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What use were cavalry in WW1? Now I know that they transported things and other stuff, but what use were cavalry regiments that fought? They would get obliterated in the trenches.
EDIT: Sorry for double post.
With cavalry they were trained in more of a dragoon role at the beginning of the war, although this did vary from army to army. The British Army had had to fight the Boer Commandos so had learned a little from that. Whilst there were plenty of officers who thought that a traditional cavalry charge would win the war in a day it was clear that was not going to happen. Contrary to films, we never did launch many charges and the few times we did we did not even get close to the enemy lines (we got held up by barbed wire that the Belgian farmers had put there before the war). Funnily enough in 1918, when the fighting moved out of the trenches, they had a use again (mainly reconnaissance) but also supporting the armour and infantry. During the Germans first Spring offensive a Canadian Cavalry regiment charged the Germans and helped slow up the advance although they suffered very heavy casualties. I think the Belgians launched the last cavalry charge of the Great War in October of 1918. For most of late 1914 to early 1918 though the cavalry was either dismounted and sent to the trenches or remained in reserve for the breakthrough that never came.
As others have said, on the Eastern Front cavalry was used extensively. The Eastern Front was much longer than the Western Front so it was impractical to build a continuous line of trenches like in the west. Probably the most famous Cavalry Charge of the war was at Beersheba in late 1917 where the ANZAC Cavalry charged the Turks. If my memory serves me right the Turks forgot to adjust their sights so their shots largely missed the oncoming cavalry.
Here are some articles for more information on the cavalry that fought on the Western Front:
http://www.renegademiniatures.com/article16.htm
http://www.renegademiniatures.com/article4.htm
http://www.renegademiniatures.com/article13.htm
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Did Finland have any value or was it just a piece of land during the 18th century?
I am not an expert on the Great Northern War, nor the Russo-Swedish conflicts over Finland which continued on and off till the Napoleonic Wars, but I would imagine that it would have been vital in controlling the Baltic, not to mention the lumber that could be used. I am not sure if Finland possessed any other resources that would have been useful.
Well this video was interesting:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNBVA8mT5s4
Back to the original question, I also seem to remember one set in the Peninsular war where a British officer was attached to some Spanish partisans who were trying to move a cannon to attack a French held fortress. I think it was made in the fifties although I cannot remember the name. I remember some of the scenes, for example them ambushing some French soldiers by a bridge, hiding the cannon in a religious procession and finally storming the fortress.
Many many hundreds, and many hundreds more lie in piles waiting. Here are some pictures of Sir Denis Pack of the 9th Brigade at Waterloo I did a while back:
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-zqb9tEIpfOU%2FUiWlTSiMThI%2FAAAAAAAABZM%2FDY3X3uUO4M8%2Fs1600%2F001.JPG&hash=a96078994213f2976aacd0161360cb96f3a0966d)
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-W6FVwwGjWHE%2FVYLg_OPHTpI%2FAAAAAAAAChI%2FhhReW7nQxas%2Fs1600%2F002.JPG&hash=086f7f4e7c1fba5656d3bcbc9f8213cf2c59c74c)
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-a84r2GOMl5g%2FVYLg--hZ-jI%2FAAAAAAAAChE%2FlHfftIr2T3w%2Fs1600%2F003.JPG&hash=d45a337ae3248fcbfc673d2b0ce4e4ca582d7fa3)
I've been wondering for a while, in ww2 German uniforms what does the red and black thingy next to the buttons mean?
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhollywoodprop.com%2FHeer-late.jpg&hash=99488f8bd2f463db8a0b3a3b12c884e153a542b6)
That's incorrect, actually. The French did have an standard model and it was issued.
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftheblueposts.org%2Fdeuxponts%2FSuhrMarm.jpg&hash=47dd106ae7f17cb33e3cc5193a26b1721da50a7b)
a replica
(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.militaryheritage.com%2Fimages%2Fcanteen2.jpg&hash=1091e99e88c685d7cd16136408268e07e8cbb729)
Does anyone know where I can get good looking maps of Normandy, one with terrain showed and one where you can see all the roads easily?
Edit: It would be great if the map was WW2 era
if you want one with unit markings as well, just look up on google images ''operation overlord map''
heres an example one:
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emersonkent.com%2Fimages%2Foperation_overlord.jpg&hash=18291d584496c670eee9e7586d06592d36af6ca2)
Does anyone have a high resolution picture of Edourd Detaille's painting "The Hunt for Information"? I think that's the name of it, though if it isn't its along them lines. Its in a book of mine but I cant seem to find it online. Basically, its dragoon officers questioning civilians at a windmill for more information.
This?
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(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d6/92/78/d6927801a9c98a879a686898dcd5071c.jpg)
Called "Renseignements à l'Etat-Major, 1805"
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffr.muzeo.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fimage_moyenne_def%2Fpublic%2Foeuvres%2Fpeinture%2Fmoderne%2Frenseignements_ea_leetatmajor46917.jpg%3Fitok%3DjJS3uMCL&hash=4a1a9bf3b5a7d6ef4ff5faaa2dbe8f5a97e2f53d)
without the tag :
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.photo.rmn.fr%2FCorexDoc%2FRMN%2FMedia%2FTR1%2FISQS7W%2F06-506309.jpg&hash=a5301d3df153e462d32aa31f218e0bf8a6ce2119)
Is this image accurate to the Russian line infantry during the 1790s?
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbritishbattles.homestead.com%2Ffiles%2Frussia%2F1788%2Frussian_infantry_of_the_late_1790s__2_.jpg&hash=edc9718bcddd6ab78dd78f5d17d1375743218b73)
Its really hard for me to tell with how almost modern it looks compared to its predecessors in the early 1800s. I mean, the guy on the top is what is really getting me in a stitch. I mean his shako for instance looks like a kepi.
The uniforms were pretty alright(cept for the ones you saw)
Like this
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fc8.alamy.com%2Fcomp%2FB6N543%2Funiform-of-musketeers-of-moscow-garrison-of-russian-army-1796-1800-B6N543.jpg&hash=6391970e9b97890438ff8f25c58586083ef35284)
or this
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi422.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp302%2Flerussesatan%2FRussian%2520Uniforms%2Frus_uni_pic2.jpg&hash=5b81f144d9e2a45663a3055fa8bef59a2f9bf901)
Also saying that the Napoleonic uniforms were better is kinda a overstatement. After looking up information on this, Apparently troops loved the uniforms they were given before peter 1 reformed it to the more prussianized versions in 1796. The reasons for this was that the old uniforms were more comfortable for the troops and even more practical. When peter introduced the Prussian uniform sample, many, and I mean many problems aroused. Troops and Generals alike complained about the uniforms being too tight, uncomfortable, and even too German like. Over time reforms did better the uniforms by 1812, but problems still persisted. Although, I can agree that the Napoleonic uniform is much better looking :)
I've got two questions today.
1) On this picture it shows you two soldiers, both light infantry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The soldier on the left is Dutch soldier issued with Austrian-style shako and the one on the right is a Belgian soldier, issued with a British-style shako. I'm wondering, however, why this is? Why don't they both have the same shako? I must say, I prefer the one on the left.
Images of the light infantrymen
(https://i.imgur.com/CyajmAu.jpg)
2) What would a typical hairstyle of a drummer boy, in a British light/line infantry regiment during the Napoleonic Wars? Also, to do with the British, what type of glasses/spectacles would a British soldier normally wear? (These are for re-enactments but I thought it would be better to ask on the historical discussion part of the forum).
1. The left shako are for 'Northern Dutch' units, the right were for 'Southern Dutch' (Belgian) units. Why they decided use different shakos I never really found out. Some form of regimental or national pride, maybe. They abolished the difference with the introduction of new shakos in 1817.
The 35th and 36th batallions were Belgian light infantry, the 16th, 18th and 27th were Dutch.
2. Any type of regular short haircut without shaved sides would be good, really. Plenty of modern haircuts work. For spectacles, something like this
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gilai.com%2Fimages%2Fitems%2F1991_big.jpg&hash=84bd4ba388b238c421d1d3475bb435c2a4d640c9)
Though keep in mind that spectacles obviously were pretty expensive and not really for low-class citizens (which soldiers, by definition, were). I know a few people who wear glasses in normal life but don't during re-enactment (either wearing lences or nothing at all) but obviously they have 'weak' glasses. Kudos to you for actually thinking about getting proper glasses, it's crazy and extremely annoying how many people just don't bother.
Does anyone know this blue and red unit on the right? He's standing next to the rifleman, so it might be some kind of light infantry
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.primaplana.cz%2F200000095-78eb479e59%2Fknoetel%2520EClegion%25201800.jpg&hash=1c0dc9c99bd6dd5b5133f0d3349340e97e124d3c)
Edit: I forgot to give some context- Those are the "Böhmisch-Mährische Legion", an Austrian Landwehr and Garrison unit.
Does anyone know this blue and red unit on the right? He's standing next to the rifleman, so it might be some kind of light infantry
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(https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.primaplana.cz%2F200000095-78eb479e59%2Fknoetel%2520EClegion%25201800.jpg&hash=1c0dc9c99bd6dd5b5133f0d3349340e97e124d3c)
Edit: I forgot to give some context- Those are the "Böhmisch-Mährische Legion", an Austrian Landwehr and Garrison unit.
I suspect that it's probably a marine or some sort of skirmisher.
Did some research and found a picture that said what the unit was underneath. It just says Legiounär - 16. Bat. .... Could be a different type of legion uniform.
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(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/9d/28/a3/9d28a3425dda70c7639784f86d693143.jpg)
Knowing that Bavaria was in alliance with France and being German do they have ranks like Prussia, Austria, France, or some of each? Also does anyone know what a list of ranks would be for Bavaria
In 1804, a Bavarian regiment's structure was as follows:
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1 Regimentsinhaber (a position held by a general)
1 Oberst (Colonel)
1 Obrist-Lieutenant (Lt. Colonel)
2 Majoren (Major)
2 Adjutanten (Adjutant)
2 Junkern (Officer candidates and colour-bearers)
1 Regiments-Quartier-Meister
1 Auditor
1 Regiments-Chirurg (Regimental Surgeon)
2 Unterchirurgen (Junior [Battalion] Surgeons)
2 Chirurg-Prakitanten (Assistant Surgeons)
1 Regiments-Tambour (Regimental Drummer)
10 Hoboisten (10 Oboists)
1 Profos (Provost)
1 Profosenjung (Provost's Assistant)
1 Büchsenmacher (Barrelmaker or Gunsmith)
5 Hauptleute (Captain)
5 [Stabs-]Kapitänen (Captain-Lieutenant, they commanded the 5 Leib-Companies in lieu of the Inhaber, Colonel, Lt. Col. and Majors)
10 Oberlieutenants (First Lieutenant)
20 Unterlieutenants (Second Lieutenant)
10 Feldwebeln (Sergeants Major)
10 Fourieren (Quarters and Forage Sergeant)
20 Sergenten (Sergeant)
60 Korporalen (Corporal)
2 Pfeifen (Fifer)
20 Tambouren (Company Drummer)
120 Gefreiten (Exempt or Senior Private)
2380 Gemeinen (Grenadieren, Füsilieren) (Private)
Flash forward to 1809 and very little changes:
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Oberst
Oberstlieutenant
Major
Regimentsquartiermeister
Regimentschirurg
Adjutant (one Oberlieutenant and one Unter-)
Bataillonschirurg
Chirurgische Praktikant
Junker
Regimentstambour
Hoboist
Büchsenmacher
Profos
Steckenjunge (Provost's assistant)
Hauptmann
Kapitän
Oberlieutenant
Unterlieutenant
Feldwebel
Fourier
Sergent
Korporal
Vizekorporal (Vice Corporal)
Tambour
Pfeifer
Pioniere (Pioneer)
Gefreiter
Gemeiner
Fourierschütze (Forage Guard)
https://books.google.ca/books?id=EM8OAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q&f=false