How I catched the virus (of fictitious Lace Wars uniforms)

(Last update: 11.05."09)

It started with the premature reading, at an impressionable young age, of a political pamphlet from my father’s library. The «Voyage en Absurdie» was a satire of the events in France during the ‘Liberation’ and ‘Epuration’. Written as a voltairian pastiche (the author /illustrator signed ‘Arouet’, Voltaire’s real name), it was set two centuries earlier, i.e. in 1744-45. Drawings showed Hitler (‘Icter’) and German troops, De Gaulle (‘De la Perche’: 'Of the Pole') passing Allied troops in review, all in 1745 dress. I was totally hooked by the idea of ‘translating’ uniforms of other periods into clothes of the year of Fontenoy. I was later confirmed in my choice of the WAS period when I learned more about the evolution of military fashion during the 18th C.. For me the (great) coat was too bulky by WSS times, turning the soldier into some kind of ‘Bibendum Malborough’; while by the SYW, under Prussian influence, the coat became more skimpy and shorter. For my taste, the peak of H&M military elegance was reached in the 1740, when the coat was really the ‘justaucorps’, close to the torso but with an ample skirt.

To translate a later uniform to 1745 pattern is straightforward, since at least some of the various part of the coat –cuffs, turnbacks…– were still present (even if false) in the full dress at the start of WWI. A few conventions are required –helmets (with the exception of the Russian helmet-mitre and similar helmets derived from eastern european earlier types) and headgear of any kind had no peak and did not go down on the neck, the lower edge was strictly horizontal. Chapskas were very low, plumes, if present at all, were extremely short compared with later times, specially Napoleonics.
Some standardization has to be set for the ‘Lancer/ Uhlan’ specific dress; the same for ‘exotic’ uniforms – North African, Egyptian, ‘Arab’, Indian… For some unfathomable reason I *hate* flat-topped hats in a ‘Tricorn’ context; thus I ‘see’ sailors, marines and troops in the West Indies wearing, instead of the ‘postillon’ hat, the large, round Breton hat as worn by the Chouans and Vendeans during the French Revolution, of tarred felt, possibly with a side turned up (in what was known as ‘Corsican’ fashion by Napoleonic times). Similarly I prefer to see the Mexican ‘cuereros’ and later lancers with the round hat nowadays worn by the corrida ‘picador’, instead of the ‘boater’ flat hat.

With additional conventions (e.g. using the color of the sash for ‘facings’) earlier european 17°C. uniforms, prior to the introduction of the coat, can equally be ‘translated’, e.g. uniforms from the TYW and ECW. On the other hand, some more recent uniforms scream to be ‘translated’: WW2 German Panzer & SS and ‘Mussolini’s Musketeers’, all in black, the various Air Forces generally in peculiar blue –can be the basis for ‘translated’ paratroopers– and the colorful or ‘traditional’ uniforms of parade troops of recently independent countries (Croatia e.g.; even in Russia Yeltsin reinstated a Kremlin Guard in quasi-tsarist uniform).

Thus I enjoyed learning much about H&M uniforms over the years, in the meantime taking pleasure to spot and record obviously ‘erroneous’ uniforms in movies, TV films and series (almost *all* movies of any form down deep into the eighties! Re T. M. P): I recommend ‘The Tempest’, an Alberto Lattuada franco-italo-yugoslavian movie from 1958, from the Pushkin novel ‘The capitain’s daughter’ {Kapitanskaya Dochka: so much more poetic in Russian!}: the whole Russian army is totally fictitious, yet credible, self-consistent and pleasant. (2000 version seems to be more 'historically accurate') The photo attached is from a French movie "Le Chevalier de Maupin", unwillingly enjoyable at the 2nd level. In "Si Versailles m'etait conté" (1954) the French King's 'Guards' look suspiciously like Napoleon's Grenadiers with a violet coat (but, 'accurately', a white plume at their bearskin). With Fire and Sword, 1962, while set a century too early for the Lace Wars (the Cossack uprising), offers quite usable Polish light cavalry / light dragoons; actually even its Polish (wingless) Husarii can be used if a befeathered tricorn is substituted to their ‘capeline’ helmet: idem for those of the recent remake (Ogniem i Mieczem) if additionally deprived of their ‘wings’ –kettledrummer excepted?- and the heavy Polish horse in ‘Taras Bulba’ (1962 with Yul Bryner if red-clad, and its 2008 remake). The armored Poles can be treated either as good quality light cavalry (Veteran Regular Light Horse) or as ‘traditionalist’ Guards of some Eastern Principality (Elite Regular Heavy Horse). Of course, all these movies show also colorful Cossacks (Warrior Irregular Light Cavalry). While in 1952 (!) Fanfan la Tulipe (three other excerpts) had already reinforced my 'Fontenoy imprinting'...

More recently, Monthy Python's 'Yellowbeard' -in addition to being highly funny- offered a few interesting (and probably fictitious) uniforms of troops under a hot climate. Even the TV rendition of Gulliver’s Travels (1996) offers some inspirational uniforms!



A great source of 'inspiration' was a collection of late 19°-early 20°C illustrated dictionnaries in one, two, six, eight and ten volumes I discovered in my great-mother attic: almost all uniforms before the 19°C are erroneous. For instance before WW1 French 'Chasseurs a pied' were clad in dark blue with a characteristic 'daffodil yellow' pipping: the 'Infantry' plate of the 6 v. edition shows what is obviously a 'Fusilier de la Morliere' in all dark blue, while that of the 2 v. has a 'Chasseur de Fischer' with yellow smallclothes; both uniforms are erroneous, unhistorical, but pleasant, 'credible' and deserving to be translated in miniature. Many illustrations of these dictionaries -or from their older source- were re-used, with slight modifications (but no correction!), in the earliest Funcken (‘All Ages’). Similarly, the Funcken give in ‘All Ages’ vol.1 a ‘French Grenadier’ obviously copied from a colored drawing depicting a ‘Cent Suisse’ of spectacular but very odd appearance.



Another exemple: the Fischer to the right is 'doubtful' on some details, so is another entry (as the dread 'Chasseurs de Faischier' or perhaps 'Tirailleurs de Faipachier'?) in my virtual "Funcken's 'Imaginary Uniforms of the Lace Wars'".



This fanciful rendition of the 'Wild Geese' at Fontenoy may provide inspiration for Fenians in an alternate 18th C. -perhaps even in America.

A very pleasant, if involuntary, example of fictitious light infantry –Roly misunderstood ‘ventre de biche’, but the result looks too good to be corrected. Santa Claus Light Infantry? (let’s suppose those in white are the drummers / hornists).


18th C. illustrations of ancient to Renaissance texts (right: 1717 edition of Roland Amoureux) offer another source of potential Lace Wars imaginary uniforms, specially for troops with a 'roman' helmet as historically popularized by Maurice de Saxe.
Speaking of 'ancient' helmets, the 1971 incarnation of the Persian Immortals deserve to be translated to 18th C. fashion...


