Quote from: Dr Dave on 07 March 2019, 08:44:56 PM
Hang on: " Then there is 'background activity' in the form of the Peninsular War "

Why is the Peninsula "background"?

Because all the cool kids were at Leipzig.

Leman, grahambeyrout and Westie make some interesting points. I agree the SYW is more compact both in scale and deployment. However, that doesn't make it Superior. Looking at the obverse, one could say it lacks scope and is tactically constrained.

There is a lot of colour in the SYW, but I do find the preponderance of tricorns rather dull.

@jimduncanuk - oilskin covers
@steve_holmes_11 - yes those accents are horrible
@John Cook - Sort of agree with a lot you wrote. I may even reluctantly accept the Peninsula War comment.


@FK - Sorry for the late reply, I had a had time finding someone fluent in Prig, though I shall respond fully:

Agree with Leman's point about balance; I find the balance of the big three arms unmatched. You really do need to get your money's worth from all three to win.
OK.

Historical significance. The world we're currently inhabiting was shaped by that war, more I'd say than any other since the Neanderthals backed down. Hyperbole.Its results probably included i) a Prussian-dominated Germany, not an Austrian one; Yet the Prussians were forced to rebuilt after the major disasters of 1806, and the wars of the mid C19 had more to do with Prussian domination. ii) the British Empire, and the fact that we're having this discussion not in French, but in English (giving a few UK members the benefit of the doubt);Simplistic, but OK iii) the French Revolution (Britain had colonies to export the hungry and idle to);Reaching. iv) the alarming realisation that Russia was now firmly seated at the grown-ups' table; Peter I and the Great Northern Warand v) the creation of a really attractive Pendraken figure range.OK

Cultural elements. I can't insist that everyone agree with this, but I've got a thing for 18th century civilisation. Greatest age of music, last great era of architecture, some super-readable poetry, the rise of atheism, and a characteristic chuckle of derision rather than howl of anger at one's opponents. Irrelevant, and you're trying to pick out 7 years from the whole century. I shall claim 8 from Valmy to Marengo and declare myself the winner. You may as well say WWII is a really interesting war because of Punk music and The Tale of Pigling Bland. This shows itself in the uniforms; by contrast the Napoleonic stuff looks vulgar and overdressed to my eye.Really? Napoleonic uniforms (especially those towards the end of the 23 years of conflict) were a lot simpler and more practical than the SYW. Hussars excepted, of course.

National balance (not the same as point one). Of the Big Five, four are serious armies with marked strengths; only the French are in a fallow period between Louis XIV and Napoleon I. Meh. One could say the same of the Napoleonic Wars - except the "fallow French"

Brilliant generalship. Yes, I freely grant Napoleon's breath-taking skill when he got it right. But he himself admitted he couldn't have beaten Fritz. And when we add Browne, Daun, Haddik, Clive, Wolfe, Henry, Seydlitz, Ziethen, and numerous victories against amazing odds....Couple of one hit wonders in there, but one could (and I won't) give a list of equally brilliant generals from Wellington downwards. Also Frederick 20 battles, Napoleon 60. Much more scope to have the odd day off.

The Hohenfriedburg march and tricorne hats.The 1812 Overture, Beethoven's Symphonies 1-8, Nelson Mass ... Belgic Shakos, Crested helmets, bicorns



In short then, Gentlemen, I concur that the SYW has much to offer. I do not mean this in any way disrespectfully, but it is less complex that the Naps and generally fought on a smaller scale. It is, despite the extra corner on the majority of hats, as colourful as Naps, and both conflicts have almost global scope. 

Quote from: Leman on 07 March 2019, 04:43:30 PM
No, he did it for real.

Pah!  Not a reliable witness then.

Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 07 March 2019, 10:21:11 PM
Because all the cool kids were at Leipzig.

Well there was the rocket troop. Plus about 100,000 muskets manufactured in GB 🤔.

