Regiment de Munster

The Regiment de Munster is a Irish Regiment in Swiss service. They wear a Bavarian style uniform but in dark grey with red facings and grey stockings. The drummer wears reverse coat and facings and red stockings.

15mm Dixon's figures (click on images to enlarge).

Regiment de Spilberg

The Regiment de Spilberg has the usual Bavarian blue coats with red facings. The grenadiers have reverse coats and facings but do not have a mitre, they simply have a tricorn. Stockings are grey and the tricorn is lined in white.

15mm Dixons figures, infantry at the ready.

Regiment de Lutzebe

Another regiment of foot passes out on parade. The Lutzebe Regiment has the standard Bavarian blue coat with red facings. In most regiments the drummer has opposite coat and facings to the rest of the regiment but not in this case - his coats is blue and he has white facings. Another peculiarity of this regiment is that they have a white and black cockade on the tricorn (which is not lined).

15mm figures by Dixon. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Leib Regiment

The third battalion to take to the field this week is the Leib Regiment (Life Guards). Pictured here is the Grenadier firing (note the sling and fur mitre). The uniform is Bavarian blue, with blue facings and grey stockings. This battalion has the distinction of having red ammunition boxes. The drummer wears the opposite to the rest of the line.

15mm figures by Dixons, Grenadier firing fur mitre.

Regiment de Maffei

The Maffei Regiment have a blue coat (based on the Prussian uniform) with buff facings, grey stockings and black unlined caps.

The top figure pictured is a Grenadier (note the sling on the rifle so that they can throw grenades). The ratio of Grenadiers to Muskets is about 1:20 in these regiments. The drummers wear the opposite to the infantry.

Often in battle the Grenadiers were brought together to form a composite battalion.

Senior NCOs of this regiment wore a Green coat. Pictured here is the Colour Sergeant (Standard Bearer).

15mm Dixon figures Grenadier advancing. Click on image to enlarge.

Kur Prince Regiment

The Kur Prince Regiment takes to the field after receiving new uniforms. The coats are "Bavarian blue" with blue facings, grey stockings and silver lining on the tricorn. The drummers (not pictured) wear the opposite to the infantry.

Figures are 15mm Dixon figures (from left to right: Officer, Standard Bearer and Musketeer). Click on photo to enlarge.

Field exercise

After months of training the recruits go on their first field exercise.


[Click on the image to enlarge]

Cheval: Concise Gendarmerie

The town of Concise also brought together the first Cavalry unit to come out of the new training system. Taken from the Corps de Gendarmerie these experienced men are keen to show-off their advance horsemanship - let's hope that they are as brave in front of the enemy as they seem confident in the saddle.

The uniform is a green coat of the Gendarmerie with green facings and black fittings. They have a gold trimmed tricorn and buttons and carry both the sword and the musket.

Size: 6 figures - this is about 1/3rd of the expected size of cavalry units.

[15mm Dixon cavalry from their Malburian (most) and Great Northern War (trooper with sword above head) range. Click on the photo to enlarge.]

Regiment de Concise

Most of the men from this regiment were from the town of Concise on the shores of Lac Neuchatel. They seem to be townsmen who are in need of exercise although their drill seems second to none.

The standard is a rampant red lion on a white background. The uniform is Prussian blue with yellow facings and blue stockings (yellow for officers), the hat has a yellow lining. The drummer wears a yellow coat with blue facings and yellow stockings. The drum is red with white ropes.

The battalion only carries one colour.

[15mm figures by Essex from their Malburian range. The standard bear is converted from a Staff Sergeant (Essex) by adding a Dixon's flag to it. Click on the image to enlarge.]

Regiment de Villar Burquin

The men of the Regiment de Villar Burquin have mountain blood running through their viens, they all come from and around the steep hilled village of Villar Burquin. Many years they have climbed up and down the villages vinyards. They could probably march for days without rest.

The standard is a white horse upon a red background. The uniform is Prussian blue with white facings and brown stockings (yellow for officers). The tricorns are lined in grey (yellow for the drummer). The drummer wears a yellow coat, yellow stockings and blue facings. His drum is red with white ropes.

The battalion only carries one colour.

[15mm Essex figures from their Malburian range. The standard bear is converted from a Staff Sergeant (Essex) by adding a Dixon's flag to it. Click on the image to enlarge.]

Regiment de Giez

The men of The Regiment de Giez were drawn from good strong famer stock from the region North West of Lac de Neuchatel.

The standard: The crest of Giez, surmounted by a golden crown on a white background. The whole on top of the red and white stripes of Bourmont.

The uniform: Prussian blue with yellow facings, grey stockings. The hat has a grey lining. The drummer wears grey coat and blue facings, he carries a red drum with white rope.

The battalion only carries one colour.

Size: 20 figures - which is about 1/3rd the forecase size of foot battalions.

[15mm Essex figures from the Marlburian range. The officer is from Dixons Malburian range. The standard bear is converted from a Staff Sergeant (Essex) by adding a Dixon's flag to it. Click on the photo to enlarge]

Patrick de St-Suplice

The latest reformations were the brain-child of Patrick de St-Suplice. He claimed the reason of his pushing for these changes was provide stable work for the local youth, but we knew it was because he had money, he liked money and wanted to make himself some more money.

His idea was simple. He would train up troops and offer them as mercenaries to the highest bidder. Crops were poor, income low and few jobs for the young so his timing was perfect. He had thousands of young dissolutioned men who wanted adventure and he had the money to train them into highly tuned fighting machines.

I don't trust him, I don't even like him but if I play my cards right I can get everything that I always wanted.

[15mm Figure by Essex, from their ECW range. Click on the photo to enlarge]

From Pike to Shot

The older generation always said that the transition from Pike to Shot (1680 - 1700) was the most difficult period in Swiss military history. Pike had always been the weapon of choice for us and we had been the creme-de-la-creme of European soldiers for nearly 200 years. Loosing the weapon that elevated us to that position was like swallowing a jagged little pill. It was tough but necessary.

Still it is difficult to believe that the change was any worse that what we had been through over the last few years. A lot had changed and, for those of us that understood, a lot still had to change.Every marathon begins with a single step and we had taken that first step...

[The Chateau de Grandson - training camp for Infantry]