"Review: Austrian Infantry 1701-1714" Topic

Plastic Soldier Review

On the March…

"At the start of the 18th century the challenges facing the Habsburg Empire were considerable. Although it had just completed a highly successful war with one perennial opponent, the Ottoman Empire, it now faced open warfare with another, France, over the succession to the Spanish throne. This enormous conflict, which would last over a decade, would stretch the resources of the Empire as it sent its armies to Italy, Spain and North-West Europe, as well as to areas closer to home, and Habsburg arms would also have to deal with insurrection in Hungary. As a result, Habsburg troops marched over much of Europe, and while the initial aim of placing Archduke Charles on the throne of Spain had not been accomplished, the Empire ended the conflict feeling more secure than previously, knowing that a super state of a combined France and Spain, which would have threatened to dominate the whole of Europe, would not be created…"

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In Attack

"The general view of infantry at the start of the 18th century was that they were primarily about firepower, and efforts were made to maximise that as much as possible. Regardless of nationality, they would be lined up in ranks and made to fire at their opponents until, ideally, their opponents yielded and perhaps withdrew, at which point cavalry would be unleashed upon them to destroy them or at least confirm their defeat. Bayonets were issued, as were swords, but these were mainly defensive weapons, particularly against cavalry, so it was not common for infantry to charge and engage an enemy in the way the figures in this set are doing. Having said all that of course, such circumstances did sometimes occur, particularly if the fighting was in an urban area where cavalry would find the task more difficult, or were unavailable, so for those particularly dramatic breakthroughs Strelets offer this set ‘in attack'…"

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Armand

Marching with fixed bayonets ???

fixed bayonets make the product more salable.

Why ?

pretty easily snipped off. problem solved.

(smile)

Armand