Comics also were a source of fictitious ‘tricorn-era’ uniforms, e.g. Barbe-rouge and Oumpah-pah. And the very first 'later' uniforms to be 'translated' to mid-18th c. fashion I had discovered -long time before- also in a bande dessinee, together with the first Imagi-Nation: Syldavia in “King Ottokar’s Sceptre”. Soon I read of another European imaginary country (invented in a very different context: see O1.O6."08 comment below), Poldevia, and I used it as the 'blanket nationality' of the regiments I was accumulating in my virtual collection of 'Fictional Fontenoy' fictitious or 'translated' uniforms .



A (rather) recent exemple of fictitious Lace Wars uniforms: this two parts musical video (update nov. 15/07) is supposed to feature 'SYW British infantrymen'; the cut of the uniform may be vaguely adequate, but the lapels, &c... are instead similiar to those of the Swiss Guard of Louis XVI!

Among the most recent cases, the uniforms in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series make no claim of historical accuracy. Yet they are rather credible for marines in a semi-tropical area.
According to posters on the TMP, these uniforms look ‘doubtful’ and this one ‘fictitious’, at least for the cap: pleasant nonetheless.
As obvious from the trailer, the recent remake of Fanfan la Tulipe for the French TV was a new source of fictitious uniforms; as obvious from this extract, the intended 'humour' is reflected in some costumes -may be suitable for the Guard Band of some Ruler with odd tastes....


In a related vein, French TV broadcasted in 1971 a Sci-Fi series, 'Le Voyageur des Siecles', where a 20th C. man falls in love with the painting of a young noblewoman beheaded during the French Revolution and moves to the past to change History (with dramatic consequences). The relevant point is that the authors took care to underline that in such 'alternate' past, French fashion, including military, would have been under other influences than in our timeline -and had 'unhistorical' costumes designed accordingly. Unfortunately the series was in B&W.

I had discovered Science-Fiction in comics maybe when I was learning to read, and like it since. So when at the age of 13 I saw an early 19°C. etching 'depicting' a French project of 'triphibious' (by balloons, ships and a tunnel under the Channel: see 10) invasion of Great Britain, I catched the episodic temptation to spice a mythical Lace Wars setting with a few Sci-Fi elements.


I'm unfamiliar with theatre ans opera, but know they also offer some fictitious uniforms, e.g. the Grande Duchesse of Gerolstein.


Nowadays video games are another rich source ("The armies which appear in the game wear uniforms that would compare very readily with football or rugby teams rather than military outfits.") of fictitious units and uniforms -and some of the 'unhistorical' details are inspirational (video).






Since by then there was no French magazine dealing with military history I subscribed to ‘Military Modelling’. I was intrigued (and more) by the references to "wargames", and ordered C. Grant’s ‘The War Game’ (below, left) as soon as it was reviewed (no internet, no e-mail, not even fax, no Visa card then –all had to be done ‘by hand’, mechanical typewriter and International Money Orders).
And it was a revelation, I was totally ‘hooked’. Grant’s ‘Tricorne era’ rules are simplicity itself, and the creation of ‘fictitious’ small states and armies for wargame campaigns was for me some kind of illumination. The idea pleased me so much the more as it deeply echoed (and widened) my more than one and a half decade of interest in ‘re-created’ mid-18°C. uniforms. ‘Translating’ historical uniforms of other eras (from Pike & Shot to part of the 20°C) had allowed the ‘vision’ of thousands of different ‘fictitious’ uniforms. Now I could add a totally new dimension by toying/ daydreaming with the *creation*, the design of entirely original ones. Within strict limits as to ‘verisimilitude’ of course, but for a (potential as yet) wargamer a very secure ‘safety rail’ is provided by the mere fact that manufacturers offer only historical minis for the period. Young's 'Charge! Or how to play wargames' (above, right), featuring again fictitious Lace Wars armies, reinforced this inclination.

I never did a single drawing (I’m totally deprived of any artistic talent) but with text descriptions and tables I had designed… well, I never did a count, but certainly over a thousand regimental designs in the following thirty years. The output was no regularly constant, there were three bursts of more intense production: after reading ‘The Wargame’ (and a little later ‘Charge’); when Phil Barker alluded in a letter to his mythical North America; and now, since I discovered the Internet, the OSW and SOCDAISY groups, and recently the various blogs devoted to fictional Lace Wars countries.
I guess some contributors would be rather surprised by the ‘vision’ I have of some troops they merely alluded to (e.g. Highlanders settled for three generations somewhere in the Balkans: combinations of Highlanders and Grenzers uniforms (e.g. [paint ?] conversion of Culloden Lowlanders, adding a *lot* of braiding dolman-fashion on the upper garnments, low boots a t the feet; blue bonnet and tartan trousers, of course)–too many thorny bushs to keep on wearing the kilt, in any case). The uniform of the Monte-Cristan Gardes de l’Etrier is actually the ‘WAS translation’ of that worn by the Horse Guards in the illustrated 1st edition of ‘Les aventures du Roi Pausole’ (with some inputs from Glen Cook’s Black Company series, specially the ‘Burning Skull’ badge in addition to the very name of the 17th C. mercenary warband at the origin of the revival -the ressurection, even- of Monte-Cristo after the French Wars of Religion), while the Carabiniers’ uniform came from the coincidence of a musical video on French TV showing an all-girl band in green jacket and black microskirt and the first reviews of the Eureka 100 Arquebusiers de Grassin!







Of course ‘The War Game’ was also the incentive to take to actually battlegaming. Then I had to switch to another period, people I gathered were more interested by Ancients / Medieval than by H&M. Not really a problem for me, that era had always be my 'second favorite', again from a premature reading. In this instance, of Flaubert ‘Salammbô’ (set during the mercenaries mutiny against Carthage), in an old edition with totally fantastic illustrations: mumalik-sized elephants carrying a two-storeyed tower complete with machicolation, phalangites handling simultaneously a 25 feet pike and a huge bodyshield… I had always been fascinated by the ‘Chanson de Roland’, the Arthurian Cycle (and the ‘Prince Valiant’ comic) and the Niebelungen Lied: when I discovered Moorcock’s Elric and Howard’s Conan all pieces fit together.

Yet, not to drop totally the Lace Wars era, in parallel I organized and umpired a 'Spies vs Counterspies' RPG campaign set in 1745, the missions being to steal (or recover) drawings, working scale models or prototypes of 'advanced military technologies' such as the Paixhans breech-loaded gun, Chassepot rifle or Reffye machine-gun. An odd mixture of 'Wild Wild West' gadgetry (the 1st source of the whole idea), '3 Musketeers'-fashion 'cloak & rapier' adventures and my love for the 1745 period! There also was once a 'Treasure Island'-like expedition to an uninhabited (but soon overcrowded with 'hostiles') islet off Corsica.

