The organisation and economics of an infantry regiment of 1775 – Part 2. The British
Roughly each stand represents a section, platoon or company depending on the national characteristic of each army whatever the nation and which figure scale we are currently using.
Like many of the regiments at the time they were very lucky to be at full strength.
Stand is the term I will use to mean a section, platoon or company depending on the scale of figures, as I am working on my 40mm collection the stand is to be a movement tray composed of one seatcion, I have mounted all my figures on 1 inch washers for regular's.
We have adopted the 37th Regiment of Foot for our purpose, basing the returns of the 37th in the period of 1775 – 1776 we have organized our regiment as follows, with a listed return strength of around 320 all ranks mustered at that time, the flank companies were on detached duty in the converged Grenadier and Light Infantry battalions so do not add toward this final figure.
The flank company strength's would be near to full as I believe from sources that they would like to keep these numbers up seeing as they were supposed to be the best of the regiment, General Howe liked his converged battalions, however in the field and on campaign numbers would drop, replacements could be drafted in from their parent regiments, it is also interesting to note that draftee's were placed into various regiments from other regiments who on paper were returning home, I thought we should aim for.
8 Line Companies
32 Rank and file including 3 *Corporals split into 2 platoons of 4 sections
2 Sergeants
1 Drummer
2 officers
*I feel that the rank of Corporal was given as a mark of distinction to the most able bodied of the rank & file, looking at various references and also experiencing the 64 drill manual the company would use Corporals as markers, it is our intention to explain our thoughts on this as we post on this theme.
Grenadier Company
32 rank and file + 3 Corporals, split into 2 platoons of 2 sections
2 Sergeants
1 Drummer & 1 fifer
2 officers
Light infantry Company
32 rank and file + 3 Corporals, split into 2 platoons of 2 sections
2 Sergeants
1 Drummer & 1 hornist
2 officers
Colonel Tavington.
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Thursday, 14 January 2010
40’s in your 40’s, Wargaming in 40mm.1
The organisation and economics of an infantry regiment of 1775 – Part 1: The British
When looking at how to organise our new collection of the Front Rank 40mm range for the RevWar we wanted to create a more visual interpretation for the table top, the initial plan was to raise a Regiment on a 1 figure to 1 soldier ratio.
This meant that we would then end up with a table top strength of around 300-400 figures in said regiment, obviously the idea seems a little extreme to play a wargame but our purpose is to try and demonstrate the size and complexity of maneuvering a Regiment of the time of the American War of Independence.
By the beginning of 1775 the total establishment of British Regiments had been reduced, peace and politicians being the army’s biggest enemy, after the Seven Year War many regiments raised for the war were disbanded.
However the introduction around 1771 of a second flank company of “light” troops to the regimental composition would allow for greater flexibility to these battalions when in the field, the regiment would therefore consist of 10 companies of 8 centre or hat companies, one Grenadier and one Light company.
The common practice of the time was to form converged combined battalions of the various flank companies drawn from the various regiments, these combined Grenadier and Light battalions held a somewhat elite status amongst the army.
Owing to the poor military science of 18th , century weapons were of limited range, therefore the tactic of the day were for two armies, division, brigade or even just a regiment was to face one another in line of 2 or 3 ranks and trade of musketry hoping one’s resolve would break, the bayonet was an extension of these tactics.
The British Army at this time had become quite diverse in the use of the bayonet as an offensive weapon. Primarily the bayonet was introduced as a defensive weapon after pikemen were removed from the army’s establishment in the early part of the 18th Century. Taking in lessons learned during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the British Army became one of the best; iron will and discipline were also other attributes to the strength of the Army.
Should you choose to raise your battalions on a 1:1 ratio then we are looking at dividing down into roughly 36 man (rank & file) "actual" strength companies, sources have stated that a company would consist of the correct amount of NCOs’ as these were the administrative part of the company, therefore 2 Sergeant and 3 Corporals would carry out the duties of any normal day. The company was divided into sections, some say 3 as there were 3 Corporals, however it appears that the battalion would be divided equally by wings and divisions for firing purposes, the standard was to split into 16 platoons for firings.
