Sunday 25 November 2018

Brunswick Owls

This has to be the fastest I’ve ever completed a Hinton Hunt infantry unit as the whole lot have been prepared, painted and based in just over one month. Not quite sure how it happened but as I mentioned in my last post I’ve been assisted by the relative simplicity of the uniform.


The figures are:
2 x BRN/1 Officer charging (one converted to standard bearer)
11 x BRN/4 Private charging (one converted to drummer)
9 x BRN/5 Private firing
1 x BRN/6 Officer marching
1 x BRN/40 Avant Garde Officer marching
The flag is an old Revo one (the battalion didn't actually carry a flag but I wasn't going to let that stop me!)


The Leib Battalion had a rough time of it at Quatre Bras where they took 127 casualties and famously broke, leading to the incident in which the the Duke of Brunswick lost his life. At Waterloo they were held in reserve on the right flank in the area behind Hougoumont. Eventually they moved forward to support the British line where they formed square and helped repel the French cavalry attacks.


As a dog lover I won’t be stationing my Brunswickers anywhere near the 95th Rifles. The story goes that they had a liking for dogs (but not in the British way) and ate the mascot of the 95th, a dog called Rifle, who had survived shot and shell only to be “devoured by the insatiable jaws of the Brunswickers”.

16 comments:

Rob said...

Thanks, with WM temporarily out of action I needed this shiny fix. They are elegant, a nice little black number - simple uniforms are often more effective - but it's just a shame that the Duke is relegated to edge of most of the shots, they are after all his guard.

Mark Dudley said...

Rifle might have ended as the Brunswickers Dogs Breakfast but your unit certainly looks like the Dogs Bollocks.

Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com said...

Looking really good.

There's a company here whose tagline is "1st you get good THEN you get fast". Well, there you are.

Stryker said...

Rob - the Duke had to budge over so the troops would fit in the frame. He may be a bit nervous in case he needs to rally them!

Stryker said...

Mark - I was thinking that maybe the horse picture on the knapsack may actually be that of a dog!

Stryker said...

Thanks Ross!

Wellington Man said...

If they're beaten black and blue nobody's going to notice, Ian!
A really lovely regiment.
Best regards
WM

'Lee. said...

Really effective that 'black' uniform Ian. I like the little touch on the back of the knapsack too, well painted. I am reminded of when I was at school and I went to play a game in my mates garage umpired by his Dad, all Airfix figures of course then but his Prussian army had been simply dipped in black enamel and then had the hands and faces dotted in, that was it! Your Brunswickers are of course much better!

Stryker said...

Cheers WM!

Stryker said...

Lee - if only I'd thought of that!

Aly Morrison said...

That’s a lovely looking unit...
I think that the sky blue facings on the black background make for a surprisingly colourful uniform.

All the best. Aly

Stryker said...

Thanks Aly, I agree that the effect is more colourful than you would expect!

KEV. Robertson. said...

Very nice work there Ian. You have certainly evolved your Napoleonics over the years- maintaining a great standard and level of excellence- well done! Cheers. KEV.

Stryker said...

Thanks Kev!

Matt said...

Very nice indeed - are there more to offer support?

Simple but striking uniforms.

(I love the Brunswick cavalry!)

Stryker said...

Matt - that's pretty much all the Brunswickers I have, 1 unit foot and 1 unit hussars. I was toying with the idea of converting some RHA to Brunswick HA but we'll see!