Also, when the WRG published their '1685-1835' H&M set, I tried my hand at it using my Amazons, in 'Action!' / 'Blasthof Bridge' scale actions. For 'verisimilitude' I used infantry in 2 ranks (front shield / JLS, rear bow) as the best approximation of Lace Wars foot with musket + bayonet. The 'Aureola Roccoco' Minifigs were scantily clad enough to depict unarmoured infantrywomen! I had to 'adjust' the number of 'To Hit' die by 'fighting element', since the rules were intended for e.g. infantry battalions of 16 minis (4 elements) in 1 rank, while mine were of 48 (6 elements) in 2 ranks... (faithful to C. Grant's organization, yet without 'supernumeraries'). I had enough 'Aureola Roccoco' to have their side homogeneous -it was harder for the cavalry, I had to merge elements from at least 3 12-figs 'Ancient' units to have a 'regiment' of 36 figs in two ranks. The 'opposition' was more heterogeneous: for the infantry front rank Indian maiden guards, rear rank 'classical' Amazon archers; for the cavalry I had to mix Khmer maiden guards (on dragon-masked horses) and Eowyn-like Grenadier on caparisoned horses. For the artillery I used 2-crew light bolt-throwers: when 'limbered' they were carried on a chariot, the crew walking behind (a pity to see these ferocious engines of war, bristling with spikes ans scythe blades, used as transport!).

It went merrily for some years, then several simultaneous evolutions in different fields put an end to my active wargaming career. Gaming-wise, all my initial partners left to other locations for professional reasons, while the newbies were addicted either to DBM (which I hate) and 15mm or Warhammer and 28mm, while I was acuustomed to WRG 6th and owned 25mm Amazons. So when the 30 square meters I had devoted to wargaming had to be converted to another use, I dismounted my table-tennis table and packed my (1800?) minis and my scenery without too much regret.

During this years I've painted hundreds of minis, yet my painting remained terrible (like the work of a color-blind parkinsonian, according to my delicious daughter). In the early "70 France one had to post an advert in a British mag to find another (potential) wargamer in a radius of 60 miles; the only amateurs of military figurines I had read of were Parisian (marvelous) painters of 'flats', but seemingly haughty and hyperconservative. For some reason I did not contact either (WWII) military modelers: I took the painting plunge totally isolated, untutored and unprejudicied. I often used several medias on the same mini: hobby enamels, then-new hobby acrylics, acrylic paints for furniture, walls and ceilings, car paints, 'artist' rather 'psychedelic' (flashy, fluo...) poster paints, oil paints, water-based gouaches and pastels, even nail varnishes -you find here hues and shimmers no paint range offers. Experimented with 'fresco' -inks on still wet white (or colored!) undercoat. I even tried to emulsify metallic oil paints or enamels with pastels dissolved in ink, in the hope that when drying the mayonnaise would demix to give an impression of metallic embroideries -not very conclusive, perhaps I did not persist long enough in experiments: got better ('less worse'?) results with clear hairsprays with tiny metallic particles.
For tiny details -eyes, lips, nipples- I used ultra-fine waterproof felt-tip pens of the kind used then for overhead projection (no Powerpoint in those times!): had a better control on the result than with a paintbrush. Playmobil was selling unpainted toys and a set of felt-tip pens to decorate them: some -red, dark blue, dark green specially- once dry had a nice metallic glint, like the elytra of some beetles such as the green rose chafer, and I abused of the effect -e.g. for 'silk' hems of capes and loincloths, and officers' and elite units' shields (often metal buttons from my great-great-mothers time; {false?} cameo ones I respectfully used untouched); the metallic sheen is due to surface texture, and thus lost under the protective varnish: but the Playmobil ink was designed to hold on smooth plastic under frantic manipulation, so resisted very well when laid over the final varnish. Clear nail varnishes with tiny metal glitters (gold, silver and red copper) were great for metallic embroideries, sword hilts, buckles, and being also available in emerald, ruby, sapphire and violet, for jewelry -most of my officers got earrings.
Even after discovering them in magazines I never really bothered with shadowing, highlighting and the like (except for some drybrushing with make-up -blushers, eye-shadows- of some 'interesting' color). Instead I used a crude and quick approach: the old Elastolin toy soldiers were 'inked': the ink settled in all the 'hollows', picked out all the detail, underlining all raises, the 'look' was far more realist, the soldiers were far less 'toy-looking'. Then I read that at the final varnishing step some wargamers did not used a brush or airspray, but dipped the mini in the varnish jar. Thus I decided to combine the two steps and dipped the painted minis in 'clear oak' wood varnish, window shutter-grade. It took some practice -the varnish tending to accumulate at the lower edges of tunics and cloaks, on the lower part of shields and scabbards, during the drying I had to turn the minis over for a more regular distribution and eliminate the excess by shaking the minis or simply blowing on them. Yet done by batch it was simple and fast, and -at least according to my uneducated taste- the result was quite satisfying for minis intended only to be seen en masse from a distance. The "Army Painter" 'Quick Shade Dips' now available commercially seem to be based on the same principle.

Since then, for long I've been content to act as a leech, enjoying the creations, painting and battles of other. Progressively I dropped my subscriptions to wargaming and military history magazines. No longer restricted by the preferences of other players in the Real World ™, while keeping interest in Ancient/ Medieval gaming (I felt some nostalgia when discovering recently the Eureka100 Amazon cataphracts: but now my reaction is that 'with suitable modifications, they would be *great* for the Amazon Corps of Reconstituted Byzantium), Lace Wars period was reinstated in its natural place as my favorite one, both in military history and wargaming.


Then came the Net, with friendly groups such as Old School Wargaming and the SOCDAISY where imaginary 18thC. armies are welcome, giving a new impulse to my old idiosyncratic pulsion to design fictitious WAS uniforms. Indeed initially I opened this blog partly to ‘store’ expanded (improved ?) versions of comments I’ve posted on Yahoo groups or the TMP: truth to tell, without a Lace Wars army, it was all I had to offer as contribution to the ‘Emperor vs Elector’ web campaign! And now here I am, enjoying the spectacular designs of fellow Creators of Imagi-Nations, still dreaming of an exhaustive compilation of fictitious uniforms that would be ‘our’ Funcken of the mythical Lace Wars armies, as a collective project. David’s uniforms templates can give some hope for this encyclopedic compendium to materialize some day.