I am very doubtful whether the company would be split into 3 sections as the platoon firing system would divide down into even equal parts, there appears to be no information readily at hand to describe how the company was really subdivided into manageable sections however my thought and experience of drilling and the drill manual of the time would lead me to suspect that the Corporals of the company would fall in with the rank and file and act as markers for the platoons, with each platoon divided into two sections therefore we will have 4 sections to one company, the job of the sergeants was to order and bully the men into position, you must also remember the company drummer would give the correct beat for each order, all were expected to be able to read the drum beat and understand what was the next motion, thereby the order would be verbally given as well as by the drum.
Colonel Tavington.
When looking at how to organise our new collection of the Front Rank 40mm range for the RevWar we wanted to create a more visual interpretation for the table top, the initial plan was to raise a Regiment on a 1 figure to 1 soldier ratio.
This meant that we would then end up with a table top strength of around 300-400 figures in said regiment, obviously the idea seems a little extreme to play a wargame but our purpose is to try and demonstrate the size and complexity of maneuvering a Regiment of the time of the American War of Independence.
By the beginning of 1775 the total establishment of British Regiments had been reduced, peace and politicians being the army’s biggest enemy, after the Seven Year War many regiments raised for the war were disbanded.
However the introduction around 1771 of a second flank company of “light” troops to the regimental composition would allow for greater flexibility to these battalions when in the field, the regiment would therefore consist of 10 companies of 8 centre or hat companies, one Grenadier and one Light company.
The common practice of the time was to form converged combined battalions of the various flank companies drawn from the various regiments, these combined Grenadier and Light battalions held a somewhat elite status amongst the army.
Owing to the poor military science of 18th , century weapons were of limited range, therefore the tactic of the day were for two armies, division, brigade or even just a regiment was to face one another in line of 2 or 3 ranks and trade of musketry hoping one’s resolve would break, the bayonet was an extension of these tactics.
The British Army at this time had become quite diverse in the use of the bayonet as an offensive weapon. Primarily the bayonet was introduced as a defensive weapon after pikemen were removed from the army’s establishment in the early part of the 18th Century. Taking in lessons learned during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the British Army became one of the best; iron will and discipline were also other attributes to the strength of the Army.
Should you choose to raise your battalions on a 1:1 ratio then we are looking at dividing down into roughly 36 man (rank & file) "actual" strength companies, sources have stated that a company would consist of the correct amount of NCOs’ as these were the administrative part of the company, therefore 2 Sergeant and 3 Corporals would carry out the duties of any normal day. The company was divided into sections, some say 3 as there were 3 Corporals, however it appears that the battalion would be divided equally by wings and divisions for firing purposes, the standard was to split into 16 platoons for firings.
I am very doubtful whether the company would be split into 3 sections as the platoon firing system would divide down into even equal parts, there appears to be no information readily at hand to describe how the company was really subdivided into manageable sections however my thought and experience of drilling and the drill manual of the time would lead me to suspect that the Corporals of the company would fall in with the rank and file and act as markers for the platoons, with each platoon divided into two sections therefore we will have 4 sections to one company, the job of the sergeants was to order and bully the men into position, you must also remember the company drummer would give the correct beat for each order, all were expected to be able to read the drum beat and understand what was the next motion, thereby the order would be verbally given as well as by the drum.
Colonel Tavington.
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
2010
Before Christmas Redcoat37th was fortunate to visit Grand Manner for the day, he says.......
The visit was to collect some items I was unable to get owing to missing Warfare (Rivermeade, Reading). The plan was to do a photo shoot on the terrain boards of Dave Bodley of Grand Manner and meet up with Tony who designed and built all the master models for the 40mm range of AWI buildings.
