The war for the Spanish throne has begun; will you join the Grand Alliance or fight for the Sun King using these new units?
When Charles II of Spain died in 1700, he left no heirs. There were two possible contenders for the throne. The Hapsburg, Archuduke CHarles of Austria, and the Bourbon, Philip, Duke of Anjou, who was also the grandson of Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’. Possesion of the lands and wealth of Spain would make whichever house inherited it immensely powerful on the world stage. And so when Louis XIV recognised his grandson as King Philip V of Spain in 1701, a ‘Grand Alliance’ was created to oppose him, consisting primiarily of the Holy Roman Empire (Austria), The Dutch Republic, Britain, Denmark, Portugal and some factions in Spain along with many of the German states.
The subsequent War of the Spanish Succession was fought in Flanders, in Italy, Spain, along the Rhine and even overseas in the colonies. It involved all of the major European powers either directly or indirectly, as some hired out their armies as mercenaries to the highest bidder.
The army of the Grand Alliance
Infantry formed the main back bone of any force within the history known world, the man makes the army. Drilled to near perfection, trained to withstand anything and fighting for a just cause, these men are determined to fight and die for their country.
Within this boxed set you will find all the parts necessary to recreate many of the units that fought for the Grand Alliance. Each box is designed to allow you to create a 24 strong battalion consisting of 20 rank and file, two standard bearers, one drummer and one officer. The variety of heads allows you to re-create each nationality as well allowing you to personalise your army and make each unit unique. The drummer has a mitre head or a tricorne, depending on the nationality of the regiment you are creating, whilst the Officer may have a sash to the side or front. He also has a choice of sword or pistol to lead his men against the dastardly French.
You will also find enclosed a selection of colours carried by the nations of the Grand Alliance. Presented here are Dutch, English, German and Scots regimental colours along with the colours of the British Guards regiment.
Also provided are head options, pouches and belly boxes to allow you to create a separate company of Grenadiers to replace the line infantry. The headgear worn by the Grenadiers often varied between nationalities but those included here represent most commonly used.
Contains:
24 plastic Allied Infantry:
- 20 musketeers (options to build four grenadiers).
- 4 command figures: officer, drummer and two ensigns.
- 4-page background and assembly guide including eight full-colour flags.
Cavalry tactics during the period were in transition. Some cavalry were still firing their pistols at the enemy to disrupt their formation before closing at the trot, a tactic that had proved successful against pike armed infantry.
Within this boxed set you will find all the parts necessary to recreate many of the cavalry squadrons that fought for the Grand Alliance. Each box is designed to allow you to create a 12 strong squadron, consisting of 9 cavalrymen, one standard bear, one bugler and one officer.
The variety of heads and bodies allow you to re-create numerous cavalry types, as well as allowing you to personalise your army and make each unit unique.
Grenadier heads have also been included for your to model the elite Horse Grenadier squadrons.
Included are standard cavalry bodies, which may be combined with tricorne heads to produce line cavalry. Also, bodies with cuirass are provided for heavier cavalry who may also have tricornes or the heavy ‘Lobster Pot’ design. For those of you who wish to use these miniatures to represent Dragoons, spare muskets have also been provided to model this often underrated troop type.
Sword arms and pistol arms are included to allow you to choose which tactics your cavalry will employ. Will it be pistol at the trot, or swords in a headlong charge?
Contains:
- 12 plastic cavalry including officer, bugler and optional standard bearer. Options for cuirassiers, dragoons, horse grenadiers and line cavalry regiments.
- 4-page background and construction leaflet including eight full-colour flags/guidons.
To ensure that King Louis doesn’t take the Spanish throne; the Grand Alliance has allowed a law that allows you to field more units and these deals are here to help!
The army of the Sun King
An army is also a symbol of their king, his prestige and majesty so it’s only right that the King Louis’ own army will be the most powerful within Europe to represent him as the most powerful king. His men will deliver the Spanish throne to him, no matter how many ‘puny’ countries band together to stop him.
Within this boxed set you will find all the parts necessary to recreate many of the units that fought to support the claim of Louis XIV. Each box is designed to allow you to create a 24 strong battalion consisting of 20 rank and file, two standard bearers, one drummer and one officer. The variety of heads allows you to re-create each nationality as well as allowing you to personalise your army and make each unit unique. The drummer has a mitre head or a tricorne, depending on the nationality of the regiment you are creating, whilst the Officer may have a sash to the side or front. He also has a choice of sword or pistol to lead his men against the Holy Roman Empire and their dastardly allies.
You will also find enclosed a selection of colours carried by King Louis’ fores and his allies. Presented here are two French line regimental colours, one Bavarian regimental colour, and one colour of the “Wild Geese,” Irish regiments in French service. Also included are the colours of the French Guards.
Also provided are head options, pouches and belly boxes to allow you to create a separate company of grenadiers to replace the line infantry. The headgear worn by the grenadiers often varied between nationalities, and sometimes between regiments, but those included here represent the most commonly used.
Contains:
24 plastic Allied Infantry:
- 20 musketeers (options to build four grenadiers).
- 4 command figures: officer, drummer and two ensigns.
- 4-page background and assembly guide including eight full-colour flags.
Some cavalry units used their modern tactics but others stuck to their traditional methods, such as the Duke of Marlborough’s cavalry, they were ordered to charge headlong with swords drawn to maximise the shock of impact.
Within this boxed set you will find all the parts necessary to recreate many of the cavalry squadrons that fought for Louis XIV. Each box is designed to allow you to create a 12-strong squadron, consisting of nine cavalrymen, one standard bearer, one bugler and one officer.
The variety of heads and bodies allow you to re-create numerous cavalry types, as well as allowing you to personalise your army and make each unit unique.
Included are standard cavalry bodies, which may be combined with tricorne heads to produce line cavalry. Also, bodies with cuirass are provided for heavier cavalry who may also have tricornes or the heavy “Lobster Pot” design. For those of you who wish to use these miniatures to represent Dragoons, spare muskets have also been provided to model this often under rated troop type.
Grenadier heads have been included for you to model the elite Horse Grenadier squadrons that some nations employed and the early French Grenadier à Cheval.
Sword arms and pistol arms are included to allow you to choose which tactics your cavalry will employ. Will it be pistols at the trot, or swords in a headlong charge?
Contains:
- 12 plastic cavalry including officer, bugler and optional standard bearer. Options for cuirassiers, dragoons, horse grenadiers and line cavalry regiments.
- 4-page background and construction leaflet including eight full-colour flags/guidons.
King Louis will go to any lengths for the Spanish throne; he wants to outnumber the alliance armies tenfold! Use these deals to help his wish come true.
Can use for both armies!
The effective use of Artillery during this period was still in its infancy. Most guns were heavy and cumbersome, and once deployed usually did not move again during the battle. Trained artillery men were also rare, with soldiers from the ranks often drafted in to help move or man the guns.
Within this boxed set you will find all the parts necessary to create three artillery pieces. This is a choice of barrels allowing you to choose either eight pounder or twelve pounder options. Each gun is manned by four crew, who have a variety of head and arm options to allow you to vary their appearance as much as you wish. Their dress and appearance allows them to be used as generic artillery crew for the majority of European nations during this period. Also included are spare barrels, buckets and roundshot to decorate your artillery bases and to make your guns look like they are in the heat of battle!
You will also find enclosed three mounted officers. These can be used as commanders to direct your artillery or, should you so wish, they can be detached to act as Colonels or Brigade commanders for your infantry or cavalry. Sufficient head and arm options are provided for whichever option you choose to make.
Contains:
- 3 plastic artillery pieces (with a choice of 8- or 12-pounder barrels)
- 12 multi-pose plastic artillery crew.
- 3 plastic mounted officers.
- A selection of cannonballs, barrels and buckets.
- Background and construction leaflet.
What’s better than three cannons? Six!
By the end of the war, however, the artillery had turned into a well trained, professional part of the European army and was well on the way to becoming key part of combined arms tactics.
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
