Monday, December 3, 2018

AAAAANNNNDDD, it's done.

Well, I started on this battalion about a year ago, I started it after I had read a book on Fraustadt, it describes an unorthodox formation, all the battalions deployed in 6 ranks, not 4, and the pike was placed along the entire frontage in the 3rd rank, and not in the center. I assume this was done since the Saxon-Russian army had deployed entirely behind chevaux de frise and so with pikes along the entire frontage the pikes could easily poke and prod at the Saxons and Russians behind their defenses if that was needed.  It might also have been done, by the size of the battlefield, the battalions had close support of cavalry and the size of the field between the two villages the Saxons had anchored their infantry flanks simply meant that if they deployed in 4 ranks, then the flanks of the Swedish infantry would hit the villages and break up their attack.

I wanted to show this in a regiment, and I choose Väserbotten, I had planned on doing this regiment for some time, as I wanted Karpus clad swedes and Västerbotten used the karpus the entire war.
As it turns out, this regiment saw some of the toughest fights during the battle of Fraustadt, While the Swedish right flank just cut and shot the Saxons and Russians to pieces. Vasterbotten and other regiments on the left flank met heavy resistance from the Saxon Guards and Grenadiers. Even the Swedish dragoons on the left met far stiffer resistance than their friends on the right did, as on the left you had the Saxon gard du corps what actually showed they were worthy of their title, as they fought harder and longer than any other Saxon cavalry unit did during the war.


Anyway, I decided to represent this formation by having the unit in 3 ranks instead of the regular 2 ranks, and with all the pike in the middle rank. I think it looks good, I'll probably only do this again for the second battalion of Västerbotten. So the regiment is in the same formation, while I use the regular style for all my other Swedish units. 






The unit has 9 pikemen, 4 more than in the regular style units I use. 


I managed to squeeze  9 figures on the 60x60 bases, so the unit has the exact same depth and frontage as the regular units.

5 comments:

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

One of the nicest units you have painted and based so far!

Best Regards,

Stokes

Phil said...

AAAAAAAAAAAnd they're splendid!

Dave Huntley (sheepman) said...

Worth the wait I think!
Dave.

Gunfreak said...

Thanks guys.

RogerC said...

Interesting Truls, looks great.