The Black Hussars – HR5 von Ruesch

The Black Hussars in a wild charge.

The Minden miniatures are full of details and animation.

As my 15mm WW2 collection is reaching a playable size; I look ahead to new projects for the fall and winter. One project that has been earmarked for expansion in 2015 is my WAS/SYW collection. Having been a long standing fan of Minden Miniatures and the sculpting style of Richard Ansell, I found it hard to resist their excellent Prussian hussars, which come in the variation of both mounted and dismounted/skirmishing.

Inspiration.

Having decided to start out with the mounted unit, the choice of what regiment to actually paint was really not that hard. As a kid, when reading about Frederick the Great for the first time, and studying the uniform plates of Preben Kannik, I was fascinated by the Black Hussars and their scull-marked mirliton.

Knötel's take on the HR5.

The Black Hussars was first raised in 1741 as part of the Prussian cavalry reformation, by taking a squadron of trained cavalrymen from the HR1 as a core supplement to the fresh recruits. They would become the 5th hussars regiment to be added to the ranks of Frederick’s growing army. The HR5 prefix is interesting, as it was the unglamorous and numbering system devised by the Prussian army’s Grand Old Man – Fürst von Anholt-Dessau a.k.a “Der alte Dessauer”, revealing the very pragmatic DNA of Prussian military values.

Another view of the unit.

I'm basing cavalry on 60x60mm bases from Warbases
with those nicely rounded corners.

During the War of Austrian Succession (Branching First & Second Silesian War) the unit served with distinction in the second part, particularly during the Battle of Hohenfriedberg and Hennersdorf. The nickname “Black Hussars” or even “Totenköpfe” was earned, and stuck all the way up to the elimination of the state/name Prussia after WW2. 

One of Preben Kannik's fantastic uniform plates.

Later during the Seven Years War, with Frederick hard pressed in a two-front war, the HR5 would be divided and serve simultaneously in both the eastern and western theatre, playing an active part in battles such as Zorndorf, Kunersdorf and of course the battle of Minden.

The Black Hussars as they looked later during the Franco-Prussian War.

In 1808 the regiment had become somewhat of a Prussian legend, and thus was elevated to official Leib-Hussaren (Royal Guard Hussars), a prominence they would keep through the Franco-Prussian War, on to the First World War while ending as a relic of the old Empire under the Nazi rules during the Second World War.

Here are some of the regiments most famous people

Prince Friedrich-Charles of Prussia.
(Franco-Prussian War)

Kaiser Wilhelm II (WW1)

Kaiser Wilhelm's son, Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (WW1)

General von Mackensen.
Famous WW1 General and author of two books on the Black Hussars.

Thank you very much for reading!

3rd Guards Battalion & the Battle of Leuthen 1757

The 3rd Guards Battalion advancing under Hauptmann von Möllendorff. 

Miniatures are from the Minden range.

One of my most memorable summer holidays as a youth was spent in the shades, reading about Frederic the Great and the Seven Years War. While my buddies from school was hanging around at the local football ground or at the beach, I was parked in a comfy chair working my way through the dramatic life story of this young poet turned warrior king.

The 3rd Guards Battalion closing in on the fortified Austrians.

Frederic’s actions would affirm Prussia’s entitlement to European grand politics, after coining the concept of, and later fighting out a typical “German” two front war, building a legacy as the greatest of the enlightened monarchs.

GMB offers spectacular flags for the Seven Years War.

Frederic’s most perfectly executed battle has always, in my opinion, been Leuthen on the 5th Dec 1757, where a force of 36.000 Prussians flanked and beat 80.000 Austrians. Feats like Leuthen echoed greatness, and left subsequent leaders as Napoleon inspired, while offering tactical blue prints of mastery for warfare textbooks used in the 19th Century’s military academies in both Europe and the USA. 

3rd Guards Battalion trying to breach the gate into the churchyard.

I imagine that, as young cadets at West Point, great commanders like Lee and Grant would have studies and admired Frederic’s skilled use of the terrain at Leuthen, dreaming of one day copying such a feat…

Careful usage of terrain helped Frederic deceive the Austrians,
keeping his flanking march masked until the very last moment. 

Leuthen was the stuff of legends, and greatly helped to ad the prefix of “Great” to Frederic’s name and memory, but Frederic did not do it alone. Like his father before him, and like later great German commanders like Moltke the Elder, he enjoyed one of Europe’s most perfectly drilled armies. Perhaps the finest regiment of his army was the Guard.

Frederic presses forward, forcing the Austrian line to turn, 

with battle converging at Leuthen.

The Prussian Guard Regiment was first formed in 1688 as Regiment No 15, with the main part of the soldiers being protestant, or Huguenots, who had fled Catholic France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes three years earlier. The regiment saw action during the Spanish War of Succession and took part in the famous battles of Blenheim and Malplaquet. 

The battalion marches forward, 

perhaps flanking the Austrians yet again...

As Crown Prince, Frederic was given the grade of colonel at the 15th infantry regiment, and thus when he later became king in 1740, the regiment was garrisoned at Potsdam and raised to the position of Guards, with First Battalion acting as Life Guards to Frederic, sorting under his direct command. 

Carl Röchling's amazing painting of the 3rd,

storming the Austrian position in the churchyard.

3rd Battalion of the Guards took part in the battles of Roßbach, Leuthen, Hochkirch, Liegnitz, Torgau, Burkersdorf and Reichenbach along with a series of sieges during the Seven Years Wars, but their charge at Leuthen was epic. Immortalized in paintings by artist Carl Röchling, the 2nd and 3rd battalion of the Guards stormed a cemetery in Leuthen held by the Austrians. Eventually committing his entire left wing, Frederic and the Prussian army carried the town, and the day at Leuthen.

Frederic joins the Guards, thanking them for the successful outcome of the battle.

Allegedly a soldier then started singing "Nun danket alle Gott",

resulting in 25.000 troops joining in.

The Guard regiment’s history stretches through the 19th Century, past the world wars, and all the way up to this day, where it acts as “Wachtbatallion” in Berlin. It seemed a very fitting unit to start off my Seven Years War collection with.

Thank you very much for reading!

Franco-Prussian Terrain: Alsacian house

The Lindenau House from Grandmanner's 28mm Napoleonic collection. 

In 2014 I had the privilege of visiting the now docile battlefield at Woerth in a rural part of beautiful Alsace. Earlier the same year I was bordering on fiscal collapse by melting my Visa at the ever-bustling Salute, spending a sunny April weekend in London. Both these visits are combined in this week’s project.

The unpainted resin model with a 28mm miniature for size comparison.

Building a collection of miniatures for a certain period often has us focus on the soldiers and their colourful uniforms, dashing cavalry squadrons or hard hitting artillery batteries with the occasional diversion into character units. But terrain has for my part so far taken the backseat. However, things are about to change.

Front view of the finished model.

Personally, painting military miniatures always takes me into a dreamy state, where I project myself to the era of the soldiers I’m painting. Whether they be the snappy marching columns of Napoleon or the well-drilled grenadiers of Frederick the Great, I find myself mentally marching alongside them.

The village of Woerth as it looked in August 2014.

My fiancé on the left, Johanna, was kind enough to join my battlefield walk.

This imaginational access to a period in history gets further nourishment when the painted soldiers march onto the wargaming table – if the scene is properly set that is. Setting the scene with the right quality of terrain can really enhance the experience of one’s miniature collection, and help make that imaginative leap back in time to a certain faithful day in history.

Picture of the back side, with worn down stairs
and stacked firewood adding details to the model.

Partaking in the very active wargaming scene in Stockholm, I’ve had two big inspirations when it comes to terrain. Fellow club member Michael, who meticulously addresses all the small details on the table and have a sharp eye for what will work and how to arrange it. My second big inspiration, and a very accomplished painter, is wargaming friend Rickard, who is among the most talented terrain constructors I’ve come across.

Further inspiration for the color scheme.

Painting by Edouard Detaille "La charge du 9e régiment de Cuirassiers à Morsbronn"

With these two gentlemen in my hobby-sphere I have decidedly made a plunge into the wonderful world of terrain. First stop on this journey is my Grandmanner “Lindenau House” from their 28mm Napolenonic range. The model was purchased in London at Salute from Grandmanner’s vending stall, with a clear aim to apply it as a Alsacian house for my Franco-Prussian collection. 

Prussian troops crossing through Alsace 

after the initial victories of Woerth and Spichern.

Visiting the battlefield at Woerth last summer fuelled further inspiration to this painting project, and with my holiday pictures from this sleepy corner of Alsace in hand, I set out to finished this lovely detailed model.

The result is the product of about 4-5 full afternoons of painting. The target was to go for a classic color scheme resembling what can be found on the paintings from the battles of Wissembourg, Spichern and Woerth. I imagine it would work very well for a timeframe of 1740-1918 – enabling me to cover the SYW, Napoleonics, Franco-Prussian and Early WW1 “Battle of the Frontiers” with this model.

The Lindenau House could easily be adopted for other periods,

here shown in a SYW scene, as Frederick scouts for an Inn with 

good potato soup.

Also purchased from Granmanner at Salute was a XL redoubt position with three canon positions incorporated in the superb resin cast sculpting. This was carried home as an unplanned impulse purchase, but fitting nicely into my 1812 Borodino project.

I look forward to getting more brush time with Grandmanner’s excellent models in the months to come.

Thank you very much for reading!

Happy New Year – projects for 2015

An indication of what's to come in 2015.

"Der Alte Fritz" - Minden Miniatures.

This final blog post of 2014 will be dedicated to a brief look into the hobby year to come. 

These past few weeks have given me plenty of time to index my projects, creating an overview of which projects should be laid down, projects that need to be finished and also reflection on projects I’d like to start in the foreseeable future.

The father of Prussian two-front-war.

Frederick the Great.

At the same time I’ve had a look through my History/Hobby devoted library and chosen a few titles that I felt deserved a read, and would help create additional inspiration for the painting projects in the pipe line. Enough said – here is the list:

PAINTING PROJECTS FOR 2015

French infantry skirmishing 1870.

The Franco-Prussian War (Continued in 2015): This collection is at the very heart of my historical interest. I love this period of German unification and the drama on the French side with the collapse of the Empire, the Commune and the Republican struggle to continue the war against the occupation. It’s a conflict that casts long shadows all the way up to 1914, and perhaps beyond. I’m planning to extend my collection in 28mm, and dare I say, I’ll be making an announcement soon that will interest anyone who is into this period.

Prussian Grenadier, Seven Years War.

Minden Miniatures.

The Seven Years War (Newcomer for 2015): This is the period that got me into painting miniatures. As a young teenager I started out painting Revell’s 1/72 SYW plastics. The time has come to close the circle so to speak, and revive this old interest of mine. I’ve chosen Minden Miniatures' range for the project, with compliments to Richard Ansell’s amazing sculpts, which are in my opinion the finest out there in terms of anatomical and proportionate sculpting. My good friends Jesper and Rickard have a big SYW collection in 28, so by adopting their basing system I hope to add to their ranks and thus get to game quite fast with the minis.

The "Skagerrak" will rage on in 2015

More ships and even Zeppeliners to come!

WW1 Naval – The Battle of Jutland (Continued in 2015): Yes, my love for the crisply sculpted iron clads from the shipyards at GHQ has not diminished, and the collection for this epic sea battle will be expanded in the year to come with additions such as The Seydlitz, The König but also some of Scheer’s Zeppliners will be appearing over the horizon of the North Sea.

Charging Swedish Horse Guards - The Great Northern War.

The Great Northern War (Continued in 2015): This project was started in late 2014, and will be continued in the year to come building on the amazing GNW products coming out of Warfare Miniatures. This collection will be painted as part of a larger club project, anchored in our Stockholm Wargaming Club with participants such as Jesper, Michael and many other skilled people involved. We’re aiming at the Russian Campaign of 1708-09 with battles as Holowczyn, Lesnaya and Poltava as possible games to be explored.

"Nach Paris!" German WW1 Infantryman.

The Great War in 28 mm (Newcomer for 2015): For me this period is a continuation of the epic struggle between France and Germany in 1870-71, and naturally I need to explore this now with the centennial for many of these behemoth battles ringing in with the new year. I plan to focus on the early part of the war with The Battle of the Frontiers, The Battle of Mons and The Battle of the Marne as my primary targets. I will probably mix Mutton Chop Miniatures and Great War Miniatures for this project, paired up with some good books on the subject.

