Saturday 28 March 2015

RP No 166 NYW French - Gardes Suisses


The Swiss Guard was a regiment that could trace its ancestry back to at least 1590. In 1615
 it was first mentioned as a guard regiment and it was completed and functioning as such
 by 1616. By 1700 it numbered 12 companies of Swiss soldiers, but like elsewhere these 
were larger than French companies, so that the Swiss Guards could field four battalions.
 All companies were commanded by Swiss captains, but the 'general's' was commanded
 by a Frenchman. The traditional position of the Swiss Guards was in the first line
 just to the left of the French Guards.


On 10 October 1685 Pierra Stuppa (1620-1701) became colonel of the Swiss Guard. On 19 May 1691 the Swiss Guard was in camp at Hauterive. Here it fielded two battalions which were in there traditional position to the left of the French Guards, while three more were in the second line. In April-March 1691 it participated in the siege of Mons with three battalions. On 24 July 1692 it was near Namur with two battalions in the first line and two in the second. In the 3 August 1692 battle of Steenkerque it participated with at least two battalions, who were ranged to the left of the French Guard. On 6 January 1701 Colonel Stoppa, called the old Stoppa died at age 83. On 10 January 1701 he was succeeded by Maurice Wagner.


Another entry into the Analogue Painting Challenge, this bad boys earned me 42 points
 and pushed me back up to  No 38!!!
Like the Gardes Francaises I had to do a little conversion work on the command figures, the
 leader and the 2 standard bearers are actually English Grenadiers, with their heads lopped
 off and swapped with other figures!
The figures are my usual Essex minis and the flags are from Maverick 


60 comments:

  1. They look impressive. And we get a history lesson - bonus! Glad it scored you some serious points for the challenge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Alex, not many points, but they all count!!

      Delete
  2. These were a great entry in the Challenge, and I agree with Alex, nice history as well

    Ian

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fantastic job on the Gardes Suisses Ray!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Always wanted to paint this regiment up for my own forces. Great to see them here. They look really good Ray.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Duc, they're a very nice unit to paint up.

      Delete
  5. they look ready for battle!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice looking unit :)
    Those Swiss guards got about a bit...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great job there Ray! Nice bit of history too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nice! Great job on your Garde Suisse. Outstanding flags too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Jon, the flags do look pretty cool!

      Delete
  9. Very fancy Ray, nice paint job!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm learning more history here than I did in school. Lovely paintjob Ray, very colourful.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like the look of this outfit.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderful looking Swiss, Ray. Great history and lineage. Wow, an 80 year old Colonel, what an old war horse.

    ReplyDelete
  13. They really do look good. As do your whole armies of that period. The Swiss guard will always hold a place in my history as I knew one who served protecting the pope back in the 90's unfortunately he's dead now (Car Accident).

    This unit will look even better when you get round to finishing the second flag (JK)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Poor chap! The Kings colour does look strange doesn't it??

      Delete
  14. Nice work, and a decent history.. well done!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ray, you are a painting god! Every time I visit here it makes me wish I had more time to paint than I do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I had more time to paint than I do, as well!!!

      Delete
  16. Beautiful! And ol' Mule is back! You are a genius, Ray.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep I thought I'd bring back ol' Francis again!!

      Delete
  17. They look really nice Ray and great background info as well!

    Christopher

    ReplyDelete
  18. Love the Swiss! Sharp red jackets and flags!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Very nice brushwork as always mate.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nice! Excellent as always Ray...Damn you!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great looking unit (as always) Ray.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Another nice unit with a good write-up. keep em coming!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lovely work Ray. I'm finally getting round to painting the last four regiments and three squadrons for that Savoy Brigade I bought back in 2013. Still torn between Maurice and Beneath the Lilly Banners though. Can't quite make up my mind on that one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did wonder what happened to your troops, glad they're back on the paint table. I've not played Maurice before, but it does look a good game, it might well be more up your street than BLB. But i'd still go for BLB2 any day of the week. You'll have to come up for another game soon. Don't forget Broadside at Sittingbourne on the 14th June, we'll all be there putting on a demo game.

      Delete
    2. 14th June? It's right before one of my nursing exams. Might be just what I need to relax before the big day. Would be fantastic to catch up with you all. Honestly, I like the idea of BtLB more, but Maurice seems to play well on the smaller tables sizes. A 6 by 4 is all I have access to right now.
      I think at one point I was so frustrated by not having the chance to paint them that I was going to pack them all up and ship em off to you.

      Delete
    3. They would have been welcomed with open arms!!! You could very easily play BLB on a 6x4. The thing I'm not keen on with Maurice, is that its really a 2 person game, which would make it really hard to play in the shed. But it may well suite you better. Hopefully see you at Broadside??

      Delete
    4. It's the very day before the exam, but what better way to relax. Will need to see how the studying is going first. I'm up to two brigades of infantry (6 battalions), a cavalry brigade of 4 horse and 2 dragoon squadrons, a combined grenadier battalion and two field guns. Not much smaller than the force you and Richard used in your first lilly banners game. Next step is picking up a similar sized force of Italio-Spanish to use and allies or opponents. Was thinking about the French as my second force, but that's about £100 of Baccus CD's and they mostly wear the same "silvarae" coats as my Savoyards. The Spaniards will give me quite a bit of colour. Eventually I'll pick up a few French Brigades, and an Austrian force. Might as well collect the whole Italian theatre :D

      Delete
    5. I'm planning on painting up some Spanish myself, like you said they're so colourful, how could you not do them???

      Delete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete