Saxons - difference between 1866 & 1870

[cameronian]

Cam

What are the base sizes?

Chad

1cm = 25m

Prussian line, Saxon line, half battalion stand 4cms x 1.5cms, French line half battalion stand (smaller battalions tho still in a linear formation), 3cms x 1.5cms, Austrian line half battalion stand 3cms x 2cms reflecting depth. Two Prussian, Saxon, French stands one behind the other represent coy column; end to end represents line. Standard regimental formation for the above is three battalions, two up front in line and available to fire, one in reserve.
Austrians, two stands side by side shock column (180 files wide, 6 ranks deep, approximates to 150m wide by 50m deep) two Austrian stands one behind the other is a battalion column (can attck but mainly for manouvre).

Prussian, Saxon, French Artillery (six gun batteries) 1.5cms x 2cms, Austrian artillery (eight gun batteries) 2cms x 3cms. Limbers are essentially 'dressing' and are removed when the gun unlimbers, the stand size represents the guns, limbers etc frontage and depth.

All jaegers are in 'strong' companies, 4 stands to a battalion, 2cms x 1.5cms. Austrian jaegers may be formed into shock columns.

All cavalry are in 'strong' squadrons, 4 stands to a regiment 2cms x 3cms, two formations column for movement and line for assault.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

YES!
2 good pieces of news to do with this thread:
Firstly, my 1866 books from Helion are on the way, now I've got them to get my address right. 
Secondly, I finally won Funky Kong tonight (thanks Leon!) My daugher is soooo jealous right now 

[cameronian]

Funky Kong!!!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Funky Kong! On Mario Kart Wii (it was an aside half way through this thread)

[cameronian]

I know.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

He's coooool! And my daugther is still very jealous!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Okay - thread necromancy here chaps!
The sources I have describe Saxon's in 'sky blue' - which is about a pale a blue as I've ever seen, however the picture links on page one of the site are much darker.
Any suggestions for a suitable paint colour for 1866 Saxons?
Mad Lemmey

[mollinary]

I think some sort of cornflower blue would be appropriate. That is the description attached to a cavalry tunic on display in the Dresden army museum when I visited a few years ago.  It was dark enough for Austrians at Konigratz to mistake approaching Prussians (I assume in feldmutzen?) for Saxons, so I think sky blue doesn't exactly cover it. I think I went for a Vallejo mid blue. But looking at the colours currently on my bench I think Foundry's Bavarian Cornflower blue, 73 b, would provide a good base, highlighted to personal taste.

Mollinary

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Thanks Mollinary, appreciate it.

[cameronian]

Truth to tell there probably wasn't one set shade, QA in 1866 wouldn't have been that good and the pre-anilene dyes were notorious for fading. Knotel has the Saxons in pale blue but I've seen contemporary illustrations much darker (? Ottenfeld).
The Bavarians ordered new uniforms for the victory parade through Munich in 1871 but were horrified to discover on unpacking that they were a fetching shade of lilac/purple; red faces all round.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Right, they're started. 
Now the next annoying question:

What colour are Saxon artillery pieces?

[cameronian]

Grey. Remember Saxon gunners wore green tunics not pale blue and no, I don't know the exact shade 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Thanks sir!
I just found this too!
http://1815-1918.blogspot.com/2010/05/saxon-infantry-and-artillery-1866.html 

[mollinary]

Mad Lemmey,

Thanks for the link, not seen that before - but the blue is about what I was suggesting in terms of dark/light.  Cameronian has a good point on the gunners - the Saxons are not the only ones to have a completely different uniform colour for their artillery men - the Austrians have a shade of brown for their tunics, and the Bavarians go for an all dark blue uniform (this latter catches lots of people out, including me before I became a complete hyphenated wars nerd!).
Cheers,

Mollinary

[Hertsblue]

I used Cornflower Blue for my Saxons, Lemmy. I always rationalise these things by pointing out that after a few weeks in the field all uniform colours fade.

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/1866%20-%20So%20far/SaxonInfantry3.jpg