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.

League of Augsburg- The Scots Brigade in Dutch Service

 

I needed these fellows for Killiekrankie and other theatres too.  As you can see I have mixed in some bonnets among the hats.  You can see the odd new recruit too.  The latter appealed to me for various what if scenarios.  Above, MacKay's.  Below we see their supporting pike men.

 

Next, we have Balfour's.

Lastly, Ramsay's. 

A tidy brigade, well drilled and equipped to regulation standard.  Also, I got around to painting a Powder Cart.  I was surprised to find only Peter Pig could supply me with a 15mm one.  None the worse for that.

At last I have begun painting the French Maison du Roi. One squadron done, two to follow. Once they are done I'll show the whole army here.  Speaking of Armies I'll parade all my League of Augsburg Scots shortly.  Regulars, Highlanders, and all.  I'm simply waiting to take delivery of three frame guns.

 

League of Augsburg Dutch, English and Scots in 15mm

 

Above we see George Fitz Roy's Regiment.  In the uncertain year of 1688 George discreetly raised and trained a regiment of foot to protect his interests.  The Armoury of Alnwick Castle enabled him to equip it.  If not quite to modern standards.  Discretion prevented him from purchasing more arms and red coats but the men are well trained and motivated.  The level of intrigue in 1688 England was endemic. Ireland and Scotland kept pace.  It paid to prepare.

Fitz Roy's Regiment is officered by George's old military companions.  It is they who have inculcated drill and discipline. In Beneath the Lily Banners speak this is a Raw or Drilled Pike and Shot battalion. The regiment is fictional of course. Interestingly, Barry Hilton's Republic to Empire has a Raw Elite category. I imagine it would fit this unit were it used in Beneath the Lily Banners.

There was a George Fitz Roy and he could have raised a regiment.  The flags gave me pause for thought.  George was an illegitimate son of Charles 2nd.  His coat of arms is the Royal Arms with a bar sinister.  I may use it if I model George and a standard bearer.

What with Monmouth and all, I thought it unsuitable for covertly raised troops.  I settled on the red and yellow bars of Northumbria and repeated the colour theme on George's Leopard banner.  A nod to his royal paternity with the Leopards.

Next to Scotland and another fictional battalion.  This is the Aberdeen Militia.  A well equipped formation.  The City fathers of Aberdeen had felt no need for discretion in procuring arms.

A couple of military professionals have been hired to keep drill up to scratch. No one has bought uniforms yet.  Securing the full complement of modern weapons took precedent.  Accordingly, the Aberdeen Regiment is a Raw or Drilled Regulation regiment.

You can see how I now intend to represent pike men in my Beneath the Lily Banners "Regulation" regiments.  Much rebasing and provision of additional officers or sergeants looms.

Back to the historical record with Eppinger's Dragoons.  I already have two mounted squadrons and here they are dismounted.  A first rate unit.

Above, a pair of Dutch light guns.  Crews from Irregular and Essex.  These will mostly be deployed singley as was the case in the period. 

Next up, William's Scots Brigade.  To my amazement my League of Augsburg project is nearly done. Two, maybe 3 squadrons of the French Maison du Roi remain outstanding.  The project began in 1998.

 

League of Augsburg- Galmoy's and Pallandt and the Artillery

 

Above, feared and fearsome, Lord Galmoy's Jacobite Horse.  The second squadron in this case.  French issue uniform coats for the rank and file.  The officer may have seen previous service as indicated by his red coat.  Figures from Irregular.

Danish regiment Pallandt.  All musket armed and firelocks at that.  No pikes but impressive fire power delivered by well trained men.

Now to the artillery. Guns and figures from Roundway, Essex and Dixon.

 

Two Battalion Guns.

 

A pair of Light Guns above and below.

Going up the scale.

A pair of Field Guns. 

 

I've been buying a few League of Augsburg and Great Northern War pdf's from Barry Hilton.  Very affordable if murderous on the printer ink.  Anyhow, they are grand for a pick up game. Moreover, very inspiring for scenario design.  I suspect I will be buying more.

Consequent on all this I've finally started writing up scenarios for an alternative 1688/9 campaign. I'm aiming for historical versimilitude so some research is ongoing.  You can lose days in this sort of thing. All sorts of interesting things turn up.

Anyhow, the first scenario is written.  It involves Prince William's Danish mercenaries marching on Alnwick Castle.  The game will appear here in due course.  

It will feature George Fitz Roy's Regiment.  Who he?  One of Charles 2nd non marital offspring. The clue is in the name.  Created Earl of Northumberland naturally enough.  Anyhow, a military man and courtier.  Changed sides but easily might not have.

Summoned by the drum

 

Here we have another addition to my League of Augsburg collection. These are local levies of civilians.  They will do for the fellows turned out by their landlords, or by a national emergency or local threat. 

As a rule, the local noble could count on the support of the gentry and stronger tenant farmers to produce a unit of cavalry. Often a family member had some military service to help things along. 

 

I’ve given this unit above castle keep flag.

Here is another such unit with a simple cross patee guidon allowing multiple identities. 

Depending upon when and where an enterprising leader might cobble together a unit of musket armed men mounted on farm nags.  

Not quite cavalry but useful.  Consider them dragoons as may of them became.

Others,lacking horses, might have fire arms and be proficient using them.  There were never many such men.  They could be used as loose shot.  Here is a full size unit.  Mostly they would appear in smaller numbers.

Town and village would produce the infantry.  I'm currently working on a un-uniformed unit equipped in the old-fashioned way.  One third pike men and so less muskets than in the more modern regular battalions. The next two units have only improvised weapons.   

 

They have a stiffening of more experienced men.  They could be well motivated but morale is likely brittle. 

 

We may ask, what motivated the notables to raise troops?  The reasons could be various and not mutually exclusive.  Prime was to protect their property and to secure future rewards for their allegiance.  Secondary, was to eclipse their local rivals and if possible to predate upon them.  Yet, we also find men of genuine heroism.  Men, and women too, resolved to do what they saw as their duty regardless of danger.  They were not limited to the notables.

I’m pleased to have got these done.  They allow for a range of scenarios. As you can see all of the unit flags could do for Jacobites, Monmouth’s men or Williamites.