The web is of course a new source of fictional uniforms: not only the ‘Westerner’ Lace Wars ones designed by the builders of Imagi-Nations (I’m an insatiable collector of them), but also historical but ‘exotic’ ones. Since seeing With Fire and Sword (1962) I toy with the addition of Late Renaissance Eastern European types, mainly as ‘colorful’ light troops, to mid 18th C. Western European imaginary armies. Rationale: the ‘local costume’ evolved less there – and, chiefly, us non-specialists cannot ‘date’ it as precisely as the better known items of Western fashion. Thus for me sites and blogs devoted to wargaming with Late Renaissance (2nd half of 17th C.) Eastern European armies (including Ottomans) are inspirational. For instance this blog of a great mini painter, discovered on the TMP because of his SYW work, is also partly devoted to Late Renaissance Russia –and the rendition of the banners, works of Art in the tradition of Byzantine religious icons, are marvelous. Among the links on this blog, one led me to a similar one (where the posts are unfortunately not ‘labelled’) of another wargamer dealing with several periods, but mainly with Late Renaissance Eastern Europe: deserves to be perused even if you are not playing this era, so well painted being the minis and banners. And so on…I mentioned light troops, but for me some types can also be used as Elite Household, following the precedent of e.g. Polish ‘Janissaries’. Perhaps not types with mail only (although de Saxe was to raise such an outfit) as much as those combining plate and mail. For instance, with a few conversions –removal of the ‘wings’, substitution of the helmet with a large, befeathered tricorn by headswapping, perhaps some ‘putty conversion’ to give them Western heavy riding boots– Polish Hussars can provide a glamorous Horse Guard unit. Kept as light troops, Tatars and Dehlis, deprived of their shields and with carbines instead of bow (bow were used down to Napoleonic times by such, but carbine would make Renaissance types look more ‘18th C.’ to my eyes) can be used as colorful auxiliaries in a Lace Wars army.
Along the same lines, one can toy with such ideas as Ioannis’ «Personal gift of the Sultan to Fritz as a token of anti-Austrian friendship: a platoon of Jingal elephants armed with a 3 pdr and 2 swivel guns in the howdah, and a troop of Zamberek camels armed with swivel guns». Yet, while such types are ‘accurately historical’ for 18th C. India and Persia, to try and field them on a Western European front is pushing the ‘extrapolation’ one step further as they would represent a totally new troop type here, requiring additional rules: thus I prefer to treat such Munchausenian experiments as Sci-Fi / Lacepunk ingredients. But you can raise such 'weapon systems' during an oversea colonization campaign.

1st ANNEX – MY IDEAL LACE WARS ARMY
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PAROCHIAL BACKGROUND
This ‘Army List’ emerged progressively from my personal experience. Experience with Lace Wars rules, obviously: at first the ‘large’ armies fielded by C. Grant to re-fight Mollwitz and Fontenoy. Then, while typical WAS battles can be ‘gamed’ Grant-fashion with only 3 types of troops: infantry, cavalry and artillery (all supposed to be ‘trained regular line’ as default value –and that’s one of the basic appeals of the era), the WRG ‘1685-1835’ set introduced a wide range of variants (Heavy / 'line' vs Light * Regular vs Irregular * 4 levels of ‘morale & training’). This set I really like, ‘feeling’ it to be a sophisticated version of the Grant one on which I broke my wargamer teeth –simple ‘Bang! You’re dead!’ dice &c… and some of this variety, if introduced with restraint, as a pinch of spice, was appealing.

So much the more as, with my life-long pet idea of ‘translating’ uniforms of other H&M times in WAS dress fashion, I *had* to envisage types that were extremely rare, or non-existent, by the mid 18th C., such as Horse Artillery (uniforms as a rule too glamorous to be lost!) and Regular Light (e.g. for converged light companies, both Horse and Foot).

Thus I was led to a *very large* army: for it to remain ‘typical’ of the Lace Wars, the sum of all the various ‘exotic’ ‘almost anachronical’ types had to be kept a low minority –thus the great total had to be huge! And I had the same requirement at the visual / aesthetical level: for the army to *look* ‘right’, at least roughly 2/3 of the units had to be in the most typical, ‘classical’ Western-European dress of the time: tricorn, ‘justaucorps’ {no pointed cuffs: substitute with slit ['Prussian'?, in some cases 'British'] ones if necessary- the possible 'knotted' braiding on the sleeve then running on from the slit rather than the point of the cuff- btw, on 'true European' uniforms any 'knotted' lacing / braiding in front of the breeches is transfered as buttonhole adornementation on the back of the coat. Yet, historically-based Lace Wars 'Polish cuffs' would be kept, e.g. for troops from Saxe-Poland and later Lorraine}, full (front & back) turnbacks, even if ‘unhistorical’ for the considered country by 1745, high gaiters or high boots… Then, French Napoleonic ‘Line’ Cavalry –Cuirassiers and Dragons– was totally ‘helmeted’: I have to suppose that only Elite / Veteran squadrons wear such headgear, while ‘normal’ ones are in tricorn (and with other small changes of uniform: simpler shoulder straps or none, no grenade on the saddlecloth..).
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A so ludicriously large wargame army that I halved it to present a typical –already respectable– LaceWars tabletop army ...


ARMY LIST
Presentation
I *hate* ‘national characteristics’, specially in Lace Wars setting: by contrast with ‘Ancients’ (where forces from different *civilisations* could meet), to profit as much as possible from the ‘simplicity’ of Lace Warfare, I prefer to endvisage the armies of two warring Western-European Imagi-Nations as ‘mirror images’ except for the colo(u)rs.

I built the list on a basis of ‘13’, but to incorporate all the wished diversity and at the same time keep it as a low fraction, I had to *double* the numerical strength of my reference model: the typical ‘Grantian’ army for refighting Fontenoy. Of the 13 units of a given Arm, 8 (at least) are your basic 'Regular Trained Line': the very minimal proportion to keep the Army 'in character' -actually a compromise, they would represent a higher ratio, but the army would become monstruous. To fulfill the 'aesthetic' requirement at least these 8 units have to be in 'totally normal' Western European uniform: since with an 'historical' army the aim is to translate its *visual* aspect, NOT its historical characteristics, some units in 'non-standard' uniforms could receive 'unhistorical' role to fit in the "totally standardized" organization.

As for the vocabulary, I treat the Infantry battalion and regiment as equivalent, in the Grant tradition; for the Cavalry a ‘regiment’ can represent a ‘demi-brigade’ of converged squadrons.

List
- 26 ‘characters’ (1 CiC, 1 Ci2, 2 ‘marshals’, 6 ‘division commanders’, 14 brigadiers, 2 engineers)

- Infantry: 26 regiments
.22 ‘line’ (close order only), all Regular:
. ° 2 Elite
. ° 3 Veteran
. °16 Trained
. ° 1 Raw (militia / pioneers)
. 4 ‘light’ (able to change to loose order):
. ° 2 Veteran Regular
. ° 1 Warrior ‘Skirmishing’ Irregular, partly with rifles
. ° 1 Fanatic ‘Charging’ Irregular, with matchlocks

- Cavalry: 13 regiments
.10 ‘line’ (close order only), all Regular:
. ° 1 Elite
. ° 1 Veteran
. ° 8 Trained
. 3 ‘light’ (able to change to loose order):
. ° 1 Veteran Regular
. ° 2 Warrior Irregular

