WBritain
Master Sergeant
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2005
- Messages
- 1,330
43rd Regiment of Foot Centre Company firings…
I set up the newly arrived 43rd Regiment of Foot infantry figures to illustrate typical 18th massed musketry. These new figures represent soldiers wearing the uniforms of the 8 companies that made up the bulk of a British infantry regiment of the period. These soldiers were often referred to as Hat or Centre Company men with a Grenadier Company wearing bearskin caps positioned on the right flank and a Light Company wearing small caps placed on the left flank bringing the total to 10 companies forming a regiment. Each company would roughly have a strength of between 47 and 60 men along with additional officers, NCOs, musicians and pioneers, bringing a full strength regiment to about 642 officers and men.
Massed musketry was highly effective with a trained infantryman loading and firing his weapon 3 times a minute. Firings could be done in many ways, including firings by Battalion, Company, Platoons and Sections. Firings could also be rolling from one flank to the other, or even by single ranks. In these two photos I set our new “Hat Men” up to represent firing by ranks and also by sections. Even though this is an under strength company of 25 “Other Ranks” 2 Sergeants, a company officer, two drummers and an Ensign with the King’s Colour, it is pretty impressive. Imagine twice as many figures set up just to replicate one company!
I set up the newly arrived 43rd Regiment of Foot infantry figures to illustrate typical 18th massed musketry. These new figures represent soldiers wearing the uniforms of the 8 companies that made up the bulk of a British infantry regiment of the period. These soldiers were often referred to as Hat or Centre Company men with a Grenadier Company wearing bearskin caps positioned on the right flank and a Light Company wearing small caps placed on the left flank bringing the total to 10 companies forming a regiment. Each company would roughly have a strength of between 47 and 60 men along with additional officers, NCOs, musicians and pioneers, bringing a full strength regiment to about 642 officers and men.
Massed musketry was highly effective with a trained infantryman loading and firing his weapon 3 times a minute. Firings could be done in many ways, including firings by Battalion, Company, Platoons and Sections. Firings could also be rolling from one flank to the other, or even by single ranks. In these two photos I set our new “Hat Men” up to represent firing by ranks and also by sections. Even though this is an under strength company of 25 “Other Ranks” 2 Sergeants, a company officer, two drummers and an Ensign with the King’s Colour, it is pretty impressive. Imagine twice as many figures set up just to replicate one company!
