What period to choose?

[MiSiO]

What is the difference between those units:

http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=2462
http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=2460
http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=2461

?

[mikeland]

Different hats is the obvious one, the colstream in bearskins, the others in forage caps or shakos.

Bearskins denote guards units, and were a privilege of those units.
The forage cap was a lighter form off initially of duty headwear that gradually began to replace the less practical shako as the war progressed.

This is obviously very simplified, but gives the basics, there may be other differences between these regiments but that is a starter.

[MiSiO]

Yes, visual differences are obvious but how about "fighting skills" differences? Coldstreams were guards so elite. Was it "elite" on paper or a real superiority? Should rules consider units superior fighting skills?

Other two hats is a matter of choice? I like the big hats but as You said, small seemed to me as a "more practical" choice.

[MiSiO]

Another question. This time abut cavalry. I found very nice models, bit expencive but nice-looking. My question is which cavalry type was most popular. Dragoons, lancers or maby hussars?

I think about a brigade made of few small units.

[Cubster]

Another question. This time abut cavalry. I found very nice models, bit expencive but nice-looking. My question is which cavalry type was most popular. Dragoons, lancers or maby hussars?

I think about a brigade made of few small units.

Tricky. On the battlefield your 'Heavies' were called Dragoon Guards or just Dragoons. Your 'Lights' were Light Dragoons, Hussars and Lancers (Light Dragoons and Hussars were pretty much the same other than the title). Opinions will probably vary as to the material difference between the two types, although they formed a separate 'Heavy Brigade' and 'Light Brigade'. The Heavies were big men on big horses with heavy swords and I think they rode in closer-packed formations (but a better informed member may be able to correct me here) and would ideally delivered the hammer-blow or knock-out punch. The Lights were smaller men on smaller, more agile horses and were most useful as fast scouts and foragers on campaign, being the eyes and ears of the army between actions. They could also fight of course and were ideally suited for pursuit or the harrying of a shaken opponent.

In practise was there a big difference in how the two types were utilised in battle? I don't know, perhaps it was more a case of opportunity over design as to how they performed, or perhaps there was still a marked difference in their roles an abilities (again, no doubt a superior student can elighten us).

Of course the infamous 'Charge of the Light Brigade' at Balaclava was made up of the 4th Lt Dragoons, 13th Lt Dragoons, 17th Lancers, 8th Hussars and 11th Hussars. The less famous, but spectacularly successful 'Charge of the Heavy Brigade' was made up of 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, 5th Dragoon Guards, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons and the Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons).

My personal choice would be for Light Cavalry, because they look fancier and are the glory-boys, but most rule systems will probably see Heavy Cavalry of the period having superior combat skills at the cost of slower movement.

[MiSiO]

Thanks for Your response!

How to reflect what You said on the battlefield and army composition? Can I mix "heavy" and "light" units in a single brigade? Was a lance a popular weapon? I like the idea to mix units of lancers and light hussars.

[Cubster]

Thanks for Your response!

How to reflect what You said on the battlefield and army composition? Can I mix "heavy" and "light" units in a single brigade? Was a lance a popular weapon? I like the idea to mix units of lancers and light hussars.

If you're using Blackpowder rules, then your standard cavalry brigade would probably be 2 to 4 cavalry units. If you want to mix your heavies and lights in a brigade for a game then that's a bit wacky, but I don't see why anyone would object. I guess it must have happened during campaigns, especially when losses meant that commanders didn't have their full quotas to choose from, but I've not heard of it happening.

The lance wasn't as widely used in British cavalry regiments as the sabre, but it lurked around from after 1815 up to the end of the century and beyond. It was seen as a specialist weapon for engaging infantry (you can imagine the ease which which a mounted lancer could jab at someone fleeing on foot or lying down) and an encumbrance in cavalry v cavalry melee, when it was usually dropped and the sabre drawn. If a lancer regiment charged, only the front ranks in a charge held the lance, the following ranks having the sabre.

At the time of the Crimean War, Britain only had four lancer regiments - 9th, 12th, 16th and 17th and of those I think only the 12th and 17th served in that campaign. Typically in a Light Brigade you'd have one lancer regiment and two or three Hussars or Light Dragoons.

[Rod MacArthur]

If you want to mix your heavies and lights in a brigade for a game then that's a bit wacky, but I don't see why anyone would object. I guess it must have happened during campaigns, especially when losses meant that commanders didn't have their full quotas to choose from, but I've not heard of it happening.

For quite a long time in the Peninsula Slade's Brigade comprised 1st Dragoons (heavy) and 14th Light Dragoons (light).

Rod

[Cubster]

Ah, there you go then, it did happen! Hurrah!

Or should that be 'Hussar'!

[MiSiO]

Big thanks!

Here is what I think to start with:

Brigade 1 (I like the way Coldstream look but have no idea how to reflect their eliteness so they have to wait):

1 regular infantry - British Regiment in Forage Caps (as lighter infantry)
1-2 regular infantry - British Regiment in Shakos or 1 unit of Coldstream/grenadiers
1 regular infantry (though fighters ) - Highland Regiment (BIG WULLIE in a middle of a front rank)

Brigade 2:

1 small lancer regiment (is a cavalry brigade should have the same number of models like infantry? 24-30 for normal size?)
2 small hussar regiments

Any suggestions?

Does anyone know what manufactures' are British models from page 44, 21 of BP rulebook?