Wednesday 23 November 2022

Die Kaiserlich-königliche Armee in Review - Part 3

Tonight, the third and final instalment of our Austrian Napoleonic Parade - and it's the time for cavalry and artillery. 

Many fewer regiments - cavalry are, after all, like their historical counterparts, considerably more expensive to raise (not to mention painting the horses - we have had THAT discussion previously!). The majority of the figures this time are Old Glory, although there are a few Sash and Sabre in there too.


Uhlan Regiment 1 (Merveldt) with yellow Czapka. All four Uhlan (lancer) regiments were uniformed the same, the only distinction they had was the colour of the top part of their Polish style headwear.


Uhlan Regiment 3 (Archduke Charles) with red Czapka. Both of these units are Old Glory figures.


Next up are two regiments of hussars, again using OG figures. The first is Hussar Regiment 2 (Archduke Joseph) sporting red shako and light blue jacket and breeches.


A couple of close ups 




Second is Hussar Regiment 4 (Vecsy) in blue shako, green jacket and red breeches.



Next is a regiment of "Cheveaux Legere, followed by a dragoon regiment. These are Sash and Sabre figures. As far as I can figure out, Cheveaux Legere and Dragoon regiments seem to be interchangeable - several of them seemed to start off the Napoleonic period as dragoons, become cheveaux legere...and then changed back again, and likewise dragoon regiments. It's not even a uniform thing, as both types seem to have worn either white or green coats - most confusing!


This, then is the Cheveaux Legere Regiment 1 (Kaiser) with white coats and red facings




And this is the Dragoon Regiment 4 (Levenehr) in green coats with yellow facings



Lastly (for the donkey wallopers) are two regiments of Old Glory Kuirassiers


Kuirassier Regiment 1 (Kaiser) in white uniforms faced red




Kuirassier Regiment (Lethringen) in white faced dark blue




Finally, the gunners. The first four guns and crews are Sash and Sabre (I think. It's all a very long time ago now!)




The second batch of four with the distinctly smaller guns are Old Glory





And last but not least for the Austrians, their big boss - Old Glory figures.


I like to think of this as Archduke Charles, who was, according to Herr Wikipedia..."Austrian archduke, field marshal, army reformer, and military theoretician who was one of the few Allied commanders capable of defeating the French generals of the Napoleonic period." A pity I am not able to replicate that ability on the wargaming table ....so far!


And just a couple of images on one of the sources of information on regimental names and distinctions.


I have found this a really great book, lavishly illustrated, with as much detail as I require for wargaming purposes and I think, purchased for NZ$40 (£20) about a decade ago. (I also have a similar volume by the same author on uniforms of the Nineteenth Century)


Data on the different Grenz Regiments


Ditto on Hussar Regiments


The inspiration for one of my two units of hussars!

And finally, for anyone sick to the back teeth of seeing all our pictures of sunny New Zealand, here is the kind of weather we have been experiencing for the last week, and, apparently, also have in store for another few days to come!



Thanks for dropping by and please, do leave a comment - I only count comments, not views!

32 comments:

  1. Beautiful looking cavalry sir!
    Best regards

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    1. Thank you Michal - appreciate your visit and comment, as always!

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  2. I’m really enjoying seeing the collection in full Keith and although you say less regiments still a fine collection. I too have those books and they are excellent and simple to use. The wet hater is very similar here in Cumbria today 👍

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    1. Thanks Matt. I am pleased you enjoyed the show! That tain really was torrential for about fifteen minutes. The following evening we had about two hours of thunder and lightning...

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  3. Great photos here Kieth and great painting too - a massive collection- well done on getting everything completed. Cheers. KEV.

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    1. Thanks Kev, all the work as done a few years ago now, but it was quite a project, at the time!

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  4. Outstanding work on these! And you know, I don't think I've ever talked to anyone who enjoys painting horses. My dad was painting 54mm Airfix figures back in the early 70s, and one thing that's come up whenever I show him the 28mm figures I'm painting, if I've painted a horse, is how much he hated painting horses. It's been a weird point of continuity between his hobbying and mine.

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    1. Thanks Bill...I had written a long winded reply to this about three hours ago but Blogger didn't publish it for some reason! The anti cavalry bias is an odd phenomenon (see my reply to Lawrence's comments below)

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  5. Great finish to the grand parade. Your first guns shown are Sash & Saber, look like my first Austrians, very first post on my blog.