-Artillery: 13 batteries (Regular crew, Irregular drivers, ‘Levy’ as default)
.10 ‘half-batteries’ of battalion guns
. ° 0.5 battery Elite (light-medium)
. ° 4 batteries Trained
. ° 0.5 battery Veteran (very light)
. 7 ‘position’ batteries
. °5 Trained (1 medium, 4 Heavy)
. °1 Elite (Very Heavy)
. °1 Veteran (Siege Howitzer)
. 1 Horse Battery (Veteran crew, Soldier drivers; light)



TROOP TYPES
Veteran Line Infantry: 2 ‘Corps’ battalions (often of converged Grenadiers), able to fight in loose order (converged grenadiers were often part of 'Special Ops Task Forces', together with converged piquets -later converged light companies, chasseurs or voltigeurs); in published Army Lists converged Grenadiers are often treated as Elite, but the 'Veteran' profiles is a better fit for experienced, seasoned soldiers: Elite foot I see with tremendous self-esteem and thorougly drilled in parades and peace-time elegant evolutions; to keep the 'line infantry' in 'classical dress', Hungarian infantry uniforms would (unhistorically) be treated as Elite, because of the trousers and pointed cuffs. Note that, in order to increase their 'character', Grenadiers always have the peculiar 'grenades bag' with wide sling displaying a fuse holder, and the belly cartridge box, even if dropped by their historical models
1 ‘Army’ battalion (*standing* Grenadiers unit, Foreign, ‘Fusilier’ in the British meaning or ‘Old’ regiment of higher than average quality, Legion Etrangere, Infanterie de Marine, Gendarmerie a Pied, Military Police, Staff Regiment)
Raw Line Infantry: garrison troops, militia, pioneers, coast-, civic-, town-, national guard, police, can be used to display the (generally sober)uniforms of Commissariat troops (Ouvriers d'Administration), stretcher-bearers, military post office, military treasury, telegraphists, ‘black powder’ workers, depot security guards, 'veterans', invalids, discplinary units and uniformed military convicts, constabulary, police, some military schools...
Veteran Light Infantry: may be converged piquets / light companies; labelled ‘Flanqueurs’ –often deployed on the flanks of the army, often converged flank companies (‘Chasseurs’ historically indicated also standing units): veteran status because light companies were the '2nd elite company' of the battalion; to keep the 'line infantry' in tricorns, Prussian fusiliers uniforms would (unhistorically) be placed here, because of the mitre. Note that, in order to increase their 'character', ‘Flanqueurs’ always have a large belly cartridge box, even if not worn by their historical models; may receive a special headgear -mirliton, helmet, cap...- even if historically wore the same tricorn, shako or kepi as the 'centre' companies
Skirmishing Light Infantry: *standing* units of Light Foot (e.g. British and French by Napoleonic times), Chasseurs, Jägers, Rifles, Rangers, most Frei Corps, bodies of Croats, Grenzers, Pandours, later most ‘native’ units of ‘Tirailleurs’, hence the name I give to this type, camel-mounted skirmishers; can also be used to introduce convenient uniforms, such as those of French Forest Wardens and Custom Officers, when both with green coat
Charging Infantry: Highlanders, Marines, Zouaves, Irish of the 1798 type, semi-permanently dismounted dragoons, some 'native' types, the balance of the Corps Francs, sailors landing party; some Lace Wars light troops -the Grassin broke the Highlanders charge in H-t-H at Fontenoy; can also be used to introduce uniforms otherwise lost, e.g. engineers / sappers / miners / pontooneers if too ‘good looking’ to be ‘downgraded’ to ‘raw’ status, or firemen if (as in Paris) they are of military status; also some Military Schools (overenthusiastic!); can be used for ‘Mountain Infantry’ (as different from ‘Chasseurs Alpins’); seems fitting for the 'Black & Tan'; in a ‘translation’ of modern armies fits well for parachutists / commandos

Elite HC: may be converged Elite Cuirassiers
Veteran HC: may be converged Elite Dragons / Horse Grenadiers
Trained HC: normally half Cuirassiers / half Dragoons
Generally a single brigade of Dragoons can dismount to provide a (mixed) Trained Line Infantry able to pass to loose order, matchlock; if Dragoons were treated as 'light' (late 17th C.) or camelry with cavalry ethos is translated as light cavalry, it's the pair of W.LC that can dismount, but still provides the same single infantry outfit: Trained Line Infantry able to pass to loose order, matchlock.
Veteran LC: may be converged light companies / squadrons
Warrior Irregular LC: may be militia / coast- / town guard Dragoons, 'plundering' late 17th Dragoons, Camelry with a Cavalry ethos (but here riding horses!), Escorteurs in Train uniform...

Veteran battalion artillery with very light gun: useful to translate ‘mountain’ or ‘native’ (even 'camel') artillery; historically based on the artillery of the French (mixed) Light Troops Regiments of the WAS and the Grenzers battalion pieces
Elite Artillery with very heavy pieces: e.g. 16 pounders instead of the ‘normal’ 12 pounders; can be used to introduce 'Guard Artillery' / ‘Artillerie de Marine’ / 'Dutch' (for Austria) Artillery / Coastal Artillery uniforms
Veteran Artillery with howitzers: ‘Bombardiers’: I may be prejudiced against howitzers because of my fondness for the French Army of the WAS (that used none) and because I feel H&M wargamers tend to overestimate their potential, specially regarding overhead support fire (thus I prefer Young’s treatment over Grant’s); then the Bombardiers often had a special uniform (as the ‘Grenadiers of the Artillery’), and this small outfit offers an opportunity to field ‘Siege’ pieces even on an open battlefield.
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Possible additional units
Mainly of use at campaign level, one can add 4 regiments of 'Home Defense' infantry (militia in the widest sense): to give each of them a marked 'personality' they would be of different efficiency and reliability:
-1 'Non-European Raw Regular, close order, musket' (following the amendments of the WRG-SYW Yahoo group: while the 'Raw line' of the 'Field Army' above, more 'professional', is treated as 'European Raw),
-4 'Militia Regular, matchlock' (following the amendments of the WRG-SYW Yahoo group: the 'matchlock' is to have it less efficient when shooting),
-1 'Levy Irregular light foot, carbine', 'fearing artillery' and giving 1 advantage point to the HtH opponent.
As default value, they would wear the same uniform as the 'Raw line' of the field Army, but some players devise special uniforms for their militia.

A siege Train (Siege guns and mortars) can also be added at campaign levels; the sappers / miners / workers could be provided by the 'normal' Raw Regular Foot unit.


WARGAMING SUGGESTIONS
Troop types specificities
If it is to depart from the basis simplicity of Lace Wars troop types, I greatly prefer to put the emphasis on the ‘types’ specificities rather than on any ‘national characteristics’. Thus, following the WRG H&M set (and its SYW adaptation), and with the corresponding increase in ‘points cost’ :
-Elite line infantry would move and maneuvre as Prussian infantry, and react as Russian infantry,
-Veteran line infantry would maneuvre, move and shoot as Prussian / British infantry,
-the matchlock of ‘Charging Infantry’ highlights the emphasis on close combat (together with the 'Fanatic' class), that of dismounted Dragoons their lack of adequate training,
-Skirmishing light infantry with shooting bonus, but reluctant to (reaction) and underaverage in H-t-H (except on difficult terrain)
-Elite heavy cavalry would receive the additional bonus of 'Cuirassiers' and 'French Household'
-Irregular light cavalry would move faster than its regular counterpart (and be less affected by some terrain?)
-Elite artillery would shoot as some ‘overaverage’ artillery in some ‘national’ army lists,
-Levy artillery drivers would be specially brittle: react to been shot by artillery as 'Cossacks'.


