Couple of questions

Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 100 Location: Miami, FL

Hello everyone, I had a few questions:

1.Did the Hessians fight during the Napoleonic Wars?

2.If so,what years did they fight and who did they fight for?

I ask because there's a guy at my local store who would be interested in playing Napoleonics if he could play as the Hessians.Thanks in advance for the replies!

Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Newcastle Australia

Wikapedia refers to Hessians (Hessen) as people from the German state of Hesse. Yes they did fight during the Napoleonic Wars

http://www.histofig.com/empire/uniform.php

Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 100 Location: Miami, FL

Thanks!but who did they fight for? I know that they were used by the British during the American Revolution but did they use 'em against the French?

Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Newcastle Australia

The German states of Hesse-Darmstatd and Hesse-Kassal fought for the French. They fought in Russia, Spain and in 'Germany'.
They fought against the Spanish, Portugese and British at different times as countries changed alliances, the fought against Russia and Sweden and they fought against Prussia.

Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 100 Location: Miami, FL

ah ok.Thanks! How can I represent them in "Victory in the Ages"?

Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Newcastle Australia

Info from Histofig
In 1806 the army of the Grand Duchy of Hesse includes:
- 3 "brigades" of infantry
- 1 regiment of light horse (3 squads of 120 men)
- 1 hussar regiment (licensed end 1806)
Each brigade comprises infantry battalions musketeers 2 and 1 rifle battalion (light infantry battalion is 4 companies of 160 men each.
In 1808 the regiment (formerly brigade) Erbprinz leaves for Spain. It is reorganized along the lines french: the rifle battalion is formed into 2 companies voltigeurs and 2 grenadiers who are assigned to 2 battalions of musketeers.
In 1809 the other two regiments (without their rifle battalions) will campaign in the IV Corps Massena, and the light horse, now 4 squads.
For the Russian campaign, 2 Hessian infantry regiments accompany the Imperial Guard. The regiment of riflemen, created by combining the rifle battalions, is part of the 4 division. As the light horse, they are in the IX Corps.
Hessian returned to Russia in fairly good condition. They took part in the campaign of Germany in 1813, but with infantry companies reduced, about 120 men.

Hesse-Darmstadt was part of the Confederation of the Rhine. Early versions of Victory in the Ages included an army list with them in it.

Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 117 Location: Cheltenham

Yeah we did a while back a selection of List for other nations for Victory in the Ages. Thier not available for download at the mo becasue were thinking of re doing them and sorting them out like the main 5 ones are now but this will take time.

Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Newcastle Australia

Del'pech wrote:

ah ok.Thanks! How can I represent them in "Victory in the Ages"?

A Hessian based army/brigade of the Confederation of the Rhine in NapFow.

Leval’s German Division in Spain. http://home.wanadoo.nl/g.vanuythoven/Talavera%201809.htm

You will require 3 battalions minimum. The 1st two should be Hesse-Darmstadt battalions.

The third battalion should be a battalion from Frankfurt.

Each Battalion with 1,2 or 4 companies with an option of a light infantry and a Grenadier company attached to each.

If you want more Line battalions use Nassau, Baden or Dutch battalions. The artillery should be Dutch and Baden.

For playability add some Light infantry, grenadier and cavalry units form the other Confederation states. Nassau, Schwarzburg, Lippe, Reuss and Waldeck.

If you wish to add more variety use some French units (58th and 75th Line regiments) but remember they will cost one and a half times their normal cost.

You can dumb the units down one level of either their skill or motivation and save 15pt per company this will give you cheaper units.

Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Minnesota, USA

One note:

The Elector of Hesse-Kassel backed the wrong horse (Prussia) in 1806 and paid for it be being sacked by Napoleon. Hesse-Kassel was absorbed into the new Kingdom of Westphalia that Napoleon set up for his little brother Jerome.

All Hessian troops listed between 1806-1813 would be from Hesse-Darmstadt.

As an interesting aside, in 1866, Hesse-Kassel again backed the wrong horse (Austria) and paid for that by being officially annexed by Prussia.