Bavarian Dragoon?

[tim.w]

Anyone know what the centre cavalry is? These are Bavarians but I'm guessing a Dragoon of sorts? Thinking of doing a shiny unit of them.

screen capture software

[DougM]

I would have thought Austrian, but someone smart will be along in a second...

[World2dave]

I think they're Austrian too. The pennons are a strong hint, as is the light blue with red trousers on the other two.
Knotel shows an 1890 Austrian Dragoon looking spot on for the middle figure, although there is no mention of brown. It could be a field undress coat, or a border unit, etc.

[Peeler]

Either way, looks good

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Just seen this - I would say definitely Austrians, based on the colour mix and specific uniform items. Certainly no Bavarian cavalry unit, to my knowledge, ever wore a brown top/red trahsis combo.

[tim.w]

Hmm, the above image came up when I was searching Bavarian Cavalry 1880's. Also found this one https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/bavaria ... 564607088/

I'm inclined to think they are Bavarians, the Lancer almost definately is. Dont think the Austrians had the Prussian/Polish style Czapachka (spelling wrong)

As for the brown jacket guy I've still not come up with anything. Was hoping the Baron would know? I can see why he'd seem Austrian and you might think artilery with the brown jacket?

I think the shiny unit will be known as Dragoons of the Dutchy of Bavaustria.

[FreddBloggs]

Tyrolean Mountain Cavalry surely.

[Spanner]

I'd say he's Austrian as well- that's an Austrian helmet.

https://web.archive.org/web/20071109145 ... m3_237.jpg

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Hmm, the above image came up when I was searching Bavarian Cavalry 1880's. Also found this one https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/bavaria ... 564607088/

I would be very careful taking a lot of the 19th Century artwork at face value, unless they are drawn from a reputable source (Ottenfeld & Teuber for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for example; Cantler for the Bavarians). A lot of the plates on the page you linked to are Austrian troops - far more than there are Bavarian figures. I wonder if these are supposed to be just prior to WW1, when a lot of Austrian troops adopted the blue-grey tunics shown on the hussar and the uhlan? Unfortunately, blue is a very awkward colour to interpret as, both photographically, and in terms of pigment longevity in paintings, it doesn't reproduce very well. A lot of misunderstanding about "Bavarian blue" is the result of the lightening of the colour over time in contemporary artwork, which is then copied by other artists.

If only we had someone on here who knew a lot about blue paint.....

I'm inclined to think they are Bavarians, the Lancer almost definately is. Dont think the Austrians had the Prussian/Polish style Czapachka (spelling wrong)

Ah, yes they did, I'm afraid - all three regiments of Uhlans wore them during the Napoleonic period. There were a LOT of Polish troops in the Austro-Hungarian army throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Also, the yellow/black lance pennon combo is very definitely A-H, albeit upside down.

As for the brown jacket guy I've still not come up with anything. Was hoping the Baron would know? I can see why he'd seem Austrian and you might think artilery with the brown jacket?

Grenzer (frontier/border troops) also wore brown and had small cavalry units attached to them from time to time, though I had always thought these were mainly hussars; I suppose the guy could be horse artillery, but seems unlikely as they wore caps. The helmet is definitely Austrian, as Spanner says; the only other suggestion I can offer is that he might be from the Staff Dragoons, who were there to support/protect the army's HQ, which would explain the red trousers as they were an indication of general/staff status.

I think the shiny unit will be known as Dragoons of the Dutchy of Bavaustria.

Hey, 1st Law of Wargaming, mate - your cash, your figures, your rules.

[RMD]

Yeah I was wondering horse artillery, but the helmet and trouser colour don't fit.

As the Baron says, the Austrian Uhlans always wore czapka, though as far as my limited knowledge goes, they had green uniforms with red plastron throughout the 19th Century.

I was wondering if this might be an example of one of those black & white prints that are later tinted by a third party who might simply have made shit up...