Friday 13 December 2013

Scanian War Danes

Dronningens Livregiment (Queen's Guard)

Using a batch of Warefare Miniatures I've put together this Danish unit for our Scanian War skirmish game "Snapphanar".

The Scanian War 1675-79 was fought mainly due to Denmark contesting the recent Swedish conquest of the eastern Danish provinces, what is today southern Sweden.
After a Danish invasion force of some 15.000 troops of all weapons landed on the Swedish coast 1676, the main battles were fought in the region of Skåne or "Scania - hence the name of the conflict".

Jyske Nationale Rytterregiment (Jutland Cavalry Reg.)  

Battles like Lund, Halmstad and Landskrona were fought out with both the Danish and Swedish kings present on the battlefields. The stakes were high, and the young Swedish king would win his fame (and consolidate his crown and heritage land) by time and again leading from the very front, taking his guard cavalry units into the midst of the fighting.

The Queen's Guard - uniforms then and more recent.

Uniformation was still in it's infancy, leading to confusion as many Swedish and Danish units would look alike. However, many units got more conformed as the conflict went on.


Monday 2 December 2013

Cobb’s Legion – Battle of Fredericksburg

The Georgians on Mary's Heights


Christmas is nearing, and so is the 151st anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg. Fought mainly on the 13th December 1862, this battle was one of the mayor victories achieved by the Army of Northern Virginia.  The ponderous Lee was afforded the chance of a defensive style battle, which he so relished. 


The Rebs securely entrenched on Mary's Heights - picking their targets

With both Longstreet and the charismatic Stonewall Jackson at his disposal, it is perhaps fair to say that the South was at an advantage when it comes to competent leaders at this particular battle. I’ve chosen to paint one of Longstreet's units from Lafayette McLaw’s Brigade of Cobb’s Georgian Legion. They were at the receiving end of a series of futile but heroic Union attacks on the Rebel position atop Mary’s Heights.  


Time and again the Union charged uphill in the open

At the cost of tremendous casualties the Union troops showed both defiance and valour, as they were bid to charge again and again, marching into the hail storm of fire served by the Rebs securely entrenched behind a stone wall. 

For those with further interest in the Battle of Fredericksburg, I can recommend the movie "Gods and Generals", were the battle and the valor of the Union troops is well captured.
God & Generals