When l look at a Wargames figure l tend to see it as a miniature representation of say a Napoleonic soldier in his uniform. You know what I mean !
I found it liberating and fascinating to read that Peter Young “ dressed his Electoral Army in the uniforms of the Seven Years War but we make it clear that our rules are based on the practice of the Late eighteenth century.”
I like this idea very much. Of course there are precedents like the 1730s Janissary Guard in the Saxon Army l already alluded to in a previous post. They are not Janissaries but Saxons dressed as them. A conceit, a wizard wheeze, call it what you may. It adds fun to the table top l think.
So in the spirt of this yesterday I sent off to Tradition of London for some Willie figures to represent men dressed as the Lord Admiral’s Regt of the 1660s for my Charge games. I just couldn’t resist the Brigadier’s great idea.
Here are some sources for my costume design-
It's strange but I am not convinced by this! It may be heretical to say so, but I don't like the Brigadiers idea that we can mix and match uniforms willy nilly as we please. Now, I am not an anorak wearing button counter...I don't have an issue using AWI tricorn wearing troops for the SYW or that kind of thing, but having uniforms from three different nations across a hundred year time difference doesn't attract me in the slightest sorry! Maybe I am just a bit too young to appreciate the nostalgia for C Grant, P Young, D Featherstone et al.....I don't really like the old school, same pose, gloss paint look either! I had Minifigs troops in that style when I started out in the mid seventies and they were fine at the time, but to me it's akin to being nostalgic fior a Hillman Imp or some other ugly seventies car (and doubtless some people do love those type of cars...!)
ReplyDeleteWe all approach the hobby differently, it’s a broad church. That’s good for us all.
DeleteI'm certainly looking forward to seeing them Alan.
ReplyDeleteThere are many aspects of wargaming these days that I just don't "get" but I always admire the enthusiasm that lies behind them. Yes, a bit of a dinosaur.
For my own part -
My name is Ronnie.
I play with toy soldiers.
Preferably marching.
Always glossy.
Very true indeed. I do like your manifesto btw.
DeleteI think it’s a fine idea. It is for an imagi-nation anyway.
ReplyDeleteHaving a unit with old style uniforms could easily be rationalised. A stingy colonel-proprietor could have refused to follow the latest fashion around 1700 (buying old style redundant stock cheaply off his fellow colonels). A later instruction regularising uniform patterns might have inadvertently overlooked maritime forces, which include the Lord Admiral’s regiment) so they got away with it for longer. Then when the bureaucrats caught up with the anomaly, a signal service rendered by the colonel to the Elector/Duke the ruler opted to ‘respect tradition’. And no doubt caused much gossip in the salons and chancelleries of Europe.
The Janissary outfit is not so unique either. Old Fritz had his Bosniaken, de Saxe had his own exoticly Eastern garbed units, and ‘Hungarian-style’ hussar dress is the same fashion statement writ large. By the mid-19th century there was also the Zouave trend.
Excellent rationale for my plans , thank you.
ReplyDeleteYour hobby, your figures, your choice!
ReplyDeleteOf course the Brigadier's artillery looked very like Wellington's horse batteries.
ReplyDeleteI have recently painted up a squadron of mamelukes for my imagination. I suspect the Archduke's son brought them back from his grand tour.