"WSS Cavalry Miniatures Question" Topic

For those gamers who use rules like "Beneath The Lily Banners," I was wondering: Does each squadron have command figures, banners, etc? If squadrons are six figures then a hefty percent would be command. Maybe if a person fields the whole regiment there is one command squadron and the rest don't have command figures? I know many regiments had two squadrons and in some armies more. Perhaps it's all a matter of personal preference.

Cheers!,

If the horse unit I'm going to build does have more than one squadron, I only assign a command stand to one of these.

So you aren't alone at this… ;)

On the other hand I like command figures with each squadron – Like the pageantry etc – though distinguish between regimental command stand and squadron ones

Do what feels right to you

Not a period I game but for SYW I like one clear regimental command stand, but having another command figure or so on another stand adds a touch of colour – especially for WSS where you have lots of lace and gold embroidery

I have always tended to place the standard with the lead squadron of two squadron regiments. If it has more than two I sometimes include a further standrd with the 3rd.

Looks nice.

I really appreciate the input on my question. It sounds like there's no hard and fast rule about how the army builder should represent squadron commands. I have yet to build any army for WSS but that is next on my painting list.

I was wondering, DisasterWargamer, how do you distinguish the regimental command stands from the squadron commands? Different flags?

Still not sure what I'll end up doing but I like your idea, jocknroll. I think I recall reading that Austrian cavalry had several squadrons per regiment. That would make a reasonable block of cuirassiers assuming they would all fight together.

Cheers!

Gallo

colonel's standard with the 1st squadron. Other versions of a regiment standard with others. Example would be the different troop standards used by British regiments

WSS isn't my era. I tend to go against the common wisdom. If I had a two squadron regiment and the standard 3 man command set, then squadron #1 would get the standard bearer, squadron #2 would get the trumpet and the officer would be reserved for the regimental command figure. With larger sized squadrons I might get a second command set, in which case each squadron would get a standard bearer and a trumpet, but they would be mounted on different stands as if they were company rather than squadron commands.

When I started WSS using Dixon 15mm I found they had no general figures so I used the officer and standard bearers as Generals. This left a surplus of buglers. I put one of these in each squadron, after the first with a full command set.

There are a lot of good ideas here. Perhaps I could modify one of the regular cavalry figures in each non-command squadron, making them look like an officer. The trumpeter variation sounds good too.

I have just read that in some armies, squadrons of the same regiment were often NOT fielded together. This might add weight to the need for multiple standards.

Once again, thanks for the input.

Cheers!

Gallo

Apologies for being late to the conversation but, for those regiments with multiple squadrons, I give the first a standard, a commander and a musician. The second gets a musician or a standard, depending on the information available for standards and whether the musician's uniform stands out and is unique. The third squadron, if there is a third, gets what the second squadron did not; i.e., a standard or a musician. This may not be an ideal system but it maximizes command packs and doesn't overload the unit as a whole with command figures.

Hi conflans,

You hit the mark when with your phrase, "doesn't overload the unit as a whole with command figures." You have eloquently expressed the exact problem. Fortunately, as Lluis mentioned, we're "not alone in this."

The solution you arrived at, I'm guessing some time ago, may very well be what I end up doing. Reading through the responses I'm seeing a pattern developing here. The first squadron gets the full Monty. Subsequent squadrons get one command figure (officer, standard, musician), preferably the most colorful one.

What can I say? I like it. :)

Thanks and Cheers!

Gallo