WAS/SYW French OOB

I’m listing here the OOB for my 25mm French army of the WAS/SYW. Firstly, I want to say a word about general’s names and ranks. As we are looking at warfare covering a period of almost twenty-five years (WAS 1740-48 SYW 1754-63), names of generals changed as did their ranks. I have not taken a particular year and rated all the generals to that year by name and rank; rather I have taken names of generals active in either war and given them a rank that they held at some stage. Furthermore French ranks of generals are partly unfamiliar to English readers: Brigadiers, Marechals de camp, Lieutenant Generals, Generals and Marechals (in order of seniority). Many OOBs from other sources often show a division or column commanded by a Lieutenant General, assisted by a number of Marechals de camp, who, in turn, are assisted by a number of Brigadiers, which does not help greatly as one does not know quite who commanded what at a brigade level. I have therefore allocated brigades to both Brigadiers and Marechals de camp on an entirely arbitrary basis. Indeed their final rank will largely depend on what sort of officer figure I give them as I intend painting Brigadiers (whose uniform is unknown to me) in grey/white Colonel’s uniforms and Marechals de camp in the blue uniform that was attributed to this rank.

Figures in BOLD have been painted; the vast bulk of the army still remains to be done.

C-in-C Prince Soubise or Marshal Saxe

Advance Guard: Lt-General Rougê
Brigade: Marechal de camp comte de Chabot
Arquebesiers de Grassin (24)
2x4pdr Battery
Brigade: Brigadier Turpin
Hussars Bercheny(12)
Hussars Turpin(12)

1st Column: Lt-General chevalier de Nicholai
Brigade: Marechal de camp marquis de Voyer
25th Limousin 1st BTN(16)
25th Limousin 2nd BTN(16)
86th La Marche-Prince (16)
124th Royal-Lorraine*(16)
4x4pdr Battery

Brigade: Brigadier comte de Vence
18th Touraine 1st BTN (16)
18th Touraine 2nd BTN (16)
31st Artois 1st BTN (16)
31st Artois 2nd BTN (16)
6 x6pdr Battery

Brigade: Marechal de camp marquis de Dreux
35th La Fere 1st BTN(16)
35th La Fere 2nd BTN(16)
78th Bigorre BTN(16)
82nd Foix BTN(16)

2nd Column:Lt-General comte de St.Germain
Brigade: Brigadier de Meaupeau
56th Medoc 1st BTN(16)
56th Medoc 2nd BTN(16)
59th Royal Comtois 1st BTN(16)
59th Royal Comtois 2nd BTN(16)
4x4pdr Battery

Brigade: Marechal de camp de Planta
55th Waldner Swiss 1st BTN(16)
55th Waldner Swiss 2nd BTN(16)
63rd de la Planta Swiss 1st BTN(16)
63rd de la Planta Swiss 2nd BTN(16)
6x6pdr Battery

Brigade: Marechal de camp de Crillon
108th Bergh German BTN(16)
114th St.Germain German BTN(16)
115th La Dauphine German BTN(16)
116th Royal Pologne BTN (16)

3rd Column: Lt-General marquis de St.Pern
Brigade: Marechal de camp vicompte de Narbonne
Cambis, Grenadiers royaux 1st BTN(16)
Cambis, Grenadiers royaux 2nd BTN(16)
L'Espinasse, Grenadiers royaux 1st BTN (16)
L'Espinasse, Grenadiers royaux 2nd BTN (16)
4x4pdr Battery

Brigade: Brigadier marquis de Roquepine
40th Grenadiers de France 1st BTN (18)
40th Grenadiers de France 2nd BTN (18)
40th Grenadiers de France 3rd BTN (18)
40th Grenadiers de France 4th BTN (18)
6 x6pdr Battery

4th Column: Lt-General Louis Joseph de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Brigade: Brigadier marquis de Conflans
Garde Francaise 2nd BTN (18)
Garde Francaise 3rd BTN (18)
Garde Swiss 1st BTN(18)
Garde Swiss 2nd BTN(18)
6x12pdr Battery

Brigade: Marechal de camp chevalier de Grollier
92nd Bulkeley Irish BTN(16)
93rd Clare Irish BTN(16)
94th Dillon Irish BTN(16)
98th Rooth Irish BTN(16)


* Royal Lorraine in WAS wore yellow coats with black facings and this is the WAS uniform.


Right Wing Cavalry: Lt-General duc de Sourches
Brigade: Brigadier chevalier de Muy
Cuirassiers du Roi, (12)
La Reine, (12)
Royal-Pologne, (12)
Brigade: Marechal de camp Puységur
Orléans (12)
Poly Saint-Thiébault (12)
Penthièvre (12)
Brigade: Marechal de camp de Rougrave
Condé (12)
Clermont Prince (12)
Wurtemberg (12)

Left Wing Cavalry: Lt-General marquis de Poyanne
Brigade: Brigadier de camp de Besons
Name to be decided (12)
Name to be decided (12)
Name to be decided (12)
Brigade: Marechal de camp chevalier de Montbarrey
Name to be decided (12)
Name to be decided (12)
Name to be decided (12)
Brigade: Marechal de camp M. de Bellefonds
Dragoons (16)
Dragoons (16)

Reserve Cavalry: Lt-General duc de Fitzjames
Brigade: Marechal de camp duc de Chevreuse
1st squadron Gendarmes Écossais (3)
Gendarmes de Bourgogne (3)
2nd squadron Gendarmes Anglais (3)
Chevau-légers de Bourgogne (3)
3rd squadron Gendarmes Bourguignons (3)
Gendarmes d'Aquitaine (3)
4th squadron Gendarmes de Flandres (3)
Chevau-légers d'Aquitaine (3)

Brigade: Marechal de camp comte de Beaupréau
Mousquetaires gris (3)
Mousquetaires noirs (3)
Chevau-légers du Roi (3)
Gendarmes de la Garde (3)

Infantry:680 (22,440) Artillery: 14 x 4pdrs
Cavalry:272 (8,976) 24 Heavies

----------------------------------------------------

A word about battalion guns: I have removed them from individual battalions (as per an interesting discussion on TMP) and grouped them into field batteries.

Most of the Infantry flags are done so please email me if you would like to see them. They certainly are colourful!

Lastly, to show you just how top heavy the French army was in generals here is a listing of generals serving with Marechal de Saxe in 1745.

27 lieutenants généraux avec garde (chaque garde étant composée d'une compagnie de 20 gardes = Lt.Generals each with a personal escort of guards numbering 20)
51 lieutenants généraux sans garde (= without guards),
56 maréchaux de camp,
23 brigadiers d'infanterie,
43 brigadiers de cavalerie,
plus 124 aides de camps.