Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas From Hesse Seewald


The Elector's Ursine Guard (Eureka Teddy Bears)

The Herzog Georg Ludwig of Hesse Seewald and his family wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009.

For 2009, we may see the beginnings of an official Hesse Seewald army that would be apart from the traditional Prussians that I use as stand-ins. I'm not going to promise that I will get it done, but after reading Charles S. Grant's The Wargame Companion , the idea of at least a brigade of imaginery forces holds some appeal with me.


Baron von Doppelganger (left) is a Foundry freikorps officer wearing the uniform of the Royal Foresters Regiment in the Hesse Seewald Army. The Austrian chap on the right is a Foundry Russian officer painted in Austrian mufti.

I am contemplating four or five battalions of infantry, a company of foot artillery, and eight squadrons of cavalry (Garde du Corps, line cuirassiers, dragoons and hussars).

IR1 The Riesengarde
IR2 The Royal Foresters
IR3 von Glasenap Musketeers
IR4 The Charlottenburg Musketeers
IR5 von Holstein Musketeers or Grenadiers

FA1 Foot artillery company comprising 2 x 12-pdrs and 2 x 4-pdrs

CR1 Garde du Corps (1 x 12)
CR2 Gotha Cuirassiers (2 x 12)
DR1 Munchausen Dragoons (3 x 12)
HR1 von Luckner's Hussars (2 x 12)

I will be working on some sample uniforms over the next several weeks, but I think that the uniforms will be Prussian in style, only with green coats, straw small-clothes and facing colors or red, straw, pink and white (sort of like French Napoleonic dragoons). The artillery will wear green coats/straw clothes/red facing similar to the Saxon artillery. The Garde du Corp will wear red coats and blue facing. the line cuirassiers will have buff coats and the dragoons will be either red or blue. The hussars will be the actual Luckner's Hussars.

7 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas and I look forward to the imagination troops in the New Year! I got The Wargames Companion for Christmas today and have been really inspired by the brief read I have had time for!
    best wishes
    Alan

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  2. Der Alte Fritz taking the plunge?
    Too good news to believe!

    Merry Christmas - New Year days.
    Jean-Louis

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  3. Hmmm, I'm just taking a brief break from reading my (just unwrapped) copy of "The War Game Companion" myself.

    By the way, I really like the name of your dragoons . . . Munchausen . . . what a wonderful choice . . . will the flag feature a fellow riding on a cannonball?

    And welcome to the "fun side" of 18th century gaming.


    -- Jeff

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  4. Merry Christmas!

    I have also saved my Wargames Companion till Christmas day and like yourself the infectious enthusiasm has got me thinking of fictitious armies.

    I really like the Brig. Young model Where the Bedfordshire regt. rubs shoulders with the Erbrinz. Not least because the same figures can be used in Canada, India or the low countries.

    One thing I have really learned from yourself is that if a figure is nice then one should simply use it and stop dithering over whether it is 'compatable'with the rest.

    By the way the painting on those teddy bears is first class. amd I love the cottage garden.

    john

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  5. Hello there Jim,

    I concur. The teddy bears (presumably for Lady Emma?) are neat. I'm also terribly enthused by your planned imaginary brigade and look forward to seeing it take shape in the coming year.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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  6. Jim
    Some gingerbread houses would be ideal sceneary for the Bears. Any chance of some frogs (Eueka) as oppostion in 2009?
    Alan

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  7. Happy Christmas old chap! And best of luck with your imaginary brigade.

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