Will's War of Spanish Succession

[Fire at Will]

Just finished my first two War of Spanish Succession French units Royal Italien and Saintonge. I've a soft spot for Saintonge as I already have it in my French army for the AWI, I just picked the option of a lighter blue


As for Royal Italien, it is a unusual brown coated unit so it adds a nice contrast to the mass of the French army.


I'm not working to any particular order of battle but I certainly want a number of units to have participated in the classic 4 battles of the WSS, namely Blenheim, Ramilles, Oudenarde and Malplaquet. Saintonge was at all four and Royal Italien at three.


For source material I am mainly working from the Royalfig Gilles Boue set of units; the articles by Mark Allen in Wargames Illustrated; and the new Kronoskaf for the WSS. Backup is various odd book on the period including "from pike to shot"; Funcken; Osprey, etc.

[Peter]

I don't know a thing about this period but I like the painted figures a lot!

[Minuteman]

Very nice Will.

In terms of Line infantry, Saintogne is not in my line up but Picardie, du Roi, Bourbonnais and Godrin are for the native French Line infantry regiments. Along with two Irish Regiments (Clare and Dillon) and two other mercenary regiments (Greder Swiss and Alsace (German) I will probably feature Royal Italien in my army as well...well, the flag is printed so the figures need to be painted! It is that unusual combination of brown coats and red facings, not really seen again (other than for Austrian artillery) until the AWI when one of the States elected to clothe their infantry in this combination of colours.

The Line infantry is bolstered by two (soon to be three) battalions of the Gardes Francais; and two battalions of the Gardes Suisses.

There is certainly 'a lot' of War of Spanish Succession activity at the moment; but then why not? It has many of the elements of the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic Wars. A variety of different zones-of-conflict, key-note battles, interesting and talented commanders, interesting and varied armies, and colourful uniforms. What's not to like??!

[Minuteman]

Just to add in relation to reference material: the old Charles S Grant book (originally published by WRG) 'From Pike to Shot' is a mine of useful information. The old Osprey book 'Marlborough's Army' is also useful. More recent material published by the Helion Press is worth a look too, especially the various volumes written by Rene Chartrand on the French army of King Louis XIV. Mr Chartrand has also published a useful summary - although limited in information for the WoSS - in the Osprey MAA series 'Louis XIV's Army'. The Funcken 'Lace Wars' books have some information, although most of the uniform information is for 1720 onwards. However, the information on French flags is invaluable.

The Kronosaf site promises to be invaluable once it is fully developed.

[Fire at Will]

Seems to be some common thinking. My current plan is to produce :- Poitou, Agenois, Foix, Boubonais, du Roi, Crussol/Gondrin, Greder Allemand and a yet to be decided Swiss regiment.

[Minuteman]

Seems to be some common thinking. My current plan is to produce :- Poitou, Agenois, Foix, Boubonais, du Roi, Crussol/Gondrin, Greder Allemand and a yet to be decided Swiss regiment.

Some familiar regimental names there...not least for their presence at the 'big battles' in the Flanders theatre of war.

What are you planning to use for French line cavalry? As per my recent post, Zvezda GNW sets work for me, and I somewhat doubt that Strelets will bring out a French Line cavalry set before the end of 2021...if at all?

[Minuteman]

Some familiar regimental names there...not least for their presence at the 'big battles' in the Flanders theatre of war.

What are you planning to use for French line cavalry? As per my recent post, Selected figures from the Zvezda GNW sets work for me, and I somewhat doubt that Strelets will bring out a French Line cavalry set before the end of 2021...if at all?

[PaulRPetri]

Excellent work!!

[Fire at Will]

What are you planning to use for French line cavalry? As per my recent post, Zvezda GNW sets work for me, and I somewhat doubt that Strelets will bring out a French Line cavalry set before the end of 2021...if at all?

At present I need at least 10 units so I'll start with the four planned packets of Guard cavalry and the Dragoons. Then if nothing appears I'll fudge it using the British cavalry/dragoons, whatever fits. I've still get my Austrian/German WSS forces to help out if needed, they are mostly Zvezda.

[Fire at Will]

Another two regiments showing a difference in the shade of white/grey used in line with the Gilles Boue illustrations


Agenois, this has a different flag from that used in later years


Poitou

[Minuteman]

This all looks to be shaping up nicely as you add extra units, and with the additional two regiments the authentic look of an army drawn up in first and second (and sometimes third) battle lines takes shape.

