Prussian Cavalry
Although the Prussian Army did have guard cavalry and cuirassiers, none were present during the hundred days campaign and Blücher had to rely on dragoons, hussars, uhlans and Landwehr regiments. The three former were line regiments, ten in total, whilst the latter comprised eight militia regiments. Cavalry were also formed into Line and Landwehr brigades, a brigade hosting any type of cavalry regiment. The average squadron strength at waterloo was around 120 men and a regiment should have fielded four squadrons in total, although lack of horses and manpower meant that some only managed as few as two squadrons. Some cavalry regiments were broken up and assigned to infantry brigades, such squadrons usually being hussars or Landwehr cavalry, and can be represented by Tiny or small regiments. Prussian cavalry regiments can operate in Line, deep formation and march column.
Albion Triumphant Vol II
Within the pages of Albion Triumphant Volume II you’ll find everything you need to use Prussians in Black Powder, including history, a full army list and all the special rules to wield this impressive army on the tabletop in the Hundred Days Campaign.
Dragoons
By Waterloo there were eight dragoon units in the field, comprising 9% of the cavalry under Blücher’s control. Prussian dragoons were like their equivalents in the British and French Armies; they were armed with a carbine, pistols and a sabre. There were four dragoon regiments in the hundred days campaign, two of which were at waterloo, the 2nd west Prussian and the 5th Brandenburg dragoons.
Alongside the cuirassiers, the dragoons were the heavy cavalry of the Prussian army. Their uniform was business-like – a distinctive blue Litewka long coat and grey overalls topped with a basic shako, frequently covered in an oilskin wrap. Armed with a curved sabre in an iron scabbard, dragoons were unusual among Prussian cavalry in the Hundred Days campaign in that they carried cavalry guidons into battles.
The box set contains twelve highly detailed two-piece Warlord Resin Cavalry miniatures for Black Powder, including an officer and a bugler and 8 full colour guidons. The superb quality and ease of construction really lend themselves to getting a great looking force to the Black Powder battlefield as easily as possible.
Landwehr Cavalry
Although Landwehr cavalry were armed with the deadly lance, they were not as proficient as the uhlans. Formed in 1813, the Landwehr Cavalry was a huge force of mounted trained militia, similar in form to their infantry counterparts. The Landwehr regiments were the most numerous type of Prussian cavalry available to Blücher. The force was a massive asset to the Prussian war machine as they totalled over thirty regiments by the Hundred Days Campaign. Each Landwehr regiment had three squadrons.
The Landwehr cavalry wore dark blue Litewka long coat with collars and cuffs in provincial colours. Headgear was a mix of traditional feldmutze cap and shakos – often in oilskin and with a white cross painted on. Lance pennons could vary and often reflected the uniform trim halved with white, but by the time of Waterloo all Landwehr cavalry had swapped to the standard black and white pennons.
The lance-armed Landwehr cavalry fought well on the field, comprising some 40% of Blücher’s cavalry at Waterloo – a great excuse to field lots of these brave sons of Prussia on the tabletop!
The box set contains twelve highly detailed two-piece Warlord Resin Cavalry miniatures for Black Powder. The superb quality and ease of construction really lend themselves to getting a great looking force to the Black Powder battlefield as easily as possible.
Uhlans & Hussars
The Uhlans & Hussars are now available in the Webstore, including within some great value Prussian Cavalry Brigade bundles. Check ’em out below.
Tom Mecredy