Tabletop units
Mainly based on my rather long ‘Ancient’ experience, which may be not very relevant here!
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-Standard ‘regimental’ frontage when in line / close order: 8 ‘fighting elements’ = companies; infantry 48 figs (Grant model, but the ‘supernumeraries’ are here included in the ‘elements’, not extra) in 2 ranks, cavalry 32 figs in 2 ranks.
With 28 - 30mm : 1 element = 36mm front (slightly under 1.5 inch).

-Artillery:
_ other than bton guns : 1 battery = 1 model, front 36mm limbered, 54mm in position
_ battalion gun: probably depicted manhandled only, 1 model (but of course of 'half effectiveness') + some ‘infantrymen’ minis on a 45mm front base represent the ‘half battery’+ 1 infantry company (only + 9mm viz a company frontage: bton guns ocuupied only a very minute part of a battalion front); substitute with an ‘infantry’ element when the bton gun is ‘lost’.

-Loose order: double the frontage *and the number of ranks* of the company (clearly different from the thin skirmishers line from the late 18th C. on). In practice, place the elements in ‘chessboard’ formation (total frontage unchanged, depth doubled).

-Flags: even if the historical model had more than one flag, field only one; but possibly displaying the King’s/ Leib/ Lif / Colonel's Colour on one side and the regiment / the battalion's Colour on the other.

-Do not remove casualties! Allows to have the minis permanently glued on a common element base, greatly speeds up the game. Discovered this (very heretical, by then) idea while exchanging correspondance with Phil Barker when he was preparing the WRG 7th Edition: his rationalization (that with casualties only the depth, not the frontage, of the unit decreases) certainly does not apply to the thin linear formations of the Lace Wars, but the gaming benefits are such (I experimented them with my Amazons!) that I strongly support the practice.





2nd ANNEX – EXAMPLES OF UNIFORMS TRANSLATED TO 1745 FASHION
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I A– BACKGROUND RULES 1 : COMMON CONSIDERATIONS
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*Model: preferably the parade dress, which remained longer colorful and interesting. Field dress can in some cases be used to distinguish e.g. 2nd rate units: French infantry in 1914 always wore the 'capote' on the field, thus elderly reservists of the 'Territoriale' can be given a (drab) coat of the 'capote' color above the normal blue waistcoat. Symmetrically (elements of the) field dress can be used to distinguish Elite units, when the n°1 dress was too uncharacteristic (French Foreign Legion). Then, if an unit had two 'interesting and colorful' uniform ('Horse' in buffskin + full cuirass on the field, unarmored and in cloth coat in peace time; Marines with notably different 'on board' and 'on land' uniforms; late 19th C. Tzar's Personal Escort n° 1 and n° 2 dress {once 'translated' & 'carried' to the mid-18th C., a fascinating source of "exotic" light cavalry} ...), 'duplicate' that unit. Some regiments even had three different but equally interesting uniforms (e.g. in 19th C. armies of South American countries with very contrasted climate: parade, winter field and summer field uniforms): either 'treble' each unit or merely (better?) give the parade dress to a 'Veteran / Elite' company of the regiment displaying the winter field uniform.

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*Cut of the resulting dress: as by Fontenoy time
-If ‘normal’ (i.e. European / Westerner in the widest sense):
°Basically that of the same Country
°That of the Colonizing Power for (in practice) recently independant Countries that kept the military traditions from the Colony times (e.g. English for India, Jordan, Pakistan…) ; or that of the influencing Power that caused a change of military fashion (recently the USA for numerous Countries, inclusing Germany).
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-If ‘exotic’ (hussar-like modern Bulgarian and Croatian Guards..), of the corresponding ‘exoticism’ at that time; then cannot be ‘Trained Regular Line’.
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-Peculiar features may sometimes suggest to depart from the rule and design a non-standard uniform reflecting somehow the ‘originalities’ of the model (IIIrd Reich Panzers and Parachutists, see later).
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-Departure from 'standard' fashion may be reflected in the 'new' uniform. Two French Napoleonic examples: the 'Kinsky' coat of the Chasseurs à cheval was shorter and more closely fitting than all other French patterns at that time, this would be reflected by a coat of Prussian cut (yet with French cuffs & other details); similarly for the first short 'habits-vestes', e.g. those of the Chevau-Legers Lanciers. Symmetrically in a late Napoleonic French army the old-fashioned coat of the 'Old Guard' would be reflected by a coat of WSS fashion. Among the post-1914 uniforms, the French Chasseurs des Chars de Combat (Infantry Tank Corps) who disappear in 1940 could be used to display the very peculiar plus fours 'golf breeches' worn by the French army in 1939-40 (taking into account the very 'traditional' n°1 dress of officers, could give: officers tricorn, black justaucorps with blue facings and grey cuff straps, black waistcoat, grey-blue breeches, black leather buckled 'bottines' and perhaps a blackened breastplate with inserted gorget {'armored'!}; other ranks small black beret, dark blue shortened coat -'Prussian length'- with blue facings and grey cuff flaps, dark blue waistcoat [black leather for sergeants], grey-blue breeches plus fours 'golf breeches', black low gaiters; to reflect that their historical prototype crewed Chars d'Assaut, could be depicted with short musket and oversized bayonet, sergeants with halberds combined with 2 or 4 pistols barrels fixed to the blade, junior officers with grenade-throwing 'pistol' + berdish axe...).
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*Headgear: *tricorn* of the corresponding type (varied with country) as far as possible; my ‘aesthetical rule’ requires all ‘Trained Regular Line’ to be in tricorn.
-No problem in most cases –shakos, kaskets, kepis, ‘calots’, berets: their metallic insigna (plate on Napoleonic shako, regimental badge on recent British beret) can be worn elsewhere, on the cartridge box e.g.
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-When a whole army was helmeted (France in 1792, French foot in Egypt, French Napoleonic heavy cavalry, Victorian Great Britain, Germans in pickelhaube…),
°for the ‘line’ units of all Arms, one has to suppose / invent ‘elite / veteran’ companies in helmet, converged in batallions / demi-brigades at Corps or Army level. Whole units of Guard, Light… keep their helmet; the same for 'flank' companies.
°Aesthetically (besides the standard ‘de Saxization’ of the profile: no peak, no neck piece, horizontal lower edge) German-type helmets would have the parade horsehair, even if historically not worn by the ‘translated’ unit; British-types helmets would have Monaco-type feathers.
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-Anyway top the ('Western European' s.l.) hat never flat or pointed, always rounded (change for 'bowler' top); the same for 18th C. kasket &c... Erase peaks or if large on cap, have it vertical as a mitre front plate.

