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