Thursday, December 29, 2022

Hessen-Darmstadt: Gross und Erbprinz Brigade

The last of the three regiments/Brigades in the army of Hessen-Darmstadt as of 1809, this is the Gross und Erbprinz.


It was assigned yellow facings. 


While the other 2 Hessian "Brigades" served as part of Massena's Corps in Bavaria and Austria, this regiment was sent to Spain in early 1809. 


There it adopted French organization, the 2 companies of the Green coated Fusilier battalion being added to the 4 musketeer companies of the two line battalions as Grenadier and Voltigeur companies. This caused the Grand Duke to complain to Napoleon that his meticulously uniformed troops were now wearing a hodgepodge of green and blue coats!  Later, French shakos were adopted (and red cords plumes, and epaulettes for the Grenadiers, green for the Voltigeurs), and all the coats became dark blue. While the rest of the infantry of Hessen-Darmstadt infantry theoretically adopted the shako in late 1809, the bicorne was reported to survive in at least partial use as late as 1812. 


I have given this unit both a white Leibfahne carried by the Leib company, and an ordinarfahne, carried by the former first company of the fusiliers. No justification except that I had an extra standard bearer, and thus I could!  :Lucas supplies free flags on his website, but in this case I actually preferred those form Napflag, which were used for all three units. 

22 comments:

  1. Nice work! Anxious to see your total painted figures count for the year.

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    1. Thanks, Jon. That will be coming in early January. I haven't tallied it up yet, but it should be pretty substantial again this year, I think!

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  2. Replies
    1. Thanks, Peter. I am really enjoying doing the Hessen-Darmstadt figures!

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  3. Lovely job, it is so nice to see the smaller contingents of the Napoleonic was being featured.

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    1. Lucas has now done Wurttemberg (in great detail), Wurzburg, Hessen-Darmstadt, and now the Tyrol, including many but not all of the Bavarians and some Austrians. His next Kickstarter will likely be April or May 2023. I plan to start working on the Wurttembergers soon!

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  4. Glad to see Hessen-Darmstadt figures, nice choice and well done!

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    1. Merci, Phil! Cavalry, Artillery, and command are well underway now and should be appearing here in January..

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  5. Such great figures those very lifelike

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    1. Lucas really does great work as a (digital) sculptor, and his caster does almost flawless work. Flash is all but non existent!

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  6. Great work on this unit Peter. The green of the fusiliers makes a nice contrast to the rest of the unit.

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    1. Thank you, Lawrence. I was very pleased with how all of the Hessian Infantry came out!

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  7. These look magnificent Peter and should be absolutely chuffed on how well they turned out. Happy New Year.

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    1. Thanks for the generous words, carlo, and a very Happy New Year to you as well!

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  8. Another fine unit done and dusted. Congratulations on the year's gaming and painting.

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    1. Thanks, Joe. One last game later this AM before the curtain falls on 2022!

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  9. Great looking unit Peter and both flags look the business too!

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    1. Gald you like them; they are wonderful castings!
      The Hessian Artillery, High Command, and Chevaulegers will be on the blog later this month!

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