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    1. Thank Joe...I will pop over and take a look at your first ever post shortly

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  6. Somehow missed (until now) your "Magyar" (Hungarian) parade, but took it in with this final one. Always thought the Austrian hussars were the smartest looking of the era, and yours deliver there! Have the 19th Century Uniform Encyclopedia--can also recommend it; I've found it both handy and motivational for my several and sundry post-Nap projects.

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    1. Thank Ed. As I understand it, Hussars originated in the Austro Hungarian empire, so it seems appropriate theirs should be the best! The series of uniform encyclopaedias are indeed great assets to the wargamer!

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  7. Inspiring stuff Keith. That book is a godsend... and good eye candy.

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    1. Than you Richard, the books have proved very useful over the years!

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  8. Wonderful array of Austrian cavalry, Keith. I recognize lots and lots of Old Glory figures. Rain is really coming down hard. Here, it finally warmed up enough to snow. Two new inches of the white stuff overnight and many of the mountain passes are seeing closures. I do not believe i have the Napoleonic uniform book (actually, maybe I do!) but the 19th Century version is terrific.

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    1. Thanks Jon! The Sash and Sabre ranges, with the exception of the ACW, seem to be ideas that started but have not progressed, so, the basic infantry are covered, but only one type of cavalry (cheveaux legere/Dragoons) are available....hence, I had to look elsewhere! OG Second Edition are much the same...some nice figures but incomplete ranges that have not been added to for a decade.....

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    2. I have a lot of the S&S French line infantry. Too bad they never got around to producing French Legere.

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    3. Yes I thought the same about their SYW stuff Jon. When that sale via OG came up a decade ago, my main motivation was to get a new collection going with big savings...it could easily have been SYW, but the range seemed pretty minimal...so I went with the Austrians!

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  9. Lovely parade Keith and a force to be proud of. I quite enjoy painting horses as I have said before, but realise I am in the minority. My enjoyment comes from the Foundry paints I use and the fact I like using the colours.

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    1. Thanks Lawrence...it's a very odd thing, I don't mind the actual horse, it's all the tack that grinds my gears...and there is no real logic to it, because all the straps supporting reins and bit and so on, are no harder to do than crossbelts etc on the rider.....

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  10. The cavalry look excellent. Been great seeing the whole collection

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    1. Thanks Scotty...I think a lot of us like seeing others collections and they are a good space filler when not much action on the painting or gaming tables!

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  11. Cracking cavalry Keith…
    I do like the Austrian Hussars.
    You have my sympathies on the rain…it’s been almost constant here for most of the last week.

    All the best Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly, on both counts! It's actually sunny here at the moment but still having violent squalls on and off...rather inclement weather for this time of year in this part of the world!

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  12. What a wonderful parade Keith, but the thought of painting so many horses and tack gives me the heebie jeebies. It's bad enough in 10mm, but 28mm? Perish the thought!

    So it's not all paradise in NZ then? I'm shocked after all of your wonderful travelogue photos over the years;). We are having very similar weather here, with parts of Scotland and the South East having a month's worth of rain in 48 hours or so.

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  13. Thanks Steve....I know, it often surprises me how much I have painted over the years when I get it all out of storage!
    We are still not out of the woods yet, weather wise.....it is dry this morning, at the moment, but yesterday we had rain most of the day, including a ten minute burst of rain/sleet very similar to the video, and another round of thunder and lightning about ten o'clock last night.

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  14. Are you sure you are not in England? The weather here is shocking too. What a great line up of troops.
    Cheers
    Stu

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    1. Lol...I am sure we couldn't compete with the UK on the bad weather front Stu! It's been a bit crap here lately but today has been fine. Thanks for the compliments on the Austrian collection

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  15. Awesome looking Austrian cavalry! I'm with Lawrence on liking painting horses, they're just easier and faster, plus I prime black so I don't paint any tack, just touch it up!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain! You must be a tidier painter than me, as I also black undercoat, but then I cover up all the tack again when dry brushing various shades of brown (usually) on the horse, and have to repaint the bridle etc at the end!

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  16. My fav parts of Napoleonic armies - the cavalry and specifically, showy Hussar uniforms! Love them, they look great mate!

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    1. Thanks Dai....an upcoming game is supposed to be an all cavalry affair...hopefully it us one I am able to attend and report on

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