"Best Uniforms: SYW or Napoleonic?" Topic

Hi all,
a long debate in myself: were the armies in the SYW better looking than in the Napoleon's period?
At the beginning… I think as everyone … I liked the most the Napoleonic period's uniform, but at the epoch (80') I could not find any info about the SYW'uniforms. The first books on this topic where the fantastic book of Liliana and Fred Funcken (2 tomes).
So Napoleon's uniforms were my first love… than I started to look into the details of the SYW uniform and … well I changed my idea. Still loving the Napoleonic period.. .but the SYW is really the top… and the officers real Gentilhommes,, as it was called "La guerre en dentelle"
What is your opinion?
I share this topic on both posts: Napoleon and XVIII century.

link

I'm primarily an 18th century gamers, and I don't like Napoleonic games.

However

There is nothing to fight about. Both are handsome and attractive. The Napoleonics are a bit flashier with more braid, but both are equally dazzling and handsome. As far as pure snazziness there is little to chose between them, or for that matter, I might add, between the uniforms of the 19th Century up till the end, especially when you get into the "Ruritanian monarchs" and kingdoms of the age.

One must remember that this is at their peak, in peacetime, on the parade ground, at the Review. Everyone's uniforms, no matter how snazzy goes to hell in a handbasket once campaigning starts and reduced to rags, patches and whateer you can get in short order.

If you want proof look at the uniforms of the American Civil War. They start out handsome and snazzy in all their kepi'd glory with feathers and plumes, sashes and bright colors, and we have photographs to prove it. Then look at photographs of the same soldiers after a rough campaign, and they look like rag-picker day laborers (I'm talking about the Union who had lavish supplies.

It was the same in the Napoleonic Wars and the eighteenth century, we just don't have photographs to prove it. The painters make them all look, even in the biggest battles, like they just stepped out of military haberdashers shop.

I like the look of your wavering lines. As to the answer I think both can look good but as a wargame period I've never had any interest in the SYW so of course I'm going to write that parade ground Napoleonic uniforms look the best – there's more to them IMHO and the hats look better. Shako and cavalry helmets over tricornes for me.

From the aesthetic point of view I like them both equally.

From a painting point of view SYW tend to be a little quicker to do, partly because the figures usually have less distinctions and equipment. Brits, for both periods, are a pain.

Some of my Prussian and Russian cavalry

My first Napoleonic French for my Peninsular project.

Both lots of uniforms equally nice!

French Revolutionary Wars 1792 – 1800

Apple and pears

They both look good. I have to say I prefer shakos to hats though.

SYW, much nicer…

I started out with Napoleonics way back when, but have expanded into SYW (imagi-nations) as well as many other periods. Napoleonics however remain my "first love."

Jim

French Revolution+1. And very fun to play, you'll never know what will happen with those French citizens/volunteers; big mouths always, big runners sometimes (La Liberté ou la mort!/ Nous sommes trahis, sauve qui peut!).

Although a 7YW affectionado (is that a word??) – I think Napoleonics are prettier.

I just bet both periods soldiers stank to high heaven though…

SYW without doubt!

1792 to 1807 French Revolution through early Imperial.

I love them both, and paint them both. And when I paint them--or, better still, when a good painter does--in dress uniforms, I'd give a slight edge to the First Empire. But if I were actually showing troops as they were in the field, SYW every time. We don't as miniaturists pay attention to how many actual Napoleonic battles were fought in some sort of overcoat. Talk about the horrors of war!

Which is why I love miniatures. Not only can we make war without death, we can make it look a lot better. My AWI American armies are the ones Washington wished he had.

For this discussion, I'll have to say SYW. However, IMHO, the early C18th beats both. I like the longer coats and serious wigs for the officers, while I always thought the troops' uniforms looked a little more practical than later.

Although a Napoleoic aficionado I think 7yw's are better

AWI and Crimean War

"I just bet both periods soldiers stank to high heaven though…"

There is a passage in Duffy's 'Army of Frederick the Great' which describes a regiment marching past with full uniform and kit and tells how, after they had passed by, the stench hung in the air until it was dispersed by the breeze.

@DHautpol

Could be worse. Accounts from the Korean War say that UN troops could tell when an attack was imminent as they could smell the garlic from Chinese troops.

right now
7 votes for SYW
6 votes for Napoleonic

Well, then, here are my first three votes for the Seven Years War – I love the look of the tricorn for reasons unknown. More votes later to continue to slant things my way. (All is fair…)

8 votes for SWY
6 votes for Napoleonic

I love the uniforms of SYW best (probably have the pics of C.S. Grant to blame) but when I started with Airfix they had mostly Napoleonics. So they have become a close second.

@col
sorry I don't understand. Which is your favourite then?

Another vote for the SYW… something about the 18th century with cocked hats and powdered wigs.

Eric

9 votes for SYW
6 votes for Napoleonic

Seven Years' War.
Stylish and elegant.
Tricornered hats are the best.
Bill P.
PS
See this link's photo at the very top to prove my point (for me)
link
and
photo stories that come afterwards too, if you like.

Napoleonic

10 votes for SYW
7 votes for Napoleonic

And as the French revolution is the best of both worlds it is 17 + 3 specific FR mentioned is in total 20

Napoleonic.

Late Napoleonic, I am a great fan of the Bardin uniforms even though they were only worn after the Russian campaign. But of course there are some very nice Prussian SYW uniforms as well.

10 Votes for SWY
9 Votes for Napoleonic