FPW Prussian Guard

[Shecky]

Did the Prussian Guard have any distinctive uniform compared to the regular infantry? From what I've seen, they appear to just have different cuffs and collars. However, I have seen some uniform plates where they seem to have white pants instead of the dark ones and a white cockade (or something) on their pickelhaube. I'm thinking these are either of the post-FPW period or are parade uniforms only.

Anyone know?

[mollinary]

Shecky,

You are right on all counts. The eagle on the pickelhaube is a different shape, and all the metal work for the 1st Foot Guards and the Guard Fusilier Regiment is silver, but otherwise your distinctions are correct.

Mollinary

[Shecky]

Thanks for the response.

My long term plans for "To the Last Gaiter Button" are to build a basic force of three or four infantry divisions and two cavalry per side augmented by divisions of French Guards, Prussian Guards, Bavarians, landwehr, Garde Mobile/nationale and maybe some  and Saxons. Since the Prussian guards don't have a too distinctive uniform I might be able to build an extra Prussian regular division and swap out the flag stands with ones with the guard flags.

[mollinary]

Shecky,

You could certainly do that for the 1870 Saxons as well, if you model them in Pickelhaube. Only the Jagers would be different.

Mollinary

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Sounds like a very sensible way of doing fpw, he I wasn't such a completeist I would certainly have gone for a core corps, then had bolt on interesting divisions!
One good thing about fielding the Prussian Guards is that they actually saw action in most of the main fights, whereas the French appeared to value their guard too highly...
Post many pictures! 

[mollinary]

I am doing a slightly more expensive  version of the above by producing extra command stands with the different flags, so I won't have torn flags and broken poles all over the place.  So my 1870 Saxons will serve against their 1866 countrymen under Prussian flags!  Counselling will, of course, be made available.

Mollinary

[Shecky]

I'm doing the same, Mollinary. I didn't mean to give the impression that I would just replace the flags. I'll have a stand of figures - flag, musician, and two infantry painted as guards and just use regular infantry stands. My thought is that if I paint regular infantry stands  to look like guards then they'll be difficult to sort out when putting them back in my very useful box.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

It's difficult to see the collar piping at 10mm, think you'll get away with it!

[Dave Fielder]

Someone will notice ... even Nik Hardwood's 2mm look a bit dodgy to me.

[cameronian]

Or be a real tight wad like me and 'redeploy' your 1866 Saxons as 1870 Bavarians wearing forage caps instead of helmets. Of course the flags are problematic however they could be slipped off the poles and replaced with the requisite Bavarian snot rag, anyhow, according to the Mollin-oracle my Saxon flags are pants so I might just leave them in place and trust to myopia.

[mollinary]

Hi Cam, the Big M-O here!  You need not feel shame, I too once put Bavarian flags on my 1866 Saxons before I completed my 2nd Bavarian 1870 corps.  But the 1870 Bavarians are just too nice not to have - and they certainly are also serving as my 1866 Bavarians - there are only so many lederhosen one can tolerate in a model collection!   So, not heresy, merely common sense.

Mollinary

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

It's a pity this thread isn't illustrated so we would all know which figures you are talking about... 
Brain: "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
Pinkey: "I think so, Brain, but Lederhosen won't stretch that far."

[mollinary]

Lemmey,

Have you never looked inside those backpacks on Pendraken Bavarians?  That is real attention to detail 

Mollinary

[cameronian]

Hi Cam, the Big M-O here!  You need not feel shame, I too once put Bavarian flags on my 1866 Saxons before I completed my 2nd Bavarian 1870 corps.  But the 1870 Bavarians are just too nice not to have - and they certainly are also serving as my 1866 Bavarians - there are only so many lederhosen one can tolerate in a model collection!   So, not heresy, merely common sense.

Mollinary

They do look splendid I must say however since I have no intention of wargaming any Federal drollery (its Bohemia and the Austro Saxons for me) I shall have to wait until next year when the FPW will assume a temporary eminence. BTW has your 'surprise package' arrived yet?

[mollinary]

Cam,

Christmas already?  I know the weather's been a bit iffy, but I haven't seen the snow!   No Midsummer  surprises yet, I'm afraid, but fortunately no Murders yet either 

The Big M-O