"Bavarian Infantry Plumes" Topic

As I said in my posting "1806 Prussian Dragoons", after many years wargaming (and a PhD) in the ACW, I'm moving into Napoleonics. I've run into a question. Sources all agree on red plumes for Bavarian grenadiers and green for light companies, but when it comes to the plume for the musketeer companies, things diverge. Some sources say a white plume on the left side of the Raupenhelm, while others state that musketeers wore no plume at all.

So, set about clipping the plumes off my lovely little Adler Bavarian musketeers or no? Is there a consenus of opinion on this? Thanks in advance guys.

Osprey say only flank companies had plumes (Grenadiers , red- Light company in 1812 ,green)

Yes, that's one of the sources I saw saying no plume. Just want to see what the opinions here were.

Everything I've read had the grenadier coy with red plume, the light coy with green plume and the center coy with a "pompom" or tuft of coy color. Disremember what the coy colors were, though ?

@ HistoryPhD,

In 6mm, most of the company distinctions are going to be impossible to see (and harder still to paint!). That said, in the interests of education, this will be useful:-

These are the colours for 1811 onwards, after the formation of a permanent "light company" in each battalion. The split red/white and green/white plumes indicate the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment.

Prior to 1811, there was no light company as such, but green plumes were worn by the dedicated "schutzen" in each of the four companies (one grenadier, three fusilier) that served in the field (I assume even the grendier company schutzen had green plumes). These men formed the third rank of their company until they needed to be detached at appropriate moments*.

I'm afraid I can't recall whether the fusilier company tufts were the same pre- and post-1811 or not – the Osprey should tell you, but if not come back here. Pre-1811, only three of the four fusilier companies in each battalion served in the field, the other two remaining in Bavaria as a depot and training cadre. Again, I can't recall which companies they were, but I think one was the Lt Col's as he tended to commanded the depot "battalion".

[*Prior to the summer of 1809, the Bavarians had typically fought in two ranks and tended to do so in 1809 too, with the schutzen usually being detached in action.]

@ Supercilius Maximus

Thanks very much. I agree with limiting the obssessive detail painting, most particularly at 6mm. And 49 year old eyes just can't do it anymore, even with magnification. So, the decision is that I'll be clipping my little Adler plumes off.

While we're here, a second Bavarian question. Were they in the habit of taking grenadier companies and creating composite battalions, as most other "German" armies seemed to do?

<<While we're here, a second Bavarian question. Were they in the habit of taking grenadier companies and creating composite battalions, as most other "German" armies seemed to do?>>

No, certainly not during the 1805-13 period; they did form a Guard Grenadier regiment, but only towards the end of the wars. Prior to 1805, they had grenadier regiments, but these wsere disbanded and reverted to being line infantry after that date. There seems to be little mention of the grenadier companies in any primary accounts, although I suspect that the grenadier companies of the two battalions of each regiment may have acted in concert from time to time. I get the impression they were not considered elite in quite the same way that grenadier companies were in some other German armies.

Thanks very much for the pointers

In the '80's I did a 15mm Bavarian army. Figures being limited back then, I had only old Ral Partha's to work with and they had 1 pose with plumes. I had to carve them away for the line companies. I was able to vist the Bavarian Military Museum in Ingolstadt and saw an actual helmet of the period…no plume for the line infantry…FWIW