"Old Glory15s Austrian Dragoons" Topic

Just recently finished this set of Austrian Dragoons (1859-1866) from Old Glory 15's (Nineteenth Century Miniatures) range. It is one of many offerings from this company that have no photo on the website, so I thought this would give anyone interested some idea of what the finished product looks like.

The set of 16 riders/horse comes with a variety of poses that are all nicely sculpted. You can manipulate the arms a bit to get even more visual appeal but be careful with the heads. They will pop right off at the slightest movement, as I found out to my chagrin! This pack comes with horses in the resting position. After I called Nineteenth Century to inquire, they stated that you can request charging/running horses and they will substitute for any cavalry pack they sell. I've thrown in a few of these more active horses from another pack (Prussian Dragoons) for variety.

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I have painted these figures to represent the 1st Dragoons, who wore white coats with black facings. I've also put them in the grey campaign trousers. I liked them enough to order three more packs of dragoons to build up the size of this unit and create another.

Very nice dragons!

Besides the easy to pop off heads, I find many of the swords to be very delicate. From the photos, your swords look better molded than mine.

Very nice job!

They look like 25mm. I can't give a better compliment than that.

Nice figures and a nice paint job but I think there's been a bit of a mistake. There were only two regiments of Austrian Dragoons in the period 1859 – 1866 and both of these regiments wore a bottle green uniform; these troops look like Austrian cuirassiers post 1862 when they lost the breastplate. Post 1866 the cuirassier regiments were converted to dragoons but its not my period and I don't know what uniform they wore. What I can say is these chaps ain't dragoons – or if they are they're not painted as such.

I think you are close, Rammers old chap, but not quite a cigar. I believe the uniform shown would depict the 1st Dragoons in 1859. I think it was 1860 that saw the big change, when Regts 1,2,3 and 6 became Kurassiers, Regts 4 and 8 were disbanded, and Regts 5 and 7 were re numbered as the Regts 1 and 2, both uniformed in Green. So this white uniform would be correct for the 1st Dragoons' participation at Solferino in 1859, when they formed part of Brigade Lauingen, part of the Cavalry Division of FML Zedtwitz. Doesn't seem they did much, however! Two of the Cuirassier Regiments, 2 and 6, had black facings from 1860 to 1866, with white and yellow buttons respectively, and these figures would serve perfectly well for these. Very nice looking unit, whatever war it ends up in!

Mollinary

Thanks for the compliments and comments on the uniforms.

Jon, I would concur with you that the swords are delicate. I reinforced one of the poses that has the weakest sword with a coat of wood glue, and made sure I painted several coats of silver on all to enhance their durability.

My source is Darko Pavlovic's Osprey volume, but I would agree it can be confusing to keep track of the reorganizations taking place at this time. I did have the 1859 campaign in mind when I painted these figures. That is my focus at the moment, although I hope to also paint up an 1866-era Austrian army in the future. I'm glad they'll still pass muster as 'Kurassiers' at that point.

Don

Ah yes, just so, saw the 1866 bit but forgot about the reorganisation of 1860, ho hum.