While there I was able to see some of the new 28mm AWI buildings due for release in the early part of 2010, some of these new buildings are in fact copies of the 40mm buildings that have been made by Tony but for the 28mm range, there are some very nice building coming and the tavern he has produced looks fantastic, it is just a shame it’s not in 40mm as I would like one, I did ask for a price on a 40mm model of this tavern as a one off...... but it is mega £££££'s, however I will settle for the 28mm one to go with my smaller 28mm AWI scale collection.
The tavern is very good, anyone who games the AWI in 28mm will want one, our very own travelling redcoat supplied some of the images that Tony used in making the master model, I don’t want to reveal what the building is but just keep an eye out on the Grand Manner website or Tony’s blog.
Redcoat37th
This image is the 37th and 42nd foot at Firle Place, this is a blast from the past, Messer's Stribling, Harris and Miles (The Travelling Redcoat) are the three members of the 37th on the right of this picture. Firle Place in Sussex was the home of Thomas Gage, this event was my first meeting with these three Redcoats, there were/are others in the group.
http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/home/index.asp?id=1
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/
As for 2010, well a small part of our group are planning a trip to the States and some of the others as well as the travellers plan on being at Partizan with a game in support of both Grand Manner and Front Rank.
Keep an eye on the blog as we will start to post a bit more regular as we lead up to the events planned in April and May of this year.
We also visited the National Army Museum (NAM) in London just before Christmas, the museum now appears to have completed all the refurbishment work of the last year and have moved as well as added more to the AWI section, this section is now on the lower ramp where you will find two full size figures, there is still the Queens Rangers Rifleman which has now been joined by a certain Roger Lamb in his 9th Foot uniform at the time of Burgoyne's 1777 campaign, the NAM do not allow photography sadly!?! The NAM is worth a visit just to look at these two items, the bookshop was also selling copies of Simcoe's journal in paperback, however this copy does not have the maps you will find in the hard back copy that is in the possession of some of our group.
We are also looking at a weekend of all things Revolutionary War (AWI) later in the year, are there any other RevWar enthusiasts who would like to join in and stage a game or even a lecture, please contact us at my email address.
The second image has members of both the 10th (USA) and 37th (UK) forming up to take part in the 225th at Yorktown, image supplied the travelling redcoat.
Just as a post note, the members of the 37th Foot are still about, if you would like any information relating to the AWI I would consider asking these guys, they have been together for quite a while doing this period well before many of us.
Colonel Tavington
The visit was to collect some items I was unable to get owing to missing Warfare (Rivermeade, Reading). The plan was to do a photo shoot on the terrain boards of Dave Bodley of Grand Manner and meet up with Tony who designed and built all the master models for the 40mm range of AWI buildings.
While there I was able to see some of the new 28mm AWI buildings due for release in the early part of 2010, some of these new buildings are in fact copies of the 40mm buildings that have been made by Tony but for the 28mm range, there are some very nice building coming and the tavern he has produced looks fantastic, it is just a shame it’s not in 40mm as I would like one, I did ask for a price on a 40mm model of this tavern as a one off...... but it is mega £££££'s, however I will settle for the 28mm one to go with my smaller 28mm AWI scale collection.
The tavern is very good, anyone who games the AWI in 28mm will want one, our very own travelling redcoat supplied some of the images that Tony used in making the master model, I don’t want to reveal what the building is but just keep an eye out on the Grand Manner website or Tony’s blog.
Redcoat37th
This image is the 37th and 42nd foot at Firle Place, this is a blast from the past, Messer's Stribling, Harris and Miles (The Travelling Redcoat) are the three members of the 37th on the right of this picture. Firle Place in Sussex was the home of Thomas Gage, this event was my first meeting with these three Redcoats, there were/are others in the group.
http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/home/index.asp?id=1
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/
As for 2010, well a small part of our group are planning a trip to the States and some of the others as well as the travellers plan on being at Partizan with a game in support of both Grand Manner and Front Rank.
