"AWI flank companies attached to their parent units?" Topic

Are the light and grenadier companies ever used in tabletop games attached to their parent units? Or, are they just about always converged?

I ask from a modelling POV. If I were do do say 4 units of British line to end up with 4 center units, and a converged grenadier and light unit (each of 4 stands representing their parent units).

Now, if they always fight separately, they could all reference each other for uniform details but be in different positions.

For example, The grenadiers and lights could be in advancing poses but the line units marching or firing poses because even though they share the same facings, they would never be part of the same unit which might make them look out of positional harmony.

But, if there are lots of times you would want the unit to be a whole incorporating their flank companies, I might prefer to do every sort of company in the same pose.

Always converged afaik

Once the light companies were striped of their battalions the battalions would sometimes unofficially appoint the best shots in each company as "flankers" or "marksmen" to give the battalion some organic skirmish capability. These would often be taken in turn from their parent unit to form new light infantry units.

converged.

As far as I know, the grenadier and light companies were always in converged battalions and fought so throughout the war. The battalions would be required to "try" to replace losses in their flank companies.

Jim

The Grenadier Company of the Hesse-Hanau Erb Prinz Regiment remained with the 5 battalion (musketeer) companies and served with battalion during the Saratoga Campaign.

In 1778 after the army returned to New York from Philadelphia. Gen. George Clinton ordered the flank battalion to disband and the flank coys to return to their parent regiments.

In response to general protest from officers at the dispersal of these experienced, battle-hardened units with high esprit de corps, the vacillating Clinton relented but with many of the former constituent coys heading south to the West Indies with their regiments, only one battalion each of grenadiers and light infantry was re-constituted, combining coy from the four formerflank battalions.

I think only the Guard's light and grenadier companies remained with the battalion(s).

The light coys of the 71st (Fraser's) rejoined the regiment when they departed for Georgia in 1778, and subsequently comprised the core of a light battalion in whatever force the 71st were part of, dwindling in numbers until the debacle at Hannah's Cowpens in early 1781.

So, not entirely detached but organised separately to serve their function as vanguard,flankers and skirmishers.

I noticed the flank companies did tend to go with their parent battalion wherever they were sent, for example if the battalion was sent to Rhode Island or the Caribbean. Any flank companies present were then grouped together.