"Differences in uniform/tactics/strategy between SYW and WAS" Topic

Hi there,

Whilst I know a "fair" bit about the Seven Years War, my knowledge of the War of Austrian Succession – despite it taking place just a few years before the SYW – is scant.

Lately I have been enjoying reading about Fontenoy, and am also tempted to delve into the '45 Rising.

Are there meaningful differences in uniforms, formations, tactics and strategy between the SYW and WAS that would make wargaming/playing these two conflicts different?

Or would the same rules and figures work for either?

Many thanks.

Just read a couple of interesting essays in "The changing face of Old Regime Warfare" edited by Alexander S Burns. Through the SYW an increased focus on artillery and the use of independent columns meant that things were rather different at the end of the period.
As for uniform differences, I'm sure there were some, but as I usually play in 10mm for this period, I'm not that fussy.

There are changes in the uniforms, Alex. The Austrian forces had changes of facings and the colours of the small clothes, and also the Prussian dragoons changed from white coats to blue. There were also some changes to the flags of those countries and others, particularly the British.

So it all depends upon how pedantic you want to be. Does it matter if an Austrian regiment had blue trousers in 1740, but white in 1756? Or that nearly all Prussian infantry regiments carried the old model 1713 flags in 1741, but Fred II's new design in 1745?

You can paint the figures up for the war you think you'll spend most time gaming, and use them for 1740-1763. You could raise units for both conflicts, eg British and French for the WAS and Prussian and Austrians for the SYW. Or simply choose the uniform you prefer, if there's a choice (eg Prussian dragoons are in white coats for most of the WAS, not the later cornflower/cobalt blue coats.). My SYW Austrians wear a mix of 1755 and 1762 uniforms, for example, simply because I prefer one uniform over the other. Your figures, your choice on how they are painted.

Advocate's spot on about the evolving tactics of the period, as well. Also skirmishing was developing quickly, and light troops were being used for more than scouting and wagon train guard. It's worth noting that the Prussian cavalry was inferior to the Austrians in the early WAS, but was able to match them by the battle of Soor (1745).

I have big SYW armies and would not paint up a new set of armies for both

The point about cavalry raised by Dal is spot on – Great Fredrick inherited superb infantry but a less than stellar cavalry as the reliance on heavy horse made them much less than nimble – in fact he called them "Riesen auf Elefanten" (giants on elephants) – his reforms made the Prussian cavalry much more effective in late WAS/SYW

I have British ranging from the ‘45 up to AWI.
I even go back a few years to Golden Age of Pirates.
I paint and collect mainly for skirmish games.
As I see it, the main differences between uniforms in the ‘45 and FIW are too minor to care about, if you are thinking from an economic or time spent painting perspective. In one period, the waistcoat has sharp angles, in the other the points are more rounded.
In one case, the belts are worn outside the coat.
To the collector and painter, these are important differences. To your friends coming over to play, both are just redcoats.
You can even look at Paul Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre and think they look more SYW than AWI.
Then there's the issue of campaign dress versus Warrant regulations.
If you want to specialize, that's fine. But you might find that the British are more forgiving of blending. I've even used AWI light dragoons out of period with no guilty feelings.

As to uniforms I agree with the gentlemen above that it is not worth painting up additional figures or changing flags to match the WAS. I painted my figures up for the SYW and they will do for both conflicts.

There were several differences in formations and practice between the WAS and the SYW. Not enough however to get a separate rule book for the WAS (if one even exists). Just modify your chosen SYW rules to suit the practices of the WAS.

An old but good book to refer to is The Anatomy of Victory by Brent Nosworthy. It does a great job of evaluating the change of tactics during the 1689 to 1763 period.

Also in the WAS the light troops were much more irregular with a bewildering variety of names and uniforms – much more regulated in the SYW. Game-wise the big difference is the much greater impact of artillery both in numbers and effectiveness.

If I recall correctly, the experience of the WAS led them to replace their wooden ramrods with iron ones. I suspect there were a number of such adjustments made in all the armies.

If it was good enough for Stanley Kubrick….

A big one for France was the color of waistcoats. It was decreed in 1736 that only the foreign regiments were allowed to have colored waistcoats but apparently it was ignored by some regiments ( don't know specifically which). After the WAS colored waistcoats were allowed again.

My currently mothballed WAS French project uses both Minden Miniatures (SYW) and Crann Tara (WAS) and they mesh well.

I would have said the most important differences are tactical/troops types; with the WAS essentially being 'old school' while the SYW see the introduction of several new things: -
Horse artillery – in very small numbers
More skirmish units that become less like legalised pillagers and more like soldiers.
The introduction of the process of infantry forming a line from column by divisions filing sideways rather than wheeling the divisions meaning columns could be formed nearer the enemy allowing greater flexibility in manoeuvre.