Keep an eye on the blog as we will start to post a bit more regular as we lead up to the events planned in April and May of this year.
We also visited the National Army Museum (NAM) in London just before Christmas, the museum now appears to have completed all the refurbishment work of the last year and have moved as well as added more to the AWI section, this section is now on the lower ramp where you will find two full size figures, there is still the Queens Rangers Rifleman which has now been joined by a certain Roger Lamb in his 9th Foot uniform at the time of Burgoyne's 1777 campaign, the NAM do not allow photography sadly!?! The NAM is worth a visit just to look at these two items, the bookshop was also selling copies of Simcoe's journal in paperback, however this copy does not have the maps you will find in the hard back copy that is in the possession of some of our group.
We are also looking at a weekend of all things Revolutionary War (AWI) later in the year, are there any other RevWar enthusiasts who would like to join in and stage a game or even a lecture, please contact us at my email address.
The second image has members of both the 10th (USA) and 37th (UK) forming up to take part in the 225th at Yorktown, image supplied the travelling redcoat.
Just as a post note, the members of the 37th Foot are still about, if you would like any information relating to the AWI I would consider asking these guys, they have been together for quite a while doing this period well before many of us.
Colonel Tavington
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Visiting Valley Forge, Part 2
1. 
2.
3.
4. 
5.1. The entrance to the visitors centre.
2. Weapons of the period.
3. Camp cookware.
4. Valley Creek, between Mount Joy and Mount Misery
5. The Potts House.
Visiting Valley Forge, Part 1
On a recent business trip to Pennsylvania I headed toward Valley Forge NHP, seeing as I had a spare day I decided to allow the main part of the day walking and driving around the park.
Having seen photo’s of the “Valley Forge Huts” and having recently purchased two of the Grand Manner version of the huts (40mm models AMC40-04) I wanted to see them in the flesh for some painting inspiration.
The park is quite large probably on a scale of Saratoga which I visited some years ago, my first stop was the visitor centre (Stop 1) so I could get orientated and pick up a park guide, the visitor centre located near the park entrance has items on display, to be honest I felt a little disappointed as I thought we may a have seen a model of how Washington’s Valley Forge encampment may have been and what it looked like. After spending some time here and watching the film I set off to follow the road round the park stopping off at the various points identified on the tour map.
You never get to feel the lye of the land until you visit these places, to be honest I was surprised on how hilly and undulating the ground is, obviously the scene from “Revolution” although cinematic did not reflect the actual ground, in defence of this it did suggest how bare the land was and how it would have been when Washington’s Army marched into the area and stripped the land of materials to build the earth works and huts for the winter.
This caption was on one of the information panels which are dotted around Valley Forge.
Just 20 miles outside Philidelphia, Valley Forge was close enough to monitor the British Army activities but far enough away to prevent a surprise attack. Washingtom used this hilly country to his advantage, building defensive lines on ridges over looking Philidelphia to the east and nestling the camp against the Schuylkill River to prevent an attack from the north. From here he could protect the outlying regions, including York where the Continental Congress had fled. The area had abundant fresh water, trees for shelter and firewood, food and forage from local farms.
Stop 2, was the first set of huts located at where Mulhenberg's continental brigade of Virginia regiments formed part of the outer defenses and anchored the army. Here are the first of some of the recreated Valley Forge huts, on the day I visited there were some historical interpreters on hand to chat and answer questions, to the right of the position is redoubt no2, but on the old handout it is identified as “Ft Greene”. To the front of here are the reconstructed mounds with a field gun facing out towards the SE and Philadelphia.
I followed the road along to Stop 3, taking in the various markers of what and which brigade fell in along this outer line, behind the crest of the hill is what was the grand parade, the area is quite wooded and the ground commands the area towards where the British Army would have been, visiting in the fall made for a more pleasurable visit what with the varying tree colours.
