Here are some pics of the new Perry British artillery in "cap-hats". The uniform these figures are wearing has generated a fair amount of discussion on the web, I think because many people (myself included) had no idea what it was or where it came from. These figures represent the RA serving in the northern theatre from 1778 onwards, wearing a "campaign dress" uniform . There are reports of artillerymen making single-breasted jackets from old coats. The uniforms look like "roundabouts" or sleeved-waistcoats, but the turn-ups at the front and back indicate altered regimental coats. I understand the sources for this uniform (and the caps) are references in memoirs and one of the von Germann drawings. I painted the turn-backs red rather than white as according the Osprey MAA "King George's Army 3" white turnbacks didn't generally reach the RA uniforms until 1783.
These are nice figures. The crew who are "running-up" their gun have excellent grimaces (not really visible on the photos) which suggest they are really putting their backs into their work. I was initially quite hesitant about placing two of the figures in the firing crew on either side of the gun's muzzle as I thought it looked too dangerous to be realistic; but apparently this is how they were placed (RtL has mentioned an incident at Waterloo in which a gunner slipped and fell in front of the muzzle just as the gun was fired, doing himself substantial injury). The two figures look as though they are turning their heads away from something loud and potentially rather nasty. The guns and crews are based on 60mm x 70mm bases for the "British Grenadier" rules.
8 figures. Painted April 2007.
5 comments:
Hello Giles,
I really like those uniforms -- which I've never seen before and did not know about. Very interesting. Does each gun represent a seperate battery, or do the two go together in a single unit?
Best Regards,
Stokes Schwartz
Very nicely done!
Thanks for the kind comments, chaps.
Stokes, I don't really think of batteries as such; I am just guided by what the scenarios say. Most scenarios I have seen group guns in twos and threes, so I assume that's what a "battery" usually is, although sometimes a brigade with have just one 3-pounder attached to it. In the later, Southern battles I have noticed that artillery is much more rare; 1 or 2 guns on each side seems the norm.
Giles
The 3 pounder was officially called the Light Infantry Gun and assigned two to each infantry battalion, where available and posted to cover the flanks,operating in direct close support, much in the manner of MMG's in the 20th century. The gunners were attached to the infantry unit for the duration and not part of the artillery park like the 6 and 12 pounder crews.
Check out http:.org//www.1va/ for photos of my unit's reproduction 3 pdr. in action
Sorry guys, the correct link should read
http://www.1va.org/gallery.html
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