Page 1 of 1

1690 uniforms - and morphs

Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 10:39 am
by rbodleyscott
From Pike to Shot 1685 to 1720 by Charles Stewart Grant (Wargames Research Group 1986)

is out of print but can be got second hand. (I got a copy that was in very good condition until my wife spilled red wine on it).

It doesn't trump Daniel's link for the Bavarians, although it does list Bavarian uniforms (but I must admit I imagined "sky blue" to be a lighter shade than that shown in Hoffmann's prints). But it does give lists of regimental uniform information (but not colour pictures) for most of the European armies of the period (though sadly not the Venetians, apart from some of their German state-supplied mercenaries).

For ultimate morphability, I am going for mostly red or light grey coated regiments for my foot, with one or two dark blue coated, and a mixture of red coated and light grey coated regiments for the cavalry.

This will allow me to plausibly represent Anglo-Dutch, French (yes even the French had many red-coated regiments - Swiss and Irish foot, and more red-coated horse than blue or grey), Austrian, Venetian or German states with a switch of flag and one extra base of shot so that they can be fielded either as 1 pike, 5 shot with bayonet or 6 shot with bayonet.

The shade of grey will probably be wrong for some of the armies, but I am not that picky.

(Napoleonic wargamers would shudder in horror, no doubt).

Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 12:20 pm
by nickdives
Interesting, but as a Napoleonic chap I do sometimes field 1806 Russians to boost my 1812 Russians for the bigger battles! I do find that Warhammer types can be worse with arguments about someone goggleblatter being the wrong shade of trub and not in the latest adeptus book!!!

I have the book mentioned above, and have sent off for my first figures from Venexia, available from the most effecient Vexilla/ Martin Stevenson. By special order from Italy they do regt packs:

http://www.vexillia.ltd.uk/venexia/shop ... packs.html

They come wioth painting guides, a flag and 24 Inf / 12 Cav. With a couple of single packs of Infantry this should allow a couple of Inf units per pack (including extra to allow 4/5 shot 1/2 pike. They do take about about 3 weeks, but the figures I have so far are very nice, and 3 weeks gives me time to0 finish off my Ottomans!

Nick

Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 1:38 pm
by DanielS
Precisely which shade of blue was used by the Bavarians and when has been the subject of much debate. From what I can tell from the debate over at TMP and leswwhere "sky blue"/"himmelblau" is actually a misunderstanding which has lived on, the actual colour was supposedly "cornflowe blue" which tends to be portrayed as a medium shade of blue similar to that seen in the Hoffmann plates. However the actual (Napoleonic) uniform coats I've seen at the army museum in Regensburg is of an even darker shade. The offical history never mentions a specific shade of blue and allt it's quotes and references to actual documents involve "blue coats" or "blue cloth", it could be that "cornflower blue" is a detail added later in the 18th Century.

Re: 1690 uniforms - and morphs

Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 7:17 pm
by footslogger
rbodleyscott wrote:From Pike to Shot 1685 to 1720 by Charles Stewart Grant (Wargames Research Group 1986)

is out of print but can be got second hand. (I got a copy that was in very good condition until my wife spilled red wine on it).
Was it the correct shade of red?

:o

Re: 1690 uniforms - and morphs

Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 7:54 am
by rbodleyscott
footslogger wrote:
rbodleyscott wrote:From Pike to Shot 1685 to 1720 by Charles Stewart Grant (Wargames Research Group 1986)

is out of print but can be got second hand. (I got a copy that was in very good condition until my wife spilled red wine on it).
Was it the correct shade of red?

:o
:lol:

Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 9:29 am
by timmy1
Interestingly (to me at least) ALL my figures for this period are morphs from my GNW / WSS armies. I must say I try to do as Richard does, Red coats and Blue coats cover a multutude of sins. Not actually got to the point where I have a FoGR army yet - more mounted to paint before I can do that.

Re: 1690 uniforms - and morphs

Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 12:12 pm
by shadowdragon
rbodleyscott wrote:(Napoleonic wargamers would shudder in horror, no doubt).
Not all of us. :D

But then again, I've been known to use Austrians for Dutch-Belgians and my 1806-07 Prussians for Late Prussians. Perhaps that's why I have to play solo games! :lol: :lol: