"Question about weather coverings in battle???" Topic

In my on going attempt to continue adding units of different colors and design for variety I was thinking of doing some units with shako hat coverings and grey coats possibly. My question is, did the troops keep these on during battle or did officers normally insist they remove all that so they looked their best while march to their death? I thought it would be nice to have some units with brown or grey shakos and long grey coats but didn't want to have a bunch of die hard gamers tell me that "those were only worn on the march, never on the battlefield". So, anyone know if it would be unrealistic for me to do that, have some brown covered shako's instead of the same o black, etc, etc? Thanks, happy gaming all.

I would think it depended on the battle. At battles like Waterloo, where the soldiers of both sides had time to get ready, they might break out their dress uniforms. But battles fought straight off the line of march (e.g. Quatre Bras) would probably feature guys wearing their weatherproof gear.

And the Prussians in 1813-1815 left their waterproof covers on their shakos at all times while on campaign.

Jim

Thanks guys, sounds like I could at least do a brigade or two and be okay:)

There's a lot to be said for units (or higher-level groups like brigades) to be differentiated by 'styles' of uniform. Whether or not it happened often.

I just go with whatever is on the sculpture.

I try to keep my greatcoat wearing troops in the same division, going to make my last Russian Division in them.

It might depend on whether the unit needed to be identified by regimental insignia on the headgear, or indeed whether they wished to be recognised by same. The regimental colour and facings might not be thought sufficient.

(*Singular nound/plural noun)

You could select your figure types for a historical scenario OOB. Units that started the day on the field get full dress; units arriving later in the day come on in greatcoats and shako covers.

Wellington issued a General Order that greatcoats were to be put in storage on May 31 during the Waterloo campaign. This applies to the British and I've seen a reference to the Hanoverians as well.

The Russians wore greatcoats a lot… And so did the French 1813 onwards…

All very helpful, thanks!

Funny, I always thought that units in greatcoats should be your first few painted (to get used to the scale/details you want to paint).

Then you paint up most of your collection in field dress, and save the guards for last.