Friday, August 12, 2011

The Empire

The first twenty-one members of Infanterieregiment Nr 4, "Von Prittwitz". Work will begin tonight on Infanterieregiment Nr 2, "Leib".

In my previous post I talked a little about planning my "Duchy of Alzheim" project. The post was largely about the Alzheimer forces. Now it's time to spend a little time on her old enemy, "The Empire".

First, a little geography and history. The Empire occupies a territory vastly greater than Alzheim, stretching over most of the Balkans which have mostly been won back from the Turk in the South-East, north through the lands of a people very much like the Hungarians of our own world, then west to take in a German-speaking people in the eastern part of Deutschtum whose sole pursuits are pastry-making and then north again to take in varying Slavic peoples in central-eastern Europe.

The period of the Thirty Years War saw Imperial (and Bavarian) armies ravage much of Alzheim more or less simply because they were passing through. Similarly, Imperial armies devastated the Duchy (or Electorate) during the War of the Spanish Succession whilst on their way to do much the same to Bavaria.

Now though, the old Emperor is showing signs of failing and his successor is a mere slip of a girl not yet even married. War clouds gather and unscrupulous Princes plot to tear her patrimony from her.

So then, the Empire is obviously a cartoon of Austria-Hungary. I am thinking of theming the army around the forces that raided through Bavaria in  (I think?) 1742 and thus would have a core of a pair of German and a pair of Hungarian Regiments with quite numerous units of Croats and Pandurs. Likewise, I'd avoid heavy Cavalry and Artillery in favour of a couple of Regiments each of Dragoons and Hussars and just a couple of batteries of light guns.

I have it in mind that the Imperial Commander could call on a couple more Regiments of Line infantry and a siege train if certain campaign events occour.

6 comments:

Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com said...

Grenadiers. We want grenadiers!

Bloggerator said...

Ross, for you there will be a 24-figure regiment of converged Grenadiers.

:^)

tradgardmastare said...

The Empire sounds great and your plans exciting. I like the plan for the raiding force - a little different and lots of colour esp the grenzers...
The Imperium ( as I call my equivalent) has given me joy for many years and the white coated wonders etc look good on the tabletop.
For me the Duffy books have greatly inpired me and influenced my choice of army
keeep up the interesting posts
Alan

tradgardmastare said...

P.S the siege train sounds really exciting too- loads of light troops ,grenidiers and a siege train - what more could one want?

abdul666 said...

Promising and interestingly different from the Might of Alzheim. A siege train? Of course, you already have fortifications to be besieged!

Bluebear Jeff said...

I look forward to many future battle photos, sir. So get those paint brushes busy.


-- Jeff