The shade of grey/white of French uniforms is debateable, and a variety of shades is likely to have been the case. So some variety one unit from another is a good thing.

Will your regiments all be the same size? In the field they varied greatly, obviously both in terms of numbers of soldiers but notably also in terms of numbers of battalions eg: Gardes Francais up to 6 battalions, but many French infantry Regiments fielding only one battalion.

At this rate a bigger table to accommodate those long lines will be required!

[Fire at Will]

Minuteman, yes the units will all be the same same for ease of playing and I know that Regiments fielded a varying number of battalions, but I prefer to have more variety.

As for table size up until last year we had access to a large hanger at the Airbus sports and social club, but it has now moved to new smaller premises, but until Covid restrictions end we can't see what range of games we can put on in the new building. In the past I have run two day Napoleonic games with up to 4,000 figures, but I don't have that in mind for my WSS armies.

I am holding fire on the Gardes Francaise/Suisse in case Strelets decide to issue anything more specific covering them.

[steve_pickstock]

... but it has now moved to new smaller premises ...

Where has the club moved to Will?

[Fire at Will]

Where has the club moved to Will?

Only a couple of hundred metres closer to the entrance, because of Covid I haven't had the chance to check it out and all we have seen is the plans. I think all our terrain and board games are still in the old hanger and we have to reduce the quantity somewhat for the new building

[Fire at Will]

Next two units are Bourbonnais and Foix, that formed together with Agenois the Nangi brigade at Blenheim.


Foix is in front with Boubonais behind.


Strictly Bourbonais should have 2 battalions to match the exact order of battle for Blenheim

[Rich W]

Units looking very good! Keep the updates coming! What's next?

[Fire at Will]

Units looking very good! Keep the updates coming! What's next?

Du Roi and Crussol/Gondrin are under the brush now

[Minuteman]

More nicely painted units Will. The flags look particularly good and colourful without being too vivid. It is good also to see some of the 'French Musketeers on the March' set being used here; it is a set that is only marginally let down by slightly-too-short muskets, but I like the poses and have several sets somewhere in the painting queue to create a couple of Spanish/Walloon regiments. I am also using these figures for Bavarian infantry.

With the next two regiments no doubt arriving imminently from your prolific paintbrush, there will be plenty here to form a substantial battle-line or two. Some commanders will be required to direct this mass of infantry...and fortunately Strelets are offering some very good-looking 'Generals' amongst the forthcoming Maison du Roi cavalry set releases this summer.

[Fire at Will]

With the next two regiments no doubt arriving imminently from your prolific paintbrush, there will be plenty here to form a substantial battle-line or two. Some commanders will be required to direct this mass of infantry...and fortunately Strelets are offering some very good-looking 'Generals' amongst the forthcoming Maison du Roi cavalry set releases this summer.

in fact there will a one week pause as I'm now catching up with family I haven't seen for over 6 months.

I had also spotted the potential for generals amongst all the forthcoming cavalry and since my cavalry units are eight figures strong I can happily steal these out of the twelve figure sets since I will only build one unit each of these fancy units.

The flag are mainly copies of those on Kronoscaf WSS resized with added reverse sides. I have loosely fixed them so they will slide on and off the flag poles allowing me to create different units when needed so British -> Saxon -> Irish or Swiss in French service

[Minuteman]

in fact there will a one week pause as I'm now catching up with family I haven't seen for over 6 months.

I had also spotted the potential for generals amongst all the forthcoming cavalry and since my cavalry units are eight figures strong I can happily steal these out of the twelve figure sets since I will only build one unit each of these fancy units.

The flag are mainly copies of those on Kronoscaf WSS resized with added reverse sides. I have loosely fixed them so they will slide on and off the flag poles allowing me to create different units when needed so British -> Saxon -> Irish or Swiss in French service

Ah, domestic life! Since I took early retirement I've been running the household here and am lucky if I manage more than two or three hours a day at the painting table. It's busy! But enjoy your family reunion.

The idea of interchangeable flags is a neat one and not one I have thought of, but eminently sensible for French infantry...and for that matter French line cavalry as well, many units of which were in a common uniform of pearl grey coats and red facings.