Joseph's Spanish

[Ithoriel]

I don't have a lead mountain.

I have an entire mountain range.

And 8,610 metres ... that's barely foot hills!

[MonAtArms]

Thank you for the kind words.

The front unit is the 7th Lancers - La Mancha. The second unit is Chasseurs on the French model.
The whole force is from those not at Talavera.

My source for Joseph's Spanish is in Spanish, but I don't think they managed cuirassiers. To be fair, they barely managed infantry.


My understanding is that the French 13th Cuirassiers were formed (?) in Spain from provisional units, and I think there was a Spanish Cuirassier unit (1/2 regiment?) that used captured French armour.

 

It is a true pleasure to read your words and speak with you, sir.

I apologize for the outburst of changing from Spanish to French troops, I hope it wasn't misinterpreted.

Indeed, the Spanish troops were, at best, severely under-equipped. However, it is very interesting to see how the navy was integrated into the army.

The French 13th Cuirassiers was indeed hastily assembled, formed in France and trained in Bayonne.

On the other hand, the first Spanish cuirassiers depended on French weaponry (Tarragona, 1809), being officially created as the 1st Hussar Company of Granada, with the equipment of the French defeated at Mollet del Vallés (1810), totaling 360 sabers and a very clear shortage of horses.

[fsn]

It is a true pleasure to read your words and speak with you, sir.

I apologize for the outburst of changing from Spanish to French troops, I hope it wasn't misinterpreted.

You are very kind. No need for apologies.

I did contemplate adding Cuirassiers to my Franco-Confederation army, but have gone for Chasseurs and Dragoons. This is partly because of the Order of Battle I have chosen, but also because I hate painting Hussars.   

My Spanish force is based on La Romana's Division as they would have appeared fresh from Denmark. Again, not a cuirass in sight.

[MonAtArms]

You are very kind. No need for apologies.

I did contemplate adding Cuirassiers to my Franco-Confederation army, but have gone for Chasseurs and Dragoons. This is partly because of the Order of Battle I have chosen, but also because I hate painting Hussars.   

My Spanish force is based on La Romana's Division as they would have appeared fresh from Denmark. Again, not a cuirass in sight.

That's a really excellent response, thoughtful and clearly based on solid historical research. Many thanks for sharing both the work and the background information.

And yes, absolutely, much better without cuirasses, of course 😄

Interestingly enough, I still have Spanish troops wearing armour as late as the 1830s–1840s in the Philippines. These were not metallic cuirasses, but protective equipment made from leather and carabao horn, which really highlights how context dependent these choices could be outside the main European theatres.