Author Topic: Let's discuss: Reenacting!  (Read 231449 times)

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Offline Bluehawk

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1920 on: August 17, 2017, 02:12:22 pm »
Like the apparant lack of instruction how to make a musket pyramid.

Did French regiments of the First Empire ever carry musket racks with their baggage on maneuvers or campaign? I ask because in Russian, "pyramid" can refer to either an impromptu stack of weapons like you're referring to, or to an actual built piece of carpentry for the purpose of neatly storing weapons. The prescribed equipment tables of 1798 and 1802 allot each infantry company two such racks and the infantry regulations assign them a place in the regimental camp between the company's tents and their "place of arms" where they assemble in formation. Banners and drums could also be placed in rests but those were not provided for by the state. If the musket racks were not available, they would fall back on the improvised piled arms.

At formal guard posts in towns and garrisons, the positions of individual sentries even had their own musket rests (short wooden posts with a notch cut in the top). In fact, the regulations even call for these to be planted outside the tents of generals in the field and at key positions around a camp's exterior, but understandably it was ignored in practice.

Offline Olafson

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1921 on: August 20, 2017, 10:51:40 pm »
Like the apparant lack of instruction how to make a musket pyramid.

Did French regiments of the First Empire ever carry musket racks with their baggage on maneuvers or campaign? I ask because in Russian, "pyramid" can refer to either an impromptu stack of weapons like you're referring to, or to an actual built piece of carpentry for the purpose of neatly storing weapons. The prescribed equipment tables of 1798 and 1802 allot each infantry company two such racks and the infantry regulations assign them a place in the regimental camp between the company's tents and their "place of arms" where they assemble in formation. Banners and drums could also be placed in rests but those were not provided for by the state. If the musket racks were not available, they would fall back on the improvised piled arms.

At formal guard posts in towns and garrisons, the positions of individual sentries even had their own musket rests (short wooden posts with a notch cut in the top). In fact, the regulations even call for these to be planted outside the tents of generals in the field and at key positions around a camp's exterior, but understandably it was ignored in practice.

As far as I am aware they did neither issue nor carry these musket "tents" with them. Besides that, if they did not have tents for soldiers, we can safely assume that they did not use tents for the guns either. I think even the prussian Army mostly stopped issuing and using them by the time of the Napoleonic wars. A simple solution to fix the problem of it raining onto the guns is to either use a greatcoat or a blanket to cover the stacked weapons. It works fairly well.

There is an order from a General in 1793 that clearly says that at the end of the day, when the soldiers returned to camp, the rifles are to be stacked 15 feet in-front of each section and the backpacks laid around it.

For people who do not know what we are talking about:


It is basically a small tent for your guns etc.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2017, 10:56:57 pm by Olafson »

Offline Bluehawk

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1922 on: August 23, 2017, 09:13:36 pm »
Alright, thanks.

If you were curious what I meant by individual stands or rests for sentries, here are some illustrations:
Spoiler


[close]

Offline zac

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1923 on: August 24, 2017, 04:29:19 am »
Dearest Olafson,

The 21eme is not required to listen to keyboard warriors. We welcome constructive criticism with pleasure face to face. Over here we strive for steadily improving our drill and impressions over time. We don't appreciate fellows with too much time on their hands and without proper manners trying to force their opinions and criticism down our throats.
Do we have small inaccuracies here and there? Certainly. We work on them and always strive to improve our impressions. We will however always carry our eagle into battle if we have it available, it means far more to us than any other reenactment unit, at least in this United Kingdom.
You may continue to complain and criticise how we do things if you wish, but I'm afraid such grievances from you will fall on deaf ears as you've sadly given yourself a poor impression. Being our own regiment means we have the liberty to operate how we please as we strive to improve our already considerable authenticity. And, more importantly, we bear the fact in mind that none of us are real soldiers. You're not really soldiers. We are everyday people taking a weekend off to socialise with friends and bring education and enjoyment to the public along the way.
So if you'd like to come over here and demonstrate your superiority or discuss drill with us face to face we welcome you to do so. We wait with baited breath. Hope we don't end up waiting as long as people have waited for Battle Cry of Freedom.

