Louis XIV

[ravenflight]

Hello Mr and Mrs French,

I'm writing here because I've had no luck on the FOG:R site, and I'm hoping someone here may be able to shed more light. I'm hoping that national pride will have enthused some to have a knowledge of HRH Louis XIV.

I'm making up an army which will have 6 regiments of foot.

1 regiment of Swiss Guards
1 regiment of Gardes Francaises
3 regiments of line infantry; and,
1 'newly raised regiment' or 'poor regiment'.

Now, I'm likely to be using Venexia and they have regiment packs as follows:

RPF 01 "Piccardia"
RPF 02 "Piemonte"
RPF 03 "Champagne"
RPF 04 "Normandia"
RPF 05 "La Marine"
RPF 06 "Cambresis"
RPF 07 "Lorraine"
RPF 08 "Flandre"
RPF 09 "Forez"
RPF 10 "Bigorre"
RPF 11 "Clare-O'Brian" (Irish)
RPF 12 "La Mark" (German)
RPF 13 "French Guards"
RPF 14 “Swiss Guards”
RPF 15 “Nivernais”
RPF 16 “Quercy”
RPF 17 “Hainaut”

My knowledge of Louis XIV is that the Irish are very unlikely to be considered 'poor', and of course the French Guards and Swiss Guards are the 'guard' so that leave the rest... one of which will have the unhappy task of being the 'poor' unit.

Does anyone have any opinions on what would be most suitable (or more importantly - if I picked one at random which would definitely NOT be suitable) for the 'poor regiment'?

Any help would be appreciated.

I'd try to say something uplifting to inspire national pride, but I'd probably just embarrass myself.

Thanks.

[thefrenchjester]

Hi Ravenflight,

could you send to me a mail to gillesw01( at)free.fr ( it's a zero not a "ho";-), I'm not aware of anything on Louis XIV' s period but I have a good friend or two, who have a great knowledge on it, they paint the Sun king armies in15mm and 28mm, they will be able to share with you all they know on his regiments;

Best regards

thefrenchjester

[Sarmaticus]

Take a look here http://www.spanishsuccession.nl/armies/ ... ments.html
Generaly speaking the more recently raised and therefore, junior a regiment was, the lower it's status. Of course a dilligent Colonel-proprietor could make a quite junior regiment highly efficient - as de Saxe did with the regiment he bought.
Short of having some sort of regimental history, which French Jester's pal may well supply, the least objectionable course might be to make the most junior of the regiments poor.

[ravenflight]

Take a look here http://www.spanishsuccession.nl/armies/ ... ments.html
Generaly speaking the more recently raised and therefore, junior a regiment was, the lower it's status. Of course a dilligent Colonel-proprietor could make a quite junior regiment highly efficient - as de Saxe did with the regiment he bought.
Short of having some sort of regimental history, which French Jester's pal may well supply, the least objectionable course might be to make the most junior of the regiments poor.

Thanks for the link.

Yes, I think you may be right... and also, I don't think Renaissance players are as pedantic as Napoleonic players. Additionally, if I'm finding it difficult getting information, then the pedant Renaissance player who says that my "'Regiment de la crappy' really shouldn't be crap because they fought quite well in battle blah blah", well, will just have to suck it up .

I do find, however, that it's amazing how many people speak with some kind of authority about things that even experts in the field are unsure about.

I do wish to get this mostly right though. For heavens sake for all I know, the Swiss and French guards may never have fought in the same battle, but they will be in my army

Thanks for your help guys.

[olivier]

hi,
RPF 01 "Piccardia" French name : Picardie order number 1 Raised in 1555
RPF 02 "Piemonte" French name : Piemond order number 4 Raised in 1569
RPF 03 "Champagne" French name : Champagne order number 2 Raised in 1588
RPF 04 "Normandia" French name : Normandie order number 5 Raised in 1616
RPF 05 "La Marine" French name : La Marine order number 6 Raised in 1635
RPF 06 "Cambresis" French name : Cambresis order number 80 Raised in 1684
RPF 07 "Lorraine" French name : Lorraine order number 69 Raised in 1684
RPF 08 "Flandre" French name : Flandres order number 70 Raised in 1684
RPF 09 "Forez"French name : Forez order number 79 Raised in 1684
RPF 10 "Bigorre" French name : Bigorre order number 78 Raised in 1684
RPF 11 "Clare-O'Brian" (Irish) French name : Clare order number 93 Raised in 1690
RPF 12 "La Mark" (German) French name : Picardie order number 66 Raised in 1680
RPF 13 "French Guards" French name : Garde Française Raised in 1563
RPF 14 “Swiss Guards” can be used as Swiss regiment as : regiment "Jenner" order number 49 Raised in 1672
RPF 15 “Nivernais” French name : Nivernois order number 86 Raised in 1684
RPF 16 “Quercy” French name : Quercy order number 85 Raised in 1684
RPF 17 “Hainaut” French name : Hainaut order number 73 Raised in 1674
So you have an army for the Nine year war known in France as "Guerre de la Ligue d'Ausbourg" 1688-1697
The best French Victory is "Fleurus" 1690 where "Gardes Françaises" and "Garde Suisse" fought together
http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/revues ... urus90.htm
hope this information will help you.

[ravenflight]

RPF 06 "Cambresis" French name : Cambresis order number 80 Raised in 1684
RPF 07 "Lorraine" French name : Lorraine order number 69 Raised in 1684
RPF 08 "Flandre" French name : Flandres order number 70 Raised in 1684
RPF 09 "Forez"French name : Forez order number 79 Raised in 1684
RPF 10 "Bigorre" French name : Bigorre order number 78 Raised in 1684
RPF 15 “Nivernais” French name : Nivernois order number 86 Raised in 1684
RPF 16 “Quercy” French name : Quercy order number 85 Raised in 1684

Thanks heaps Olivier, this is fantastic information.

Unfortunately, my army is dated 1692=> so it can't be Fleurus... but really... what's two years between friends right? Or more importantly, in MY alternate history when I am king... I'll keep the Gardes Francaises and Gardes Suisses together always .

Looking at your list, I see that the latest is the Irish (1690), but I'm cautious about building the Irish as 'poor' as I believe they are 'the Wild Geese' and had a good reputation correct? I've thus cut out all the 'older' regiments and left with all those raised in 1684... that's still 8 years of campaigning. Do you have an opinion as to which of the above may have had the poorest reputation, or perhaps the regiment that spent most of its time in garrison or what-not?

If the reputation of the Wild Geese is purely Irish propaganda I'm happy to have them as my poor regiment... they are the youngest (but I'd think reasonably seasoned after fighting in Ireland for several years).

Oh, another thought, is there any regiment on my original list that had a major bollocking in Fleurus? One that copped a major hiding (regardless of age). It would thus be filled with recruits and could thus be quite happily 'poor' despite its long history!

[olivier]

choose any one of them, one or another day , they performed sub optimally .
Poor management, bad supply or powder, new trainee, misunderstanding orders are some of the alibi to a poor performance one day on the battle
Irish were veteran of the irish Army who followed Jacques II on his exil in France. not the usual suspect for a poor rating
If you want an army after 1692 you can go with battle of Steenkerque; Same french leaders, same troops and same end... a french victory!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Steenkerque

[ravenflight]

choose any one of them, one or another day , they performed sub optimally .
Poor management, bad supply or powder, new trainee, misunderstanding orders are some of the alibi to a poor performance one day on the battle
Irish were veteran of the irish Army who followed Jacques II on his exil in France. not the usual suspect for a poor rating
If you want an army after 1692 you can go with battle of Steenkerque; Same french leaders, same troops and same end... a french victory!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Steenkerque

From what I understand of this period (limited though it is) the French did very little OTHER than battlefield victories. Won every battle, but lost the war

What you say is quite true Olivier. Many reasons for 'poor', but I guess I was trying to avoid randomly picking the Louis XIV equivalent of Davout's III/I corps and making them poor. That said 90% of Davout's III/I corps elite status was Davout himself and Morand, Friant & Gudin... So, it's up to ME to make them poor, and I'm sure I'm up to the task.

Thanks for your help.

[ravenflight]

Ok Guys,

Here is my Army of Louis XIV:

RPFC 03 "Maison du Roi" = Superior (possibly Elite if I go that way)
RPFC 02 "Anjou" Superior
RPFC 01 "Orleans" Average

RPFD 01 “Colonel Generals de dragoons”
RPFD 01 “Colonel Generals de dragoons”

Hussard-Royaux

RPF 13 "French Guards" French name : Garde Française Raised in 1563 = Superior
RPF 14 “Swiss Guards” can be used as Swiss regiment as : regiment "Jenner" order number 49 Raised in 1672 = Superior
RPF 11 "Clare-O'Brian" (Irish) French name : Clare order number 93 Raised in 1690 = Average
RPF 17 “Hainaut” French name : Hainaut order number 73 Raised in 1674 = Average
RPF 05 "La Marine" French name : La Marine order number 6 Raised in 1635 = Average
RPF 15 “Nivernais” French name : Nivernois order number 86 Raised in 1684 = Poor

Artillery