"SYW Russian Horse Grenadiers" Topic

My question is, did the Russian horse grenadiers fight mounted or not? Project 7 Years War is somewhat 2 faced about this stating that they were poorly mounted and poorly trained and therefore in combat they fought dismounted in the 2nd line of the infantry. Then, in the orders of battle they have 3 or 4 horse grenadier regiments brigaded in the cavalry wings and not the infantry. Which was it?

They were converted from dragoon regiments so I've always assumed that they usually fought mounted, like dragoons mostly did in this period. I think the reference to fighting dismounted was only in 1757.

Russian Horse Grenadiers in the SYW were battle cavalry pursuant to the recommendations of the Russian Cavalry Reform Commission of 1756 – they functioned much like Dragoons in Prussian or Austrian service and were intended to fight alongside the cuirassiers, as the Russian SYW Dragoons were mounted on smaller inferior grade horses and were not up to going toe-to-toe with Prussian battle cavalry. The Dragoon regiments were being re-organized and re-trained and thus only 3 of the Russian Dragoon regiments saw action during the SYW

We pretty much always use the Horse Grenadiers as mounted

Yes, always mounted.

I agree- they were battle cavalry who fought mounted certainly in any full scale engagement.
I think the Horse Grenadiers were brigaded together pre-war at Riga where they trained quite intensively and were also mounted on horses purchased in Germany or from stud farms in this 'Germanic' region of the empire.

Thank you all, BTW Kronoskaf shows 4 regiments only saw active service in the 7 Years War, the rest being reorganized.

You guys who build SYW Russians, do you limit yourself to no more than 4, rather small, regiments?

I use Might & Reason for SYW rules. Cavalry "units" are 10 squadrons strong (infantry 4 battalions for the curious) so I have 1 horse grenadier group in my Russian forces.

10 squadrons?! the only 10 squadron strong regiments of any cavalry in the SYW were the Prussian Hussars, two regiments of Prussian dragoons, and I believe the French carabiniers as well. I understand that most Russian heavies were 2-4 squadrons strong due to a lack of good quality mounts.