*Colors:
-Major colors (-> coat and breeches):
°normally kept; if really drab and no alternative (khaki and the like for ‘heirs’ of ‘native’ units in the widest sense: Arab Legion of Jordan, some Indian and Pakistanese troops) substitute with *white* -pure, blazzing for officers, slightly ivory / cream off-white for other ranks.
°Waistcoat? Visible by 1745, almost no longer so by late Napoleonic times, invisible later: in such a case, as a rule use the color of the coat, to keep the visual bipartition upper garnments / trousers -alternatively, for early 17th C. types without waistcoat, could be the color of the breches. Then large panels of facing color on the breast (Napoleonic Bardin uniforms, e.g. Chevau-Legers) can be ‘translated’ by a colored waistcoat. A braided waistcoat (e.g. several French Napoleonic mounted types) could be translated by a 'dolman - waistcoat' of Hungarian pattern.
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-Colored lace / pipping along the leg: incompatible with ‘normal’ European 1745 uniform;
°if ‘Arm’ color (yellow for US Cavalry…) becomes facing color (lining of the coat, at least visible at the cuffs),
°if ‘decorative’ and the color does not appear elsewhere: use it on the waistcoat (recent French Customs), or if the waistcoat is visible in the 'original' with a color of its own, use the 'leg lace' color on additional buttonhole lacing on the waistcoat; alternatively if the original uniform is deprived of colored cuffs -frequent on post WWI uniforms, the color of the 'leg lace' can become the facing color of the coat.
°if ‘decorative’ and the color already appears elsewhere (garance for French 3rd Republic Artilley, Engineers…): evacuate the problem by having it as a narrow pipping of coat buttonholes (invisible even on 54mm)…
°if a mark of rank (WWII German General..), ‘translate’ by metallic embroideries (on lace of that color) on all the seams / sewings of the coat.
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-Facing color: if none and not yet provided above, search for the 'arm of service' main color on shoulder straps, badges and fanions. For 17th C. uniforms (ECW, Monmouth Rebellion...) use the characteristic color of any sash, or of the flag (often gave its nickname to the regiment).
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-Stockings and breeches: by the late 17th C. an infantryman's stockings were visible, its waistcoat hidden; by the mid-18th C. the stockings were hidden by the gaiters and the waistcoat visible: the colors are 'moved' one level up, the breeches taking the color of the original stockings, the waistcoat that of the breeches. This raises a question for junior infantry officers, in low shoes and stockings: by default they would receive stockings of the initial color, the same now as the breeches; alternatively it could be endvisaged for them, as a mak of rank, to keep the original pattern? Maybe the choice could depend upon the style / date of the original uniform (e.g. this last solution for uniforms earlier than say, 1660?). Anyway the essential point here as anywhere else for such 'translation' is to remain perfectly homogeneous / consistent across a whole given army.


*Uniform independent from 'historical' characteristics of the model: as underlined in the 'Army List' above, the aim is *only* to 'translate' in a 1745 setting / on a WAS tabletop the visual aspect of the unit. The 'characteristics' of the historical model are taken into account as far as possible (e.g. Paratroopers 'translated as' Charging Foot), but the 'look' of the uniform is the major criterium: a 'poorly' dressed unit is more likely to be translated as 'Militia' than as 'Elite'. Symmetrically, while their historical models were purely civilians, the glamorous uniforms of the 'Honour Guards' specially raised by wealthy burgers when a Sovereign passed through their city, would be given to Elite, Veteran or Fanatic troops.
Also there is the requirement to fit the unit in a 'standardized' army, and to fill all the slots of the later.
As a consequence I have no qualms to 'translate' e.g. the parade uniform of the Waffen SS, and do not feel 'Politically Incorrect' doing so: on the tabletop they are no longer *that*, only toy soldiers painted in a striking, mainly black, uniform!


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I B– BACKGROUND RULES 2 : THE CASE OF RECENT UNIFORMS
‘Interesting’ uniforms roughly cease to appear after 1914.
*Exceptions:
-recently independant or ‘reborn’ countries: ‘Guards’ in ± traditional, or colorful, dress;
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-recent regiments with pre-1914 fashion parade uniform:
°Princess Irene’s Fusiliers (Netherlands)
°‘amalgamed’ units in the UK…
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-color change of traditional uniform: after 1945 French Chasseurs Alpins and military Pompiers substituted their grey trousers with ones of the same cloth as the waist; some recent - current Police / Customs uniforms may be interesting…
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-interesting headgear only: auxiliaries in French service in Lebanon-Syria between the 2 WW, Arab Legion of Jordan… India and Pakistan provide an example (amusing for the evolutionary biologist, since its perfectly follows the model of ‘hypertrophy of male secondary sexual characters by sexual selection'): at the Independance the extremity of the turban only emerged, now (under the name of ‘Ancient pattern’ in India) it is the size of a large fan! Such cases were already alluded to: white or off-white ‘corresponding’ European uniform of 1745, keep the headgear;
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-units with original, colorful uniform:
°a few cases here and there: French pre-WW2 Tank corps (Chasseurs des Chars), IIIrd Reich Panzers, ‘Mussolini’s Musketeers’ in black….
°mainly the *Air Forces*, which generally received sooner or later a peculiar uniform of some blue (or grey): they are precious to give a colourful, original uniform to parachutists (even in countries where they belong to the land army!).
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*Treatment:
Recent uniforms are too rare in any given country, and often ‘non standard’ in some way anyway, to provide a full ‘standardized army’, so :
-I endvisage them worn by ‘non standard troop types’ of an army the bulk of which is made of pre-1914 ‘Trained Regular Line’ of the same Country (or from the colonizing –regardless of the semantic subtilities– Power by 1914).
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-The whole 1914-present period is ‘bulked’ for a given country, regardless of the changes of military fashion, political system….





II – EXAMPLE: SOME GERMAN UNIFORMS 1919 -2000
Drummers, trumpeters, musicians always with 'swallow's net.
Colours of traditional Prussian typepre-1914.

The first 2 cases are interesting, in that ‘oddities’ of the 20th C. model can be ‘translated’ into ‘abnomalies’ vz. the 1745 fashion.

