BAR - a brief explanation

For those who are interested BAR ( Batailles del'ancien Regime 1740-1763) is a set of rules for the period ( written by Bill Protz jr ) which I believe many people are using for raising units. They are written accessibly, a combination of sound scholarship and fun- a good combination in my book.
I am sorry for adding another set of initials to those we already use - wab,wrg,dbm,dbmmm etc etc!
I would be interested to hear what others are doing re unit size and also peoples's experience of gaming with them.

A despatch rider..........

Amidst torrential rain outside and trying to get my daughter's i shuffle to work BAR arrived at breakfast time. The despatch rider,sorry postman, put them through the letter box sticking out of a ripped sodden envelope!
After drying them out and getting the i shuffle to function I am starting to read them. They are well laid out,most interesting and inspiring. Now all remains is to decide upon unit sizes............

Proclamation nailed to every church door in the land

People of Tradgarland! The Duke has spoken. Here are his words. One. His son and heir ,having shot the best is now to command the Midsommer Regiment,formerly the Gamekeeper's own.
Two. Eternal peace has broken out with Hesses -engleberg. Three. The Duke is speaking to representitives of Gallia to make benefical agreements and treaties with them.
Written by the Postmaster General
Midsommer
God Save the Duke!

Those summer nights-tell me more...............

The crack of sporadic rifle fire mingles with the sound of ropes and tackle.The day of the shoot approaches. Competitors sit in the long sommer nights ,sipping ale and discussing the merits and demerits of air-rifle and the blackpowder variety.
In the pavillions of rose and sky blue the Duke and his family celebrate amidst fine silverware and the peacock uniforms of the high echleons of society.
The duke's eldest son-prince bishop of Roskilde and ambassador to the holy See has returned to try his hand at the boar targets. Alisona ,daughter of the duke, glides through the assembled throng, her mind full of princes and future happiness. Georg ,heir apparent,sits amongst cronies at the pavillion's awning. He is a stranger to duty and his father muses upon what will happen to the duchy under him. Years of foreign service in the army have left him dissolute and impatient with his lot. He too will try his skill at arms over the coming days.
The Duke's mind returns ever to the announcements he will make,the hope he will offer and the ever running sore that is the Ducal family. Liv,Duchess ,his one consolation,approaches and leads him out into the falling twilight. Karl Frederick surrenders to the welcome distractions and an oasis of silver drenched calm.

Legend of the Golden Herring........

Visitors to the Duchy may enquire as to why the Ducal symbol and highest honour is a Golden Herring. The reason relates to the Middle Ages ,to a time when the Duchy had been laid waste by warfare and the Black Death. The people were starving ,crops had failed,shoals were never sighted and hope had left the building. Legend tells of a Watchman spying a shoal of Golden herring which suddenly appeared in the Baltic. They led the fishing fleet to abundent catches and prosperity. It was the start of the Duchy's upturn in fortunes.
For that reason the Golden Herring appear at the very centre of Tradgardland iconography - orders of chivalry,regimental standards and everwhere one looks!

Infantry Regiment 1

Infantry regiment No. 1 is commanded by Col Werner von Hertzog. It is raised from the canton which covers the area around and including Althavn. In line with the Tradgardian system the regiment is partially maintained by one of the Duchy Guilds. In this case the Guild of Watchmen- who have featured in the blog before-or in Emperor v Elector. this is the senior regiment in the Ducal Army havebeen first raised in the mid 17th Century. Von Hertzog holds estates on the coast near Althavn his fotune having been made through trade with scandanavian countries and his herring fleet

The Tradgardian Curaissers.......

The pride of the Tradgardland Cavalry arm is moving forward. Basing to do and such like but here they are to be viewed. More to come soon including infantry

Moving forward...

I have not had too much time lately to devote to painting.I have tried a combination of photocopying and hand drawing/painting for the regimental standards. This working quite well. I hope to photograph some units very soon.
I am wading thru documentation on Tradgardland's army especially the issues of recruitment and maintance. This involves the Duchy craft guilds taking responsibility for individual regiments and I will post when I have further details.
The templates available have encouraged me to post my uniform scheme very soon.

more musterings..

Today I have moved the forces of Tradgardland forward well -they are looking resplendent in their new uniforms. I have ,however, had less success with the fabricating of flags-as with all computer based tasks , such as this ,it is a case of trial and error. I feel a few tentative steps by way of technique have taken place!

mustering musings

Last night I began to muster the Duchy forces. Some Prussian style infantry were repainted in the ducal colours of sky blue and rose. The task has begun at least. I hope to continue over the weekend and will try to get a photo or two here.
I am struggling with ideas of how to do standards. I have limited ability artisically. I know some of you have used Windows paint package - fantastic results may I add ! Any helpful hints very much appreciated.
I was really inspired by the detailed info on units and command personnel posted elsewhere. I think I will try such an approach myself

undercover of the night..........

St Norbert's Eve

Silently the oars pulled thru the mouth of Althavn harbour. The day had come. St Norbert pray for us mumbled the steersman. The crew were sworn to secrecy and to a mission of the gravest endeavour. Von Bergman tossed and turned in his cabin below. It would be a long night...........

He dreamt of towers and ceremonies archane and opulent - he dreamt of Constantinople herself!

Karl Frederick today extends invitations to heads of state great and lesser to join him at the mustering of his Ducal army.Any wishing to declare Himself a friend of Tradgardland and ally against tyranny and opression should write with haste expessing friendship and intent in order to play their part upon the field of manoveur,the hall of banquets and in the chamber of The order of the Golden Herring. Those pledging themselves in everlasting concord may apply with sound reasons to be admitted to the said order to mutal benefit and joyous concord!

signed this day of June

Karl

Recruiting.............

As Tradgardland follows Prussian cut in some of its army uniforms I will be recruiting the Ducal armies from Minifigs I already posess. They will be organised to fight my Austrians based for Phil Olley's rules. The recruiting has begun -watch for further updates very soon .

Karl Frederick greets his fellow rulers

Amidst scenes of jubilation the Annual Seed Festival was celebrated in the gardens with the Ducal ceremonial planting of his new formal knotgarden accompanied by an open and generous extension to felicitous relationships with monarchs,dukes and the alike.His glorious Tradgardness awaits !

Tradgardland

This is the first posting from Tradgardland,located in the baltic just off Denmark.More to come -watch this space!