The St. Petersburg Grenadiers paced forward to meet the French.

Borodino 1812 (Continued in 2015): I will continue my work on this the most beautifully uniformed of all wargaming periods. I look very much forward to painting up my Great Redoubt, bought last year from Grandmanner in cast resin, and to continue my work on the wonderful miniatures from Victrix and Perry – Oh, by the way I saw Victrix will be releasing French artillery soon. An evident buy for Salute in April I imagine.

20th Massachusetts - a.k.a The Harvard Regiment.

ACW – Army of the Potomac (Continued in 2015): In 2013 I painted a playable sized Army of Northern Virginia in 28mm for used with the Black Powder rules, all arms included and mayor commanders now finished with the addition of Stonewall. For 2015 I need to switch North and continue my work on the boys in blue. This labour of love will be accompanied by the excellent Pod Cast on the American Civil War hosted by Rich and Tracy. I strongly recommend this Pod Cast for anyone interested in some audible entertainment while painting – they do an amazing and very detailed job. One could say the are the Shelby Footes of Civil War Podcasting.

BOOKS ON MY NIGHTSTAND IN 2015

The House of Krupp, by Peter Batty. Published 1966 by MS & W Ltd London

During the Second World War the RAF unloaded 36.000 tons (!) of bombs on a specific area in Essen no larger than 8 square kilometers. Within this area lay the Krupp works.  A symbol of sublime German engineering, but also of feared and legendary guns such as “Long Max” and “Big Bertha” the House of Krupp offers an insight to the family behind the name, tracing their roots back the 16th century. The Krupp conglomerate was destined to rise to its zenith during the industrial age under Bismarck, the Emperor and later the Third Reich. It’s a fascinating, personal and tragic story of the family, the guns and the business all intertwined into the politics of a turbulent age for Germany and consequently the World. It’s a book I very much look forward to reading.

The Franco-Prussian War 1870-71, Volume 2. After Sedan. By Quintin Barry, published 2006 by Helion & Company.

This brick of a book offers 520 pages on the second part of the war, which saw the formation of a new French Republic in the wake of the Emperor’s capture at Sedan. This new republic’s first act as a government was to renew the declaration of war on the German confederation! Much to Moltke’s dismay, the war would continue as hundred of thousands of French recruits and voluntaries would be drafted and offer legendary resistance in battles such as Coulmiers, Loigny, Belfort and the battles of Orleans. The book also offers complete orbats and a meticulously detailed account of the battles and the politics that shaped this second part of the Franco-Prussian War.

The Battle of The Frontiers, Ardennes 1914; by Terence Zuber. Published 2007 by The History Press in Charleston.

I was tempted to go for the “Guns of August”, but came across this more resent and interesting book on the first battle(s) of the Great War. With my interest in the Franco-Prussian War, I was surprised to see that infantry tactics had not changed dramatically, while artillery and automated fire had improved hundredfold since the days of Gravelotte and Sedan. The consequence of this unbalance would prove fatal to about 700.000 soldiers in the period of august and September 1914, as cavalry and formed infantry charged Vickers guns, and lessons learned would result in the stalemate of the later trench warfare.

Rossbach & Leuthen 1757, by Simon Millar.
Published 2002 by Osprey

The well known format from Osprey’s Campaign range, dealing in this case with these two defining victories of Frederick the Great. No further introduction is needed really. It will be a good read to get into the details on the battles and the orbats, which are always helpful when targeting units to paint.

PROJECTS LAID DOWN

Republican Romans: I've had to abandon this project, as other things came in the way, and since I'm more or less alone at the club on this period. Thus the collection containing wonderful 28's from Agema have been put up for sale here.

Bolt Action: We played a lot of these games about a year ago, but since then it has been taking the backseat to other projects. I painted two complete forces. One for the French and additionally for the Germans selecting the famous Fallschirmsjägers. For sale here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

With all the above, my painting table seems set for 2015 with projects I look very much forward to initiating or in most cases continue my work on.

I thank you all again for your readership during the past year, and hope to see you again online in 2015.