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Thursday 18 September 2014

Light Infantry (2) - Grenz & Pandours

Last updated 19/09/14.........

Following on from discussions about Frei Corps and Jager, some thoughts about the Grenz and Pandour. A hole in the PA range which needs filling.

Pandour Uniforms

Austrian Grenz


There was quite a lot of variation in the uniform worn by the Austrian Grenz regiments, so one of the troop types needs to be chosen. The Pengel & Hurt book on Austrian infantry contains a lot of useful information, including the illustrations and table below.



The table is useful, as at a  glance it can be seen that the ones with coat type 'F2' are marginally more common, so it makes sense to produce a figure which represents 60-63 & 69. Below is an illustration from an Osprey book, type 'F2' is on the left and type 'E' one on the right. Of course a good representation of any of them can be done with a bit of work and a paint job. 

  3 - Gz IR 60 Carlstadt Liccaner  (F2)       2 -Gz IR 64 Waradin Creutzer  (E) 



Russian Pandours









There is another reason for choosing the 'F2' type - it is also the one which is most similar to the Russian pandour regiments.

There are minor differences, but the Austrian figure is pretty close. 

This is a grenadier, others would be similar but with no plate on the hat.


















Head Types

This really depends how many moulds are made, as depending on what else goes in beween two and four heads will fit.

Going back to the P&H illustrations and table it can be seen that  head types  'A' and 'D' are most common. These are very similar so just the type A would be enough, so a couple of these in each mould.

The Russian hat tapered slightly towards the top, so at least one of these.


The Cloak?

Austrian Grenz were famous for their red cloaks, which were generally rolled up over the haversack, but as far as I am aware there are no illustrations showing the Russian Pandour with them (if anyone has some let me know), so there are really three options:

  • Give all the figures a cloak, and accept the Russians will be wrong
  • Give none of them a cloak
  • Cast the cloak a stick on - not sure how easy this is for multiple poses.

What does everyone think?


Officers

Grenz officers were very similar to  those in the Hungarians, so I would suggest  there is no need for additional figures.


Poses

As there is no need for officer figures, and following on from earlier discussions on poses I would be temped to have two moulds, so four figures, and I would go for:

1. Infantry standing firing
2. Infantry kneeling firing
3. Infantry advancing
4. Not sure, options (in current order of preference):
      a. Infantry loading
      b. Infantry/NCO at trail, pointing
      c. Musician

As usual comments welcome.

4 comments:

  1. I basically agree with all of those choices. As for the cloak, all 3 options would be acceptable.

    Thinking about poses, those are all agreeable, I often mix firing and advancing skirmishers to reflect typical tactics.

    An alternative to the loading figure would be a figure, nco possibly, with rifle at the trail, pointing with the other hand. Directing fire possibly.

    Anyway, all looks good to me.

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    Replies
    1. I did think about an NCO, but then decided the Hungarian NCO, if given a musket would make a junior officer, and the pose is similar to what you are suggesting.

      I will leave the 4th pose open for a while so we can muse on it.

      Delete
  2. You might want to consider a drummer instead of a loader.

    Otherwise the above criteria look fine. The firing poses should probably be more informal than the ones for the Frei Korps units. Maybe the HE cowboys and indians would be a source of ideas for that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the loading figure would be more popular than another drummer. Also I could not find any information on musician's uniforms, so I think the Hungarian drummer would work.

      I will suggest the grenz poses are less formal.

      Delete