Sunday 15 April 2018

The 11th Light Dragoons

For some time now I have been using three stands as the standard for my units. I started this with the Austro-Prussian War armies and have continued it through the Russo-Japanese War, WWI, Crimean War, Carlist War and Wars of the Roses collections. The number of figures on a base varies only slightly – I use three figures on the early 20th Century stands, where the formations are more open, but for the other periods I use six figures for infantry and three for cavalry. For the six and three mix works out well because all the ranges I have bought recently have been from manufacturers who sell their figures in packs of six infantry or three cavalry.


The physical size of the stands can differ with the period. Most have 50mm frontage and 40mm depth (although the Russian Crimean War stands are 40mm x 50mm to represent the fact that the Russians generally used narrow, deep formations). The Napoleonic armies (Prussians, Russians, French and United States) are on slightly narrower bases, 45mm x 40mm to match with others in the group. The Napoleonic ranges also vary in unit size, being of four stands, not three, again to fit in with the long standing standard unit size we have chosen for play within the group.

 

Left to right above a stand each of Austrians from 1866, WSS Bavarians, Carlists, British Crimean, Russian Crimean, French Napoleonic.


When I started the Egyptian project I thought long and hard about unit size. Since no one else in the group is collecting these armies I can use the three stand approach.

 

Looking at the various historical sources the “fit for service” strengths for infantry units on both sides varied radically from 700 men through to less than 100. The cavalry strengths were equally varied, with the British suffering from a severe shortage of horses – so  much that in the first month of the campaign less than one-third of their cavalry had mounts (of the 1,101 light dragoons listed in the returns of 8 March 1801, there were only 320 horses). The bulk of the British cavalry fought dismounted.

 

So my question for the Egyptian campaign was whether to  try to capture the varied strength of units. And the answer is on the whole no. The exception is the British cavalry. Here I will create three mounted units and two dismounted units, each of two stands. Which leads to the point of this post

with the first unit of British in Egypt cavalry – the 11th Light Dragoons - passing in review:

 

Mounted (using the Perry plastic Light Dragoon set)




 



Dismounted, and armed with muskets rather than carbines, using the metal figures.


 



The other units that will follow will be the 8th and 26th Regiments, but I still need some more figures to complete these units so it may be a while before they shuffle onto the parade ground.

12 comments:

  1. Very nice cavalry unit Mark

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    1. Thanks Keith. I finished another four light dragoons today, They just need two command figures that will come at the end of the month.

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  2. Dragoons look great, Mark! How do you reconcile six figures mounted to twelve figures dismounted for the 11th? Both look terrific but I am curious.

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    1. Thanks Jonathan. I agree that this does create a bit of a visual anomoly, but in my rules it is the number of stands, not the number of figure that counts. I did consider thinning out the bases a little, but chose instead to maintain a visual match with other foot units. At any rate these units won't be fightings as the dismounted equivalent on the table, but both the mounted and dismounted units will be present on the table as separate units.

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  3. Very nice job on the 11th, I love the dismounted unit...

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    1. Thank you Phil. Sorry but I seem to have deleted a second comment you left...

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  4. Hi Mark...
    From the first time I saw them I really liked the dismounted British dragoons... cavalry fighting as infantry...and the strangeness of them using muskets with bayonets instead of carbines...
    I still like the idea of doing a Drums and Shako's game with Dismounted Dragoons v French Dromedary Troops... it would be most unusual to look at..

    All the best Aly

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    1. I agree they are a great set. The one I have done so far only uses half of the commmand set. The second unit will user the other half...the one with the officer in a merliton and the trumpeter with the trumpet on his back and cocking a pistol. Lovely stuff.

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  5. Another great unit, and I always think the Tarleton looks better than the later shako. Unit sizes are always a quandary, but I think you have struck a nice balance. I see AARs with British and French infantry units of 32 or 36 figures on eight or nine stands, which looks visually impressive but I believe cuts down too much on the ability to manoeuvre and gives many games the appearance of players just advancing forward, shooting a few rounds, having a melee and then seeing who breaks.

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    1. Thanks Lawrence. Yes we like to manoeuvre in our games. Mind you we have the luxury of a 4.8 by 2 meter table. I have plans for the first of the Egypt games that I hope will be some time in June.

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  6. Lovely looking light dragoons,mounted and dismounted the trumpeter in particular looks great!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you Iain. The dismounted dragoons are a really nice set. The other half of the command set, that will form part of the second unit that I am doing, has the officer in mirliton and the trumpeter with the trumpet slung over his shoulder and cocking a pistol. That will be completed some time in May.

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