Very pleased to have my Portuguese cavalry brigade finished and fit for action. As discussed previously, no-one makes proper figures for these in the scales I can use, so the best I could manage was converted Dutch cuirassiers from Kennington.
The whole effect is enhanced greatly by Matt's very fine paintwork. Here they are, ready for The Cupboard - the 1st and 11th regiments, with the brigade commanded today by Lt Col Loftus Otway (later Maj.Gen Sir Loftus Otway, from Tipperary).
I originally intended to use the more correct brigading of 1st and 7th regiments (or was it the 8th? - can't remember), but the facings differed only in the cuff colour, and with gauntlets on they would be indistinguishable. Thus I went for the Salamanca line-up of 1st and 11th, which is more satisfying all round. I consider that deciding the order of battle by comparing facing colours is a fine wargaming tradition!
Very nice painting, I wouldn't have known they were Dutch pressed into Portuguese action!!! What's the different basing on the command figure for?
ReplyDeleteRay - good question - a lot better than the answer, I fear! One of the (very) old rule sets which in theory I still use has a morale test based on whether the officer is still present - so casualties decide if the officer is lost - he represents a morale status rather than personnel. Thus grew up my colour coding system, where army commanders have a base border in the national colour, division commanders have white, brigadiers brown and regimental officers dark green, In theory, corps or wing commanders are buff, but I haven't got any!
ReplyDeleteThis whole edifice is undermined by
(1) I haven't used those rules in about 12 years
(2) I don't do the dark green borders amy more on infantry command bases (though you can usually spot them by the presence of flags, mounted colonels etc).
So, basically, it's an army tradition with little justification, and I am best not to question it!
Cheers - Tony
Good answer!!
ReplyDeleteTradition and custom of the service are never to be sniffed at.
ReplyDeleteI have mustered by Portuguese cavalry by the same means, though I used Newline rather than Kennington.