How to make this unit

Conflict between the Swedes and their various neighbours between 1670s and 1721. Including topics on Danes, Saxons, Saxon-Polish, Russians and anyone else the boys in blue were mixing it with!
Post Reply
Gunfreak
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Posts: 880
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:35 am
Contact:

How to make this unit

Post by Gunfreak » Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:44 pm

I thought I'd add some Norwegian Dragoons to my allied force and Søndenfjeldske seems cool, from tactics I see it was in Sweden in 1711,

So that would be an appropriate time to model them after.

BUUUT, Tactics says they actually had cuirassiers from 1709-1712(strange for dragoons)

So how can I model this regiment?

Use warfare cavalry figures with cuirass on dragoon horses?
But how would they wear the cuirass? Under the coat or over like their danish cavalry friends.
danschorr
Major
Major
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:58 am

Re: How to make this unit

Post by danschorr » Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:19 pm

For what it is worth, here is my take on your questions. The only thing we know for certain is that the King decided to send cuirasses to Norway in late 1709 and they arrived sometime in 1710, and it is likely that they were issued to the 3 dragoon regiments. The key question is were they worn. Given the unique nature of Norwegian terrain and climate, as well as the tactical uses of Norwegian dragoons and general dislike for the cuirass, I tend to believe that they were not worn, and were kept in the regimental trains. Within a couple of years they were returned to various fortresses, which would seem to support my contention.
Whether or not you have the entire unit, just a few figures of your dragoons, or none with a cuirass is up to you. I would recommend none. If you decided on a cuirass, over or under the coat is anybody’s guess.
Gunfreak
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Posts: 880
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:35 am
Contact:

Re: How to make this unit

Post by Gunfreak » Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:54 am

That does make it much easier. Problem now is the lace hanging from the right shoulder. The warfare dragoons don't have them.

Do you know which shade of blue the 2nd søndrelandske had? Was is mid blue? Marine blue or a dark blue?
danschorr
Major
Major
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:58 am

Re: How to make this unit

Post by danschorr » Wed Feb 15, 2017 2:34 pm

If you want to have shoulder cords then I am afraid you will have to fashion them out of green stuff or similar. However, I remain unconvinced that Norwegian dragoons had shoulder cords during the period. There is no evidence of such. The nearest reference is the Zimmer plates from 1730.
The exact shade of blue is impossible to know. There is no contemporary evidence, pictorial or otherwise. I would recommend a mid-blue or darker. The choice is up to you. Remember colors faded and the uniform term for Norwegian uniforms was 10 years.
danschorr
Major
Major
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:58 am

Re: How to make this unit

Post by danschorr » Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:30 pm

I have to correct my last post. I looked further into the matter of shoulder cords/lace, and discovered an article by Erik Aagaard, “Uniformene til den norsk hærs kavaleri. Del I-Dansketiden”, that appeared in Norsk Våpenhistorisk Selskap Årbok 2007. On page 62 Aagaard quotes a passage from Kgl Res from 18.2.1726 on the Nordenfjeldske Dragonregiment. The resolution reads in part, “… it has long been practice with the dragoons to have shoulder lace with a small tuft in a different color for each company.”
I apologize for any confusion.
Gunfreak
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Posts: 880
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:35 am
Contact:

Re: How to make this unit

Post by Gunfreak » Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:03 pm

Thanks for the valuable information and looking things up.

Then either I have to get some green stuff or miliput. Or ignore them.

I suck at modeling. But maybe rolling some thin lace is with in my capabilities.
Post Reply