Kindest Regards

Amen Mr T, I even came back to this sad echo chamber just to say that. Vive La 21eme! <3

Offline Duuring

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1924 on: August 28, 2017, 12:41:58 pm »
A few photo's from La Boissere this year. Wasn't all that great, but a good re-enactment experience nonetheless. Still have to calculate how many kilometres we forged marched on Sunday.

Deploying as skirmishers in the forrest
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taking aim at French infantry in a nice skirmish
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A nice actionshot, though sadly a bit blurry
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Taking cover while my comrade loads his weapon
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Offline Cara

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1925 on: August 28, 2017, 01:11:08 pm »
I know exactly when this was taken, I was just in front of you lying down and then firing back at you with the french voltigeurs

Offline Olafson

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1926 on: August 28, 2017, 02:59:00 pm »
Should have switched sides too, the French side fucking sucked.

Offline Duuring

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1927 on: August 28, 2017, 04:25:40 pm »
I know exactly when this was taken, I was just in front of you lying down and then firing back at you with the french voltigeurs

You were at La Boissere-Ecole? I wasn't aware, or I'd have said hello. And yes, the French side sucked. At least for us, as we barely did anything. Also, why did the French just fall back instead when we FINALLY arrived at our position on Sunday?

Offline Cara

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1928 on: August 28, 2017, 05:59:01 pm »
I thought you guys were not there, I didn't see the last message on this topic from you Olafson with the drama and the fact that I didn't have internet in August..

I would have definetely said hello too, damn I regret !

I was in the 1er Peloton so I did have a lot of action on Saturday, running and firing on you guys (18e + Irish Legion). But on the french side the CO sucked and were so focused on winning their little game it was tiresome for us. Anyway, it was a good day with some nice skirmish. I took some pictures and videos, especially in the woods with the 85e. Lucky enough we had a great night without our tent.

On Sunday, it was worse and it pissed most of the french troops (won't coming back at LBE). Due to some misunderstanding, it seems the Allies were late on the battlefield and instead of doing some recon or whatever, we sat on our asses for 3 hours, a good part under the sun.  French COs didn't succeed to take a good decision and due to that a lot of groups left with anger... We were only a few left and the arty we were protecting ran out of ammo. So we did withdraw too...

Offline Olafson

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1929 on: August 28, 2017, 06:45:01 pm »
Well yeah we were in the 3rd Peloton on Saturday, got pissed due to the horrible organization on the French side and the overall missing authenticity that this type of event was supposed to offer and during the heat of combat we managed to escape the french ranks and joined up with the Dutch line infantry. Best decision we took, it was great with them. On Sunday once we arrived on the bottom of the hill we took a short rest and then regrouped and marched off to attack the french, we deployed to skirmish line and came over the crest of the hill only to notice that all the french were gone. Pretty anti-climatic. I still enjoyed it much more than all the time I spent on the French side


Offline Duuring

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1930 on: August 28, 2017, 08:15:09 pm »
'The heat of combat': All three platoons were running trough eachother in one big skirmish party and we just stopped running forward and hid amongst some rocks.

Offline Riddlez

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1931 on: August 29, 2017, 05:42:00 am »
Alright, thanks.

If you were curious what I meant by individual stands or rests for sentries, here are some illustrations:
Spoiler


[close]

That looks like something to be used to look cool, like those pictures: guard duty and parade.
Probably one of the very few old-timers here who hasn't been a regimental leader.

Offline Toffee

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1932 on: August 29, 2017, 05:48:47 am »
I, too, dabble in re-enactment. I like to rehearse popular music videos in the shower.

Offline Riddlez

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1933 on: August 29, 2017, 05:59:44 am »
I, too, dabble in re-enactment. I like to rehearse popular music videos in the shower.

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Probably one of the very few old-timers here who hasn't been a regimental leader.

Offline Toffee

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Re: Let's discuss: Reenacting!
« Reply #1934 on: August 29, 2017, 06:46:09 am »
I, too, dabble in re-enactment. I like to rehearse popular music videos in the shower.

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