Stop 3, this is the National Memorial Arch commemorating the American Soldier of the time, leaving here you head down hill to follow the road which rises up towards the position where the Pennsylvanian Regiments camped under the command of Anthony Wayne, stop 4 is the Wayne statue. This is the Southern outer defensive Line; again the hill falls away with the ground commanding what would have been a good view.
Leaving Stop 4 the roadway drops away towards Valley Creek and where General Knox commandeered quarters, Valley Creek runs between Mount Misery and Mount Joy, this deep ravine is a natural defensive feature, the roadway brings you out to where Washington had his headquarters at the “Isaac Potts House” Stop 5, this is right next to the Schuylkill River which was in the armies rear, the Schuylkill was crossed with a bridge constructed by General Sullivan as an escape route should the British attack, there was no way a surprise attack of any size would be reported on and seen.
The Isaac Potts house is a pleasant looking stone house, I have a fondness for historical buildings and this one is now one of my favorites, there was a park ranger here who conducted a tour and answered questions, the old Valley Forge rail station is where you should start off with first.
There is an information panel here that details the raid conducted by British Forces on September 18th 1777 when they swept through and raised the Forge, Saw Mill and Grist Mill to the ground; this was the only time there was any conflict in the area.
You leave the car park and head indirectly across the road following the winding road up Mount Joy and what was the inner defensive line, this natural feature when clear would command the area, heading down halfway you find the where redoubt No3 would have been and the remains of this and some of the inner line, there is an information panel here and another field gun marking this point.
The base of the hill opens up into the “Grand Parade” and the “Artillery Park” (Stop 8) where there are yellow barreled field guns! These look good from a distance but are very messy when viewed close up. Stop 9 is Varnums Quarter’s another old stone building, close by is a statue of Von Stueban who over look the Grand Parade, it was here in the June of 1778 that there was a grand review of Washington’s Army after it had had Stuebans simplified training in a new form of fighting in line.
Across the road from Stop 9 is redoubt No1, this was manned by Rhode Islanders, it was a star redoubt and I would expect it was quite a heavy fieldworks as it was there to guard the “Sullivan Bridge” spanning the Schuylkill River, all in all a pleasant time spent in a nice piece of countryside considering the urbanization of the area around Valley Forge NHP.
Redcoat37th
Having seen photo’s of the “Valley Forge Huts” and having recently purchased two of the Grand Manner version of the huts (40mm models AMC40-04) I wanted to see them in the flesh for some painting inspiration.
The park is quite large probably on a scale of Saratoga which I visited some years ago, my first stop was the visitor centre (Stop 1) so I could get orientated and pick up a park guide, the visitor centre located near the park entrance has items on display, to be honest I felt a little disappointed as I thought we may a have seen a model of how Washington’s Valley Forge encampment may have been and what it looked like. After spending some time here and watching the film I set off to follow the road round the park stopping off at the various points identified on the tour map.
You never get to feel the lye of the land until you visit these places, to be honest I was surprised on how hilly and undulating the ground is, obviously the scene from “Revolution” although cinematic did not reflect the actual ground, in defence of this it did suggest how bare the land was and how it would have been when Washington’s Army marched into the area and stripped the land of materials to build the earth works and huts for the winter.
This caption was on one of the information panels which are dotted around Valley Forge.
Just 20 miles outside Philidelphia, Valley Forge was close enough to monitor the British Army activities but far enough away to prevent a surprise attack. Washingtom used this hilly country to his advantage, building defensive lines on ridges over looking Philidelphia to the east and nestling the camp against the Schuylkill River to prevent an attack from the north. From here he could protect the outlying regions, including York where the Continental Congress had fled. The area had abundant fresh water, trees for shelter and firewood, food and forage from local farms.
Stop 2, was the first set of huts located at where Mulhenberg's continental brigade of Virginia regiments formed part of the outer defenses and anchored the army. Here are the first of some of the recreated Valley Forge huts, on the day I visited there were some historical interpreters on hand to chat and answer questions, to the right of the position is redoubt no2, but on the old handout it is identified as “Ft Greene”. To the front of here are the reconstructed mounds with a field gun facing out towards the SE and Philadelphia.