*Luftwaffe Fallschrimmjägers
The peculiarity here is their ‘jumpsuit’ that reached just above the knees: associated with ‘German’, its reminds immediatly of the folkloric Tyrolean ‘slap-thighs’ dancers in leather shorts. So the uniform is set: all non-leather parts in Luftwaffe grey, including the stocks and felt local hat (oddly named ‘corsican’), with rounded top and one side raised; the feathers on the hat vary with rank, capercaillie to pheasant.
The ‘diving eagle’ of the German parachutist badge appears on the cartridge box (and the flag).
Become Sturmjägers?
Wargame-wise, as ‘charging infantry’ ‘count as’ armed with matchlock, but can be depicted with short carbines prolonged by tremendous bayonets (and not a few with blunderbuss).
Irregular Fanatic Charging Infantry


*Panzer Corps
Three obvious peculiarities: long baggy trousers, blouson-style jacket, beret concealing a kind of helmet. Keep the trousers, short kollet, add oak leavec to the beret. All in black, black facings, a little pink pipping somewhere, metal: silver. Blackened (3/4 ?) armour, knightly lance painted black, black saddlecloth, black horse… The Panzer Totenkopf appears on the cartridge box, pistol holsters, saddlecloth….
Find a name based on Panzer, in the Polish Pancerni vein?
Elite Regular Heavy Cavalry.


*Waffen SS
All in black, metal silver; ‘typically Prussian’ cut, ‘Wehrmacht’ lace on cuffs and collar. Only the shirt is white, even the cloth 'knee protection' is black; black leather buckled gaiters, WAS French Dragoons fashion. White leather belt, straps, cartridge box and grenade bag. To enhance the ‘characterization’, a Prussian mitre, intermediate between the historical Grenadier and Fusilier patterns, blackened iron with bright silver and ‘old’ (greenish) bronze inserts, black bag partly visible from the front through holes in the front plate, with some (very tiny) white and red thus appearing. Peculiarities (large grenade bag with fuse-holder on the shoulder strap, belly cartridge box, sabre…) of Grenadiers uniform, but NO mustache..
The SS Totenkopf appears on the cartridge box, pistol holsters, saddlecloth….
Elite Regular Line Infantry (at least 1 regiment) and Veteran Regular Heavy Cavalry (the later with ‘vexillum’ flag, shorter musket, sabre with 3 feet blade, grey horses), identically dressed.


* Wehrmacht
The green coat / grey breeches of pre-war parade dress can be used on a Prussian uniform ('Garde' / ‘Wehrmacht’ lace on cuffs and collar) with tricorn, e.g. for a regiment of Ausländische Freiwillige (a combination of French LVF, Belgian Flanders and Wallonie Legions, ‘Viking’...). Peculiarities (large grenade bag with fuse-holder on the shoulder strap, belly cartridge box, sabre…) of Grenadiers uniform, but NO mustache..
Provides the ‘Army’ Veteran Regular Line Infantry regiment.


* Bundespolizei (post WW2)
The Federal Police kept the ‘traditional’ green coat in a rather bright shade, thus interesting. ‘Sand’ smallclothes, of the same hue as the waistcoat of the next unit.
Same general cut as above, no grenadier-like peculiarities.
May have a 'Jaeger' (SYW Austrian-like?) -leather cape derivated from that of historical Schupos.
1st ‘Corps’ Veteran Regular Line Infantry.


* NSAPD
Cut identical to above, but medium brown coat and breeches, ‘african’ (lighter) brown (SA shirt) waistcoat.
2nd ‘Corps’ Veteran Regular Line Infantry.


* Bosniaken
Traditional Bosnian costume, light-medium brown, a white turban around the fez
Warrior Irregular Skirmishing Light Infantry.


* Licht Dragoner
An interesting drawing in Funcken’s ‘WW2’: pre-Anchluss Austrian cavalry, with a (false ?) coat worn as a pelisse. Transcripton straightforward, colors kept; tricorn
Veteran Regular Light Cavalry regiment.


* Vlassov
From both Funcken and Kannick one can derive two different types of Cossacks, in ‘typical’ (if anachronical) costume, one in Wehrmacht colors, the other in grey with bachlich, with different fur hats. Russian sadlery and ponies, yet no light lance.
2 Warrior Irregular Light Cavalry regiments.


* NSSK + Todt Organisation
Provide the Horse Artillery crews and drivers, the former with an adapation of the NSKK odd leather helmet, the later with a frederician fatigue cap and less, or none, buttonhole lace.


* Bundeswehr
Drastic uniform change, and rather ‘demilitarized’ appearance. ‘British Militia in North America’ dresses and tricorn, grey coat and waistcoat, black breeches. The ‘civilian’ look suggests to use them as Raw Regular Infantry (pioneers / militia).


* Fictitious uniform
The 'stereotypical' German infantry that went to America in the Oumpah-pah story could provide the 2nd Elite Regular Line Infantry regiment (Ktazenblummerswishshündwagenplaaftenbomm IR). WWI 'feldgrau'-like green coat, white waistcoat and breeches, white facings but cuffs as coat; troop 'Prussian' infantry coat with low upstanding collar, lapels, sergeants no lapels but yellow lace in the form of *short* buttonhole lacing on coat (along whole front) and edging the waistcoat, officers old-fashioned coat (justaucorps) without lapels but with low standing collar. Late 19th C. Prussian Guard mitre, yellow cloth rear; officers feathered tricorn. Metal: brass.


Concluding remark: as with all cases of post-1914 uniforms, all the 'Regular Trained' part of the army, and here almost all the artillery, would be 'provided' by 'pre-1914' historical units.

Toyed with the ‘Color Permuataion’ utility of the Graphic Converter shareware. The originals (3rd column from the left) were 5 of David’s SYW uniform templates colored historically by Ed Youngstorm.

Another experiment with the color modification utilities of GraphicConverter, starting with some of David’s templates, colored by other wargamers to depict regiments of the Grand Duchies of Hetzenberg and Stollen, and of the Soweiter League, slightly modified.

Test of the ‘standard’ color permutations: original 2nd column from the left.

Rotation around the chromatic circle: same original, 1st column from the left.



Another series, trying to start with a different batch of colors.
David’s SYW templates colored to display regiments of the Grand Duchy of Steglitz, the Soweiter League and the Republik der Neue Sudland, slightly altered to increase the number of intial hues.
Original 6th column from the left.

'Converted' tartans are hideous, but once each has been 'averaged' in a solid color, the corresponding silouhettes may provide ideas for militia types?

Of course, one can try a succession of permutations; Hussars are naturally colorful: with his white braidings and buttons, David’s Bercheny one is specially propitious to multiple color permutations.

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Another of David’s templates, used to test possible uniforms for the Batrachian Artillery (4th from the right). The tricorn was ‘disconnected’ before treatment. The original, and the 3rd from the left, are dark enough for gun crews. Otherwise, with seemingly boots, these designs could be inspirational for (dismounted) Dragoons?

But in practice, what did I actually do? I read a lot, toyed with ideas but materially did nothing. Yet, presumptuous as it may seem from someone who never owned a single wargame miniature in tricorn, I posted some (bibliography-based) considerations on how to design an imaginary Lace Wars army that "looks 'right'". Also a 'Defense and Illustration of fictional armies' in the 'Fictitious Lace Wars Countries' post, and comparisons between so-called 'historical' and 'fictional' wargame campaigns, countries and armies in the 'Historical wargames' one: in both cases, according to local practice, more to read in the attached comments than in the original -yet edited and 'improved' afterwards- post.

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