GB bankrolled the entire thing

No GB = no Leipzig

Not to mention money which bankrolled all the coalitions.  As for the Peninsular War and the others being 'background activity', note the quotation marks.

I dunno ............ everywhere you look, bloody tricorns:

 

Quote from: Leman on 08 March 2019, 01:55:28 PM
I dunno ............ everywhere you look, bloody tricorns:

Yes, that's what happens when you brigade your grenadiers. 

Looking at the "Uniforms of the Seven Years War" (Mollo  McGregor, 1977), there are 171 figures. 105 (61%) in tricorns, 34 (20%) in grenadier or fur caps, 6 bareheaded and 26 in other headgear - including a couple in deerstalkers. A British Bttn had one grenadier cap for every 8 hatmen.  I think we can say there's a lot of three-cornered hats on a SYW battlefield. 

I have no problem with that and can see the appeal. The great Charles Grant with his figures (were they Spencer-Smith?) impressed me mightily. It is because of him I dislike firing/kneeling poses. 

So perhaps we should rename the SYW as the War of the Great Tricorne Plague. 🤔😜

Quote from: fsn on 08 March 2019, 05:23:04 PM
Yes, that's what happens when you brigade your grenadiers. 

Looking at the "Uniforms of the Seven Years War" (Mollo  McGregor, 1977), there are 171 figures. 105 (61%) in tricorns, 34 (20%) in grenadier or fur caps, 6 bareheaded and 26 in other headgear - including a couple in deerstalkers. A British Bttn had one grenadier cap for every 8 hatmen.  I think we can say there's a lot of three-cornered hats on a SYW battlefield. 

I have no problem with that and can see the appeal. The great Charles Grant with his figures (were they Spencer-Smith?) impressed me mightily. It is because of him I dislike firing/kneeling poses. 

I think they were mainly Norman-Newton (later Tradition) and Edward Suren 'Willie' 30mm figures.  There may have been some Spencer-Smith in there too, possibly some of the cavalry.

Look at that. That firing line of standing and kneeling figures in their violet uniform facings looks dreadful. How much nicer they would look if they were just one lump of dull green. And as for those fellows having the temerity not to wear the tricorn............

It's quite simple....gentlemen and tricorns!

Wargaming in a tricorn is not a problem, but wargaming in a silly hat (shako) is (the stupid thing keeps overbalancing when you bend across the table to move the toys)!

@Leman I think you've made your point. I think we've acknowledged the colourfulness of the SYW. You will have to admit though, that a lot of tricorns will be needed. I will also state that the number of three sided hats does not make the SJW inferior to the Napoleonics. Gentlemen, can have no more comments about the excessively bent hats of the SYW? 

You've also shows the kneeling figures in a firing line. What do they look like advancing in column? Those Grenadiers in their nice marching postures are, IMHO, far superior. Kneeling figures pre 1900 are a hobby horse of mine:

I would dislike them put with Fritz,
I wouldn't like them not one bitz,
I would dislike them put with Nappy,
kneeling figs won't make me happy,
I do not like the kneeling fig,
Nor standing fire, nor doing a jig,
I do not like them, wise Leman,
Blue, or red, or white or tan,
I do not want them on my table,
for march in column they're not able.

Quote from: Leman on 09 March 2019, 07:25:46 AM
How much nicer they would look if they were just one lump of dull green.

Sirrah! You are dissembling! Not all skirmishers are the 95th (or 5/60th)! My favourite skirmishers are the Austrian Grenzer.

Quote from: sunjester on 09 March 2019, 07:47:59 AM
It's quite simple....gentlemen and tricorns!

Wargaming in a tricorn is not a problem, but wargaming in a silly hat (shako) is (the stupid thing keeps overbalancing when you bend across the table to move the toys)!

May I suggest as a general officer, you upgrade to a bicorn? Unless you want to be a hussar, in which case I have no sympathy.

My sources describe the illustration as a Freikorps not Grenz