"Spanish Bourbons in the WSS" Topic

As I'm making French WSS now in 18mm (or perhaps we should call them "heroic 15s" ) I've been asked by a Spanish gamer if I'm also making Spanish. I think, and his messages suggest this is true, the Spanish Bourbons wore similar uniforms to the French, by and large, at least in terms of cut?

However, I think there are differences:

1) the grenadiers wore a distinctive cap rather than the tricorne

2) some regiments wore the cartridge box on a shoulder belt rather than on the waistbelt

3) some regiments seem to have worn the shoulder ribbon (epaulette) that was worn by the French in the late 17th C.

Anyone who knows more about this subject care to comment?

To quote CS Grant:
"At the start of the war many units were dressed in the old tercios uniforms. They had full skirted coats, of varying colours depending on the tercio, with high cuffs. The hat was broad rimmed preceding the tricorne." Presumably, something like the North Star figures:

So perhaps the Spanish gamer is referring to the old uniforms being very different.

After the changes from 1704-07 most infantry (except for grenadiers) would be very similar to French, especially when being designed for 18mm. Then again, I am no expert.

For some reason I find the WSS peninsular war much more interesting than the Napoleonic.

Hi,

You'd better have on workbench the 1707 after-reform Spanish Bourbon uniforms, entirely French-fashioned except for a few features.

A) Spanish and Walloon Guards uniforms were identical to those of Gardes Françaises except for the hat lace --white for French, red for Spaniards and black-and-red for Walloons.

B) As for fusiliers, the only distinctive feature with regard to French ones was that cravattes were born over the coat.

C) As for grenadiers, they wore a distinctive low mitre headgear with a metal or embroidered fabric front plate, usually sorrounded by a fur ring by its base:

D) The shoulder lace or épaulette was a pre-1707 feature progressively disappearing from uniforms --except grenadiers, seemingly.

E) Belly cartridge boxes were a distinctive feature of both Bourbon Spanish and Austro-Catalan armies even in the later 1713-1714 stage of war, so that I'd rather consider it as a constant --if the range of miniatures was mine, of course.

You're most probably bored with users' suggestions, but I feel the need to add this one: please have into account that the 3rd Centenary of 1713-1714 campaign and Siege of Barcelona has mobilized in Catalonia a great set of chained events lasting a whole year since last September 11th. WSS gaming interest in that country is likely to experience a sudden growth thanks to this. Please don't miss the opportunity to launch a few Austro-Catalan references: Catalan grenadiers and mountain fusiliers or miquelets at least. I had to say this :S

Thanks lluis, I guess I have to consider the pre-1707 period too however.

I am thinking:

1) convert french fusiliers to add outside cravat (post 1707)
2) convert the above by adding shoulder ribbon (up to 1707)

3) head swap for french grenadiers to add Spanish miter (post 1707)
4) convert the above by adding shoulder ribbon (up to 1707)

Any ideas on what those Catalan troops/irregulars looked like?

Desperta ferro ! Catalonia Stands Alone

link

"Catalonia Stands Alone is a 44 pages electronic booklet in PDF format, fully illustrated with 24 colour sheets dedicated to each of the 1713-1714 Catalan regiments, with 32 uniform illustrations, 16 detail parts and 31 images of Colonel's, Regimental and institutional flags, besides of 4 maps, 7 images of ancient prints and even some photos."

It's free.

Also:

link

Interesting

Got to wonder about the backpack?

link