Army: Saxe-Coburn und Buchholz

The Grand Duchy of Saxe-Coburn und Buchholz maintains a standing army of 10 infantry regiments, 6 cavalry regiments and 2 artillery regiments. The rough establishment strength is 27,000 officers and men.

Infantry Uniforms & Organisation

The line infantry is composed of Musketeer and Jaeger regiments with an establishment strength of 1,600 officers and men in two battalions of 800 men each. One battalion serves in the field and one in depot providing training and replacements. Each is organised into 16 companies, 12 of line infantry and 4 of grenadiers.

The line infantry is supplemented by the Garde Grenadiers zu Fuss, Grenzers and at times foreign mercenary regiments. Typically, each province can support a single infantry regiment from the local population.

Regiments carry two colours, the Inhaber’s (or colonel’s) colour and a ducal colour. Regimental colours follow a standard pattern with the highlight colour being the facing colour of the regiment.

IR Nr. I - Herzog Mikhail
Garde Grenadiers zu Fuss

The Garde Grenadiers zu Fuss (Foot Guards) has an establishment strength the same as the line infantry, however battalions are organised into 16 companies of grenadiers only. As the senior regiment they are an elite unit and entry into the regiment is by invitation only. All ranks are effectively one rank higher than regular units, meaning the lowest private outranks his equivalent in the Musketeers, Jaegers and Grenzers.

Musketeers and Jaegers

Regular regiments are divided into two groups, based on whether they are raised from Saxe-Coburn or Buchholz provinces. There is no distinction between regiments from an organisational or tactical point of view, rather the distinctions are reflected in uniform style and colour. Jaegers wear green coats to reflect their more mountainous and forested origin.

Grenzers

Grenzer regiments are light infantry, taught to fight in skirmish formation. The establishment strength is 1,200 officers and men organised into 2 battalions of 12 companies each. Grenzer regiments do not carry colours.



Cavalry Uniforms & Organisation

The cavalry are less formally organised, coming from a background of nobility and often with a longer history and greater sense of identity between regiments. There is no standard for uniform colours, each regiment reflecting their Inhaber’s (or colonel’s) own idea of how they should be clothed and mounted.

Medium and Heavy Cavalry

Medium and heavy cavalry regiments have an establishment strength of 1,600 officers and men, however entire regiments are never seen in the field as single entity. The effective strength of these regiments is typically 800 officers and men organised in 16 squadrons with the remainder in depot duty as per the infantry.

CR I is the Leibgarde Kuirassier regiment. Like their equivalent regiment in the infantry, these are an elite unit and entry into the regiment is by invitation only. All ranks are effectively one rank higher than regular units, meaning the lowest private outranks his equivalent in the other horse regiments. All horses in the regiment are greys, unlike other regiments where only officers may ride grey mounts.


Light Cavalry

Light cavalry regiments have an establishment strength of 1,200 officers and men. The effective strength of these regiments is typically 600 officers and men organised in 12 squadrons with the remainder in depot duty. Their role is primarily scouting and harassment, hence their smaller establishment strengths.


Artillery Uniforms & Organisation

The artillery are unlike the other arms of service in that all ranks from the lowest private to the senior officers all attend the artillery school at Bad Rücklauf in Katze-und-Hundmeim. They refer to themselves as “wissenschaftliche soldaten” or “scientific soldiers”. The artillery do not carry colours.

Both Foot and Horse artillery are organised along the same lines, with each regiment containing 2 batteries of 3 guns and a single howitzer. There is also a single regiment of Train of Artillery who provide transport duties. Each of the three totals 500 officers and men at establishment strength. Unlike other arms, there is no depot battalion and recruits are assigned straight from the artillery school to their units.


Note: Uniform templates courtesy of the superb Not By Appointment blog.

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