28mm SYW Austrians: IR42 Gaisruck

This is one of the few Austrian regiments (two in total, I think) that may well have had purple or violet facings. I say 'may have' because we cannot be absolutely sure due to colour die issues in the 18^th century. Add red to blue and you get purple and this may have been accidental.

This regiment was present at Kolin, Leuthen, Hochkirch and Torgau – so basically all the big battles of the SYW.

40mm SYW Austrians: One squadron of Baranyai Hussars

It was the beautiful illustration (at the bottom of this blog's pictures) that made this a 'have to have' unit in my 40mm army. Actually I plan 3 squadrons (each of 4 figures) but the colour scheme is a little complicated and a task to paint. That is one of the reasons why I like the Austrians of the WAS/SYW – they have glorious colour combinations that other armies do not use. Like, in this unit, grass green with pale blue. I think they will mash the Fleischhackers and readers of this blog will perhaps recall that my Prussian hussar squadrons are 3 figures strong, so significantly weaker numerically. I will also discuss at some time the different theories relating to hussar combat and the different uses that the Austrians and Prussians put their hussars to.

28mm SYW Austrians: IR48 Luzzara

The regiment was originally a Spanish Habsburg unit raised at Zaragoza in 1705, during the War of the Spanish Succession, and placed under the command of Colonel Pertús. After his death, the regiment "Ciudad de Zaragoza" (Town of Zaragoza) was placed under the command of Don Antonio Ãlvarez de Toledo. 1713, the regiment was operating in Lombardy.

In 1721, troops from 3 other Spanish regiments (Ahumada, Faber and Marulli) were incorporated into the regiment which became part of the Austrian army. The Count Alcaudete died at Prague in September 1734 and was succeeded by Juan Jacinto Vazquez y Vargas (aka Jacob Count Vasquez de Binas) at the head of the regiment.

From 1737 to 1739, the regiment fought against the Turks in Bosnia, Serbia, Banal and Transylvania.

In 1740, the regiment was stationed in Lombardy.

On December 23 1755, Count Vasquez de Binas died and was succeeded by Juan Manuel Luzán (aka Emanuel Count de Luzzara). The regiment incorporated recruits from the Duchy of Mantua.. One should say that by now the ranks would have been filled with Italians. It does not appear to have done much in the SYW although it was present in Bohemia most of the time.

I like the apple green facings!

28mm SYW Austrians: IR36 Browne (formerly Liechtenstein)

Founded in 1683 this regiment participated in every major Austrian campaign. It fought the Turks in the Great Turkish War of the 1680s and, according to Kronoskaf, “During the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1701, two battalions of the regiment (1,000 men) were sent to Northern Italy to reinforce the army of Prince Eugène de Savoie. On November 20, they arrived on the Mincio River and were sent to blockade Mantua. They took their winter-quarters at Concordia on the Po. In January 1702, 600 men of the regiment were at Spinosa as part of the Imperial forces encircling Mantua. At the beginning of March, the Vienna War Council decided to send the two other battalions to Northern Italy. In March, 400 men of the regiment defended the Castle del Dosso which was stormed by a French party. In April, the third battalion arrived in Northern Italy. In May, three battalions of the regiment took part in the blockade of Mantua. On August 1, IV./Liechtenstein Infantry (1 bn and 1 grenadier coy) finally arrived at Ostiglia from the Hereditary Lands. On 15 August, two battalions and one grenadier company of the regiment (7 officers and 579 men only) took part in the Battle of Luzzara. On January 11 1704, the regimental proprietor, Duke Liechtenstein, was killed in a skirmish on the Bormida River. In 1706, half of the regiment garrisoned Turin, the other part was at Calcinato (the entire regiment counted only 1,057 men). On September 7, the regiment took part in the Battle of Turin.

Then back again in the Austro-Turkish War of 1737–1739.

In the WAS on April 10, it took part in the Battle of Mollwitz where it lost 20 men killed, 9 officers and 65 men wounded and 146 men missing. One battalion then garrisoned Brieg and, after surrender of the fortress, marched to Prague. On June 4 1745, the regiment fought in the battles of Hohenfriedberg where it lost 7 men killed, 5 wounded and 37 missing. On September 30, in the Battle of Soor, the regiment was on the left wing, in Meligny's Brigade and lost 14 men killed, 82 wounded and 78 taken as prisoners of war.

Then in the SYW it again lost it's inhaber. On May 6 1757, two battalions of the regiment (a total of 1,676 men) took part in the Battle of Prague where they were deployed in Count d’Ursel's Brigade, in the first line of the right wing of infantry under Count Königsegg. During this battle, its chef,Filed-Marshal Ulysses Count Browne de Camus, was mortally wounded.

Given this splendid war record, I would rate this line regiment as elite. Figures are Front Rank.