Light troops & Smaller actions 1680 1700

[EvilGinger]

Has any one any information on this or suggestions of where I could look fr some as I am aware light troops particularly infantry didn't have that much of a role on a battle field but that they existed. This rather begs the question what was their role & as I am interested in large skirmishes does any one have any sources for such actions.

thanks in advance

Ginger

[obriendavid]

I don't think they did exist, there was some talk on an other forum about Spanish light infantry for the period but for the main areas of fighting in the Netherlands you are restricted to line infantry.
Cheers
Dave

[EvilGinger]

I also thought that the Austrians Coats where light infantry but not in the later sense as they seemed to be almost tribal auxiliaries, and I dont think Austria was drawn into either of theses wars having its own struggles with the Turks at the time.

I will therefore operate on the principle that there where no real light infantry but may include adhoc arrangements in some scenarios & leave most of the action to conventional foot horse and dragoons.

Thank you

ginger

[obriendavid]

I also thought that the Austrians Coats where light infantry but not in the later sense as they seemed to be almost tribal auxiliaries, and I dont think Austria was drawn into either of theses wars having its own struggles with the Turks at the time.

I can't say much about the NYW but the Austrians were most definitely involved in the WSS. Although I said there were no specific light infantry there were certainly plenty of small actions with just a few battalions or squadrons which would probably give you the skirmish type of action you are after.
Cheers
Dave

[EvilGinger]

sorry I know Austria was mixed up in the War of Spanish succession and meant my comment to apply to the Nine Years War. forgive me for I am just re-entering the period after thirty years wandering around in other very different periods. I am now quite elderly and easily confused.

Ginger

[obriendavid]

I am now quite elderly and easily confused.
Ginger

You're not Coffin Dodger under a different name?
Cheers
Dave

[Churchill]

Ray.

[Sir William]

EvilGinger;

While still not true "skirmish" actions or "light troops", you might do better to game a "kleine krieg" in North America. You could use the figures for the Carignan-Salliers regiment or the Compagnies Franches de la Marine and add American Indians and British and settlers for some small actions. Some of these would have been at the company-level and may suit what you are looking for. There are ample references on-line for both French forces and possible scenarios.

Bill

[EvilGinger]

I did consider that but I know there is a well developed set of modifications to Sharp Practice for north America even if most of the games & published scenarios are for the French and Indian war & later. I did think of Queen Anne's war briefly.

I also find Sharpe a good set for gaming the battle within the battle. The example which springs to mind is a Hougoumont game I saw done a while ago. I am however sure that there are similar actions in the turn of the 18th century period, which I come across as I read around the subject.

ginger

[pabblo41]

Hi

The Hungerians had light troops during this period (uniformed effectively as dismounted hussars), but I do not think any of them (apart from the mounted hussar units) fought in the 9YW or WSS except against either the Turks or the Austrian Imperial forces during the various Hungerian "insurrections" of the period.

Maybe someone else on the list might know more about them or the actions they may have fought in.

[Friedrich August I.]

Hi - One,

It seems to me that the light troops you are looking for are the Croates,
which first appeared in the TYW within Imperial Service in large numbers, up to 20.000 of them. But because they were mercenary soldiers the also went into french, dutch and other countries to serve.

http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~zzspri/lifes ... vatte.html

On the above website is one of the famous french units described.

As the had a long tradition to fight on foot as well as on horseback and with an arquebus, 2 pistols and a saber ans weapon you can imagine for what kind of fights they were to be used.

Hope that helps
Günter

[custosarmorum]

I would suggest looking at George Satterfield's Princes, Posts and Partisans: The Army of Louis XIV and Partisan Warfare in the Netherlands 1673-1678 (Brill, 2003). I know it is a bit early for your request, but you might find it helpful anyway. Unfortunately, as a Brill publication it is vastly overpriced but perhaps you can find it in a local library (especially a university).

Cheers,

Mike

[EvilGinger]

This is getting very interesting indeed thank you gentlemen

Ginger