Friday 26 January 2024

18mm Danish Bornholmske infanteriregiment 1st Battalion







So I have finally got round to starting my Danes for my mini Swedish-Danish war of the mid 18th century. As for the rational of having these two fight each other in this timeframe, David Manley has done a 4 page PDF on the Danish army's participation in the WAS and there is an interesting observation on their involvement which was paid for by Britain and the Dutch: “Though never in action during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Danes were theoretically available for full involvement and were raring to go.” They were scattered in garrisons across Hanover but were called home in 1743 as the political situation in the Baltic area deteriorated. They were told to guard the Danish coast against possible Swedish incursions. “In the event the war was settled privately between the Swedes and Russians in far away Finland.” I'm assuming this did not happen and that the Swedes and Danes went to war (again).


Meanwhile this is the first battalion of the Bornholm regiment also know as the Marine regiment that lasted from 1672 to 2000. According to Wiki “It was considered a punishment to be mariner (Marine), and the recruitment included individuals who could not adapt to other services. This created a tradition of extremely hardy soldiers. Even among sailors, these soldiers were feared and hated. But one thing you could not deprive them was their fighting spirit. “

So here I'm playing around with base sizes and other issues as I have not fully decided the rules I want to use – either Konig Kreig or a variation of it.

Flags for the Danes are difficult too. There are plenty for the WSS and for the Napoleonic era but for the middle of the 18th century very few examples although the Vinkhuizen collection is useful. It's slightly too late as the figures have coat lapels which came in in the 1760s and I am aiming at the 1740-50s but the flag is interesting. For the Leib I have just used the beautiful WSS flag Dave Morfitt has just done.

Figures are 18mm Old Glory SYW Austrians.

 

Saturday 13 January 2024