"Waterloo Uniform Reference Book Wanted" Topic

I am getting ready to start my Waterloo project in 15 mm. I have most of the armies involved and am looking for a good painting reference (Book). Any suggestions?

Haythornthwaite's Uniforms Of Waterloo In Colour is the handiest starting point, but really the subject's too big for any one volume. There is a ridiculously fine French website that you should really take a look at though:

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In French obviously, but navigation's pretty self-explanatory – click a country on the left, then pick the troop type and unit from the tables that appear, and click "uniformes" in the text that then shows up.

Yes, the Cent Jours web site is fantastic and has a wealth of information on uniforms and organizations of all three armies – French, Anglo-Allied, and Prussian.

Jim

Renee North's Regiments at Waterloo, got me started. I have the hardback (35 shillings 1971) and the paperback (reprint 1972) £1.25 GBP (disintegrated now).

Great nostalgia trip. Haythornthwaite's whole series was marvellous and Cent Jours is "almost" infallible.

Intrigued that you say you have most of the armies already and only now wonder how to paint them……..an impulse thing? Some say you might need a few Prussians by the way. They did contribute to the pursuit after Wellington's victory…….some say……

With the wealth of information on the internet reference books are something of a luxury these days. A second for Rene North's "Regiments at Waterloo". Another old friend is Ugo Pericoli's "1815 The Armies at Waterloo".

Oh yes! I lost my copy. It even showed a black musketeer as I recall………great illustrations

At least as far as it goes for the Prussians, Ugo Pericoli's book contains a lot of mistakes.

Peter Hofschröer's latest Osprey

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contains some excerpts about uniform variations and improvisations from regimental histories (hitherto untranslated into English), which are useful for those who don't read German. His other Osprey books give basic infos on the regulation uniforms.

Is there anything wrong with centjours.mont-saint-jean.com? I have based all my painting for Waterloo on it, from Hanover Landwher to Imperial Guard Grenadiers a Cheval.

Why not use the Funken (?) uniform books? I still have a copy of the two books that I got when the group was getting into napoleonic over 10 years ago. The idea died so they are ready to go to someone who could use them.

Matthew

To be fair, he has modified Centjours when anyone did raise minor issues and he regularly updates on what he has altered. This is a superb resource.

Funken's two volumes are inspiring but a pinch of salt is needed, esp for British uniforms. If you do want to see Hesse Darmstadt Pontoniers of the Guard, the second volume is great……..but may not have the turnbacks right

Although in 15mm Funcken may be good enough. I played Friday night and my gaming group can't tell foot from horse artillery, so I am gradually realising it is all in vain anyway… Sniff… Sob…

I endorse much of what has been suggested but with a caveat.

If you use the Cent Joures site as a reference for the British, don't give your 95th Rifleman-Bugler red facings and make sure that your 23rd Royal Fusiliers have white plumes throughout. The Household cavalry have issues pertaining their jackets too! I have barely studied the rest but I would imagine that there will be many more inaccuracies. Oh! the colours (flags) are wrong as well.

If I were you, for the British I would acquire Waterloo Men: The Experience of Battle, 16-18 June 1815, by Philip J. Haythornthwaite. And if you are looking for accuracy, make up your own British /K.G.L colours instead of buying them.

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Regiments at Waterloo: by Rene North

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Uniforms Of Waterloo In Colour 16-18th June 1815 by Philip Haythornthwaite

ignore the British 23rd Light Dragoon as the uniform illustrated was not worn at Waterloo.

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1815: The Armies at Waterloo by Ugo Pericoli

If this book had been illustrated by Michael Chappell or Emir Bukhari, I think that it would have been a classic.

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Paul :)

Mt St Jean, Cent Jours, I described as "almost" infallible". Indeed a 60th bugler serving with 95th seems odd. Understandably he does better on French than Allied units.

However he does correct errors if pointed out. See the section entitled "Nouveautés" (that is French that is) and on the left you will see where you can click for 2014, 2013, 2012 (you get the idea). Much of that is correction of errata.

Fallible, but a superb resource. Nothing beats your own further research then, however!

Does anyone have a good copy of Regiments at Waterloo: by Rene North that they want to part with?

Thanks

email: mursa@msn.com

North's is a great nostalgia trip, but, to be honest, would not stand up to modern standards of research. If you do not remember JFK in Dallas, the Six Day War, Khe Sahn and Tet, or Neil A on the Moon then this is not for you…………

I love it still….

my gaming group can't tell foot from horse artillery

I feel your pain. The current members of my group are not uniform buffs. I put paper labels on horse artillery to avoid mistakes. But YOU know they are in the correct gear and that's what counts.

Thank you for all your help everyone!
I was able to get a lot of these titles for reference.

Centjours not infallible on the Prussians – which few sources get right. Haythornethwaite does try but is limited. Best to follow Oliver's advice and get a specialist book on this if you are bothered about replicating the huge and rather raggedy variety in this army.

I picked up a copy of that osprey on the Prussians so I should be covered. I am doing 15 mm so I am not going to go crazy on accuracy. I am going to try to do it as best that I can.

You seem to be learning fast in that case.

I will soon have three trumpeters of Gendarmes d'Elite (more than Boney had on the big day) and not one of them is right for Cent Jours…….but they all look great and, at some time between 1806 and 1816, they would have been right.

This has to be fun as well……..

The real put down, if you know your stuff, even if bluffing, is to be able to challenge the button counter and say "Yes, I know the lace is wrong, but I prefer the Restoration Royalist version and they did not have time to change……."

A great phrase for any query is "They were in a transition phase at that time". Trust me, no one can challenge that for any unit of any army in that era.

Does anybody have any good condition Osprey books on Waterloo that they want to part with?