand Highland units in the first and second books and gives us a sample Highland Host in the third.  There, we see both 2 and 3 stand Highland units.  Good enough for me and as you can see, I’ve followed the example.

A word about figures.  I’ve used lots of different manufacturer’s offerings mixed in each unit.  That includes Minifigs, Khurasan, Essex, Lurkio, QRF and Matchlock and some others I forget.  The overall effect pleases me and I hope you like it too.

The Highland Gentry were likely to possess firearms and be very proficient in their use.  It was aimed fire with the Highlanders, De Saxe would have approved.  That was it though.  The average Cateran didn’t possess a gun although many knew well enough how to use one. 

Consequently, a Highland unit was armed with a mix of weapons and that is what I’ve tried to represent here.

This is my Highland Host so far. I need to add a couple of Clan Campbell flagged command bases. It was instructive to read recently that Argyle's support of William did not command universal approval within Clan Campbell.  

 Highlanders were at their best on the attack on good ground.  They could also nip about a bit regardless of terrain.  Soon, I’ll show you my re-based Scots Regulars.  Note the heather, a special purchase. All of my Scots units are getting heather, let's hope it's lucky for them.

English Foot- League of Augsburg

 

The grand re-basing continues apace.  Today we have some English Foot battalions.  We have already seen Kirke’s but as they were the most experienced English formation, I have no hesitation in showing them again.

Next, we have Hanmer’s.  As you will see there are quite a lot of yellow facings with the English.  It makes for a striking contrast I suppose and, a fairly cost effective one.

Here,and above top, is the Earl of Bath’s.  It’s hard to resist doing a blue coat English regiment.

Trewlaney’s is the final one of this batch.  Unlike most of their fellows the soldiers of this regiment had seen action before, like Kirke's, in Tangiers.

Fusiliers, all armed with Firelock.

Still to come two more battalions also with yellow facings. The toys are mostly from Essex and Irregular with a Dixon here and there. 

General poorly armed civilians next, could be Monmouth's, could be Jacobites, could be anyone really.

My general idea is to complete enough contingents for a game or two and add more at leisure.  

It was Williamite standard practice to brigade English battalions with Dutch or Danish ones. This was because the latter were far more experienced and also because William distrusted most of the English commanding officers.  Consequently, I need to field my Danish or Hugeonot units alongside my English ones.  This makes for an interesting mix of quality in the resulting brigades. 

I now have sufficient re-based Williamite Foot for a game.