I followed the road along to Stop 3, taking in the various markers of what and which brigade fell in along this outer line, behind the crest of the hill is what was the grand parade, the area is quite wooded and the ground commands the area towards where the British Army would have been, visiting in the fall made for a more pleasurable visit what with the varying tree colours.
Stop 3, this is the National Memorial Arch commemorating the American Soldier of the time, leaving here you head down hill to follow the road which rises up towards the position where the Pennsylvanian Regiments camped under the command of Anthony Wayne, stop 4 is the Wayne statue. This is the Southern outer defensive Line; again the hill falls away with the ground commanding what would have been a good view.
Leaving Stop 4 the roadway drops away towards Valley Creek and where General Knox commandeered quarters, Valley Creek runs between Mount Misery and Mount Joy, this deep ravine is a natural defensive feature, the roadway brings you out to where Washington had his headquarters at the “Isaac Potts House” Stop 5, this is right next to the Schuylkill River which was in the armies rear, the Schuylkill was crossed with a bridge constructed by General Sullivan as an escape route should the British attack, there was no way a surprise attack of any size would be reported on and seen.
The Isaac Potts house is a pleasant looking stone house, I have a fondness for historical buildings and this one is now one of my favorites, there was a park ranger here who conducted a tour and answered questions, the old Valley Forge rail station is where you should start off with first.
There is an information panel here that details the raid conducted by British Forces on September 18th 1777 when they swept through and raised the Forge, Saw Mill and Grist Mill to the ground; this was the only time there was any conflict in the area.
You leave the car park and head indirectly across the road following the winding road up Mount Joy and what was the inner defensive line, this natural feature when clear would command the area, heading down halfway you find the where redoubt No3 would have been and the remains of this and some of the inner line, there is an information panel here and another field gun marking this point.
The base of the hill opens up into the “Grand Parade” and the “Artillery Park” (Stop 8) where there are yellow barreled field guns! These look good from a distance but are very messy when viewed close up. Stop 9 is Varnums Quarter’s another old stone building, close by is a statue of Von Stueban who over look the Grand Parade, it was here in the June of 1778 that there was a grand review of Washington’s Army after it had had Stuebans simplified training in a new form of fighting in line.
Across the road from Stop 9 is redoubt No1, this was manned by Rhode Islanders, it was a star redoubt and I would expect it was quite a heavy fieldworks as it was there to guard the “Sullivan Bridge” spanning the Schuylkill River, all in all a pleasant time spent in a nice piece of countryside considering the urbanization of the area around Valley Forge NHP.
Redcoat37th
Monday, 14 September 2009
These two images show some of the new 40mm AWI buildings from Grand Manner, it was good catching up with Dave, these new buildings are actually designed by "Tony" who is Dave's oppo in this venture, Grand Manner do the casting.
I spoke with both Dave and Tony about what is planned for the range, it seems that there will be around 25 models altogether, sometime ago I gave them a disc with many images I had taken to help with the design of buildings for the AWI, the ones I had taken of the re-created "Hobkirk Farm" at the Tannenbaum Historical Park NC, assisted in its design.
There are now around 16 items currently in the range, as with all Grand Manner models well worth the investment.
Visit Grand Manner at http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/shop/
Redcoat37th
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Front Ranks painted 40's
These two images were taken during our recent visit to the Colours Wargames Show in Newbury, Berkshire, England. These figures are from the collection of Alec Browne proprieter of Front Rank Figurines.
The range is slowly growing, for the British we have early war Centre, Light and Grenadier figures, the dress is bassed on the 1768 clothing warrant, the Light Infantry come with serperate heads with variation of different Light Infantry caps.
As for the price! Well they are more affordable than when first released, I have always collected Front Rank, my main collection is from their 25mm AWI range, I have now jumped ship to the 40mm figures, this is now the way forward for me.
Redcoat37th.
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