"Uniform of Prussian 'Tirailleurs' 1806" Topic

I'm painting some Minifigs 15mm Prussians and I am a bit confused about uniform details. The figures are listed as Tirailleur (Bicorn) picture
picture
picture

I'm assuming that they are in fact Jagers and so I have painted them in green jackets. Should the turnbacks on their coats be red or green edged with red? Are belts white like the infantry or black like the fusiliers? And finally, what colour should their pom-poms be?

Thanks for any help that you can give.

Stephen

My first guess would be that they are Schutzen figures – the 'light's from each batallion.

they wear pretty similar to the standard 1806 musketeer uniform, if that is correct.

at least we can be certain they are not Fusiliers – who had a sort of stovepipe shako thing.

I do doubt they are Jager though.

Thanks Keraunos,

I think you may well be right. However, since I have already painted their green jackets I think I will keep them as jagers. So my other questions still stand if anyone can help.

I am not so sure about that, from memory the Schutzen carried rifles (much shorter) and no bayonet…

I would say you could use them simply as, "Third Rankers" from the musketeer btlns that were thrown out to skirmish.

Shane

"Jaeger – In 1806, Jaeger uniform was a black bicorne with dark green feather plume. Coats were dark green with red collars and cuffs. The coat was closed to the waist with dark green lapels. Breeches were white with knee boots"

so, red turnbacks, the pom was in fact a dark green plume, and the belts were black

link

the images are no use to you though. The Jena Hortoulle book is, however. it shows every uniform you will need for the Prussians.

(but p.s. I'd break out the nail polish remover and soak off what you have done already and start again)

Thanks guys,

I've actually got the Hourtoulle book on Jena which is why I thought they might be Jagers (the figures wear their cartridge pouches at the front which is how he shows them). However, he shows white belts for Jagers and other sources suggest black.

As you say, Jagers should also have a plume but I assumed that this was just for full dress and that they would have worn a pom-pom in the field?

the figure is actually not that usefull – it shows a soldier with a musket instead of

Schützen of musketeers -

armed with a rifeled musekt much shorter than a muset

and the missing Schützen plume.

Jäger did wear overalls in 1806

a very good question.

Houroulle also shows the Prussian artillery crew with plumes, but you can struggle to find a figure modelled that way for the same reason. I ended up using plumed cav for the horse artillery as a differentiation in the end.

If I remember, I 'll go back into some other written uniform sources I have for cross investigation tonight – unless someone else beats me to it, but I doubt anyone will call you wrong if you paint by the Hourtoulle.

I still think they are Shutzen though, one combined batallion was certainly present at Auerstadt, but I don't recall any Jager making a feature of themselves in 1806. (working from long term memory, obviously)

Thanks for the swift responses guys. I think I'm going to keep them as jagers even if the details aren't quite right. I can't face stripping the paint off and starting again (I've already got a fair pile of lead waiting to be re-done because I got it wrong the first time).

The muskets are indeed a bit long but I could resort to snipping the bayonets off to make them look closer to the right size (it is a peculiarity of Minifigs that their bayonets are nearly always incredibly long and if you remove them it makes the muskets look distinctly short)

There might have been several companies of jagers at Saalfeld.

Indeed, the Jäger were present at most of the minor engagements leading up to Jena-Auerstädt, and again during the retreat of the various Prussian forces. And with the cartridge pouch on the waistbelt, Jäger must be what these figures are meant to represent. I'd just shorten the weapons to make them more convincing.

A handy source for scenarios and orders of battle is here:
link

home now.

the pouch convinces me they are supposed to be jager.

I've only skimmed the books, as the dogs need walking, but…

Partridge and Oliver just state a red facing

Povka doesn't clearly list teh jager

Haythorthwaite's source book has Red Facings, a green 'casquet' and bicorn

The Hoff's Osprey has White strap for the knapsack, the black pouch in front, red facings and a green hackle.

note, I think the legend has confused C1 and D1, as the office in D looks distinctly private, and the private in C looks most officerial. it notes it is based on knotel

Digby Smith von pivka lists 2 coy jager at saalfield, 2 on the left flank at jena, and to in ruchels non arrival force

ad yes to killing the bayonets. the rifles shown in illustrations are distintly short – tummy height would be a stretch.

HTH

Thanks Keraunos,

I really appreciate you taking the time to look all of that up. And thanks for the link Musketier. I'm only just starting out on Prussians so all of this is new to me.

Stephen

If you are just getting started then you owe it to yourself to take a good look at the gorgeous AB Miniatures 1806 Prussians and Saxons. These are little gems.

I'm doing the same campaign with 28mm figures, but if I gamed with 15/18mm, I'd go with the AB and Battle Honours figures.

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Minifigs fan so I'll stick with them. I'm actually using the 2nd gen figures (I posted the pictures to the current catalogue because the uniform details appear to be the same as those in the 2nd gen sculpts).

the typos may indicate a shorter timeframe wsa involved than it first appears.

Partridge and Oliver – the Napoleonic Wars Handbook (v 1 good guys)

Otto v Pivka (Digby Smith) – Armies of the Napoleonic Era

Phillip Haythornthwaite – The Napoleonic Sourcebook

Peter Hofschroer – Osprey MAA 149 Prussian Light Infantry 179? – 1815 ish

Digby Smith – The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data book