Craig's 8th Brigade

Craig sent me some more info and images of his cracking Prussian collection from the 1813 period and I am sure you will enjoy them.

  

8th Brigade

The first brigade of 1st korps I created was the 8th Brigade. It fought in a number of the major actions of the Autumn campaign: Katzbach; Goldberg; Wartenburg; and Leipzig . After Leipzig it was pretty much wrecked, and did not see major action again until 1814. I chose this brigade to start because of the combination of reserve units and uniforms it provides. I had just finished reading Robert Mantle’s article on Prussian reserve units, and was quite enthused. I’ve since acquired the relevant Osprey, and Stephen Summerfield’s tome, and developed a fondness for Prussian reservists (I am in the midst of a Waterloo project at the moment, and relishing the opportunity to paint IR18, which was composed of three different former Reserve units!)

8th brigade was comprised of IR12 “the Brandenburg regt”; 12 reserve infantry regt (RIR); and 14th Silesian landwehr infantry regiment (LWIR). It had the standard 6lb artillery battery in support, and rather than a single light cavalry regiment, it had two half-regiments, also known as divisions (2 sqn each) of the 3rd Brandenburg hussars, and the 3rd Silesian landwehr kavallerie regt (LWKR).

3rd Brandenburg hussar regiment

   

3rd Silesian landwehr kavallerie regiment

  

 3rd Silesian landwehr kavallerie close-up

    

I painted these figures back in 2002-2004. Back then I used a standard layered block painting style over a black undercoat of enamel spray. Highlight is limited to faces. A bit heavy in some parts, making them look like they have applied zinc cream to avoid sunburn. Painting gear is largely 0 through to 000 brushes, Vallejo colours almost exclusively, all targeted using the Mk I eyeball (which 10 years ago was still pretty good).

    

The vanguard brigade that I deploy has the fusileer battalion of IR12, III/12RIR, and III/14th Silesian LWIR. As discussed last month, these lads were leading the way, or covering the withdrawal, depending upon the week. Now, this is where it starts getting interesting.
   

Vanguard deployed
  

IR12

   

IR12 was created as a line regiment in 1813 by amalgamating a number of reserve battalions, including the reserve battalions of the elite lieb infantry regiment. The fusilier battalion was created from the 3rd reserve musketeer battalion IR6 (1st West Prussian). As such it was dressed in the ersatz (substitute) uniform issued to reserve units by the cash-strapped Prussian government. It retained the crimson facings of it’s original parent (stamm) regiment. Officers, musicians and NCOs (cadre) were dressed in the stamm regiment uniform of blue kollett with crimson-red facings (West-Prussian provincial colour) and white shoulders traps (1st Regiment of the province), grey trousers and covered shako. This unit saw action in the Spring 1813 campaign at both Lutzen and Bautzen , prior to their amalgamation with the lieb reserve battalions. As part of IR12, it served in the capacity of the fusilier battalion of that regiment. The figures I have used for this are mostly Fantassin, although you may spot an AB figure here or there.

  

III/12RIR

    

III/12 reserve infantry regiment has a similar history, although the 2nd Brandenburg regiment as it was also known was not made a line regiment until 1815. It started as 3rd reserve musketeer battalion IR4 (3rd East Prussian), and was merged with reserve battalions of the elite lieb regiment to form 12RIR. It wore the ersatz uniform with the orange-red facings of it’s East Prussian stamm regiment. Cadre wore the regulation uniform of the stamm regiment, with yellow shoulder straps (3rd regiment of the province). Like all third battalions of reserve regiments, it was used in a light infantry role. Again, these figures are predominantly Fantassin, although you might spot an AB figure or two. 

  

Skirmishers

  

  More skirmishers

  

For both fusilier battalions I have also created a set of duplicate skirmish bases for use when deploying skirmishers. Under GdB, light infantry battalions of this quality may deploy up to half their strength in skirmish order. It also saves me from having to choose between the marching poses and the firing/loading poses for depiction of the unit. The figures are all AB. It’s hard to go past AB figures for quality. Particularly when Eureka Miniatures was only 20 minutes from my home, and Nic Robson is such a friendly and hospitable chap.

   

For each battalion painted, I also provide a casualty marker in the appropriate uniform. It’s presence adjacent to a unit means that the unit has taken casualties, and the casualty sheet should be checked before making calculations that include unit strength as a factor.

   

III/14th Silesian LWIR

  

The third unit in the vanguard is III Bn /14th Silesian LWIR. It wears the standard landwehr uniform of dark blue litewka (long jacket) and schmirtze (peaked cap) with facings in the provincial colour, which is yellow for Silesia . The shoulder straps are also yellow as it is the third battalion in the regiment. The battalion is also known as Battalion Brixen – after its commander, Major Brixen. 

   

The command stand that I have created for the vanguard follows my practice of having a group which reflects the variety of units in the brigade. For brigade level commands this means two mounted figures, and two foot figures. This group represents Major von der Golz, commander of 12RIR who I have decided would be an appropriate commander of the vanguard brigade. He is accompanied by another mounted officer wearing the regulation kollett with the orange-red facings of the East Prussian regiment, suggesting he is from the former East Prussian reserve musketeer battalion, now III Bn/12RIR. The two figures on foot represent an officer and musketeer from the former West Prussian reserve battalion – now Fusileer battalion IR12. My compatriots in little gaming group have complained that they cannot distinguish between the “brick-red” of the East Prussian regiments, the “crimson red” of the West Prussians, and the "poppy-red" of the lieb regiment. I think it is pretty clear. Don’t you?

   

Command stand