Famous 18th Century Regiments

**Sir Beane** · 01-21-2009, 15:22

Good idea Fisherking!

I too hope CA make extra special forces regiments available for download at some point. I would like to the see The Black Watch in paticular.

The Black Watch were initially raised as a militia in Scotland, 1725, after the failure of the 1715 Jacobite uprising.

Britian could not afford to station many troops in Scotland, so they instead recruited many locals to help keep order.

The Black Watch were originally formed as a miltia unit designed to stop thievery, paticularly cattle rustling. They take their name from their job as watchmen and the very dark green government-issued tartan which they wore.

They rebelled in 1743 after rumors that they would be shipped to the West Indies, and many of the ringleaders wer eexecuted in the tower of London.

Floowing that they were stationed in Flanders. In 1745 they took part in the Battle of Fontenoy, where they apparently surpised the French and their own commanders with their ferocity in battle.

They were known to have 'their own way of fighting'. When recieving a french musket volley their commanding officer Colonel Robert Munro ordered them to 'clap to the ground.' Their soldiers dived to the ground, allowing the bullets to pass over their heads, then got up and returned fire at the suprised frenchmen. This echoes military tactics used succesfully much later (cover, fire, cover, fire etc.).

Once they were close enough the the enemy they took cover for a final time, then rose to their feet and charged the French line, driving them back.

Since this succesful start they have been a part of the British military right up until modern times, recently seeing action in Iraq where they took casualties from IED's.

They saw extensive action during the War of Independance, the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War and the Boer War.

**Fisherking** · 01-21-2009, 16:06

While we are on Scots, here is another. Horsemen!

Royal Scots Greys

The Royal Scots Greys was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1678 until 1971, when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) to form The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys).

The regiment's history began in 1678, when three independent troops of Scots Dragoons were raised. In 1681 these troops were regimented to form The Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons, numbered the 4th Dragoons in 1694. They were already mounted on grey horses by this stage and were already being referred to as the Grey Dragoons. In 1707 they were renamed The Royal North British Dragoons (North Britain then being the envisaged common name for Scotland), but were already being referred to as the Scots Greys. In 1713 they were renumbered the 2nd Dragoons, as it was established that only one regiment of English dragoons had existed prior to their creation. In 1877 their nickname was finally made official when they became the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys), which was inverted in 1921 to The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons). They kept this title until 2 July 1971, when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers.
An album called Last of The Greys by the Royal Scots Greys regimental band was released in 1971 - from which the track Amazing Grace went, astonishingly, to top of the "Top 40" charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
Up until at least the Second World War, The Greys also had a popular, if somewhat derogatory, nickname of "The Bird Catchers" which derived from both their cap badge and the capture of the Eagle at Waterloo

The Scots Greys had the motto "Second to none". It referred to their seniority in the British Army and their fighting prowess. Their official motto, however, was that of the Order of the Thistle; Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity). They were distinguished as the only heavy cavalry regiment to wear bearskins.

At approximately 1:30 pm, the second phase of the Battle of Waterloo opened. Napoleon launched D'Erlon's corps against the allied centre left. After being stopped by Picton's Peninsular War veterans, D'Erlon's troops came under attack from the heavy cavalry led by the Earl of Uxbridge including Major General Sir William Ponsonby's "Union Brigade." The Scots Greys, commanded by Colonel Inglis Hamilton, were one of the three regiments of this brigade. The Greys were said by one eyewitness to have "walked over" a whole French infantry column. The French infantry were caught in a very poor formation for withstanding cavalry and suffered greatly, Uxbridge later claimed that 3,000 French infantry had been made prisoners as a result of the charge.

During the charge Sergeant Ewart, of the Greys, captured the eagle of the French 45th Ligne. The Greys charged the French Grande Batterie and, having cut the traces of the artillery's draught horse teams, came under a counter charge by lancers of Jaquinot's division. Ponsonby, who had chosen to ride one of his less expensive mounts, was ridden down and killed by the lancers. The Scots Greys' casualties, for the whole battle, included: 122 killed; 93 wounded; and the loss of 228 of the 416 horses that started the day

This engagement also gave the Scots Greys their cap badge, the eagle itself. The eagle is displayed in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards museum in Edinburgh Castle, alongside the sword wielded by Ewart, who was later promoted to ensign, at the battle.

**Sheogorath** · 01-21-2009, 19:06

I'd say the Pavlovsk Grenadiers, but, alas, it seems all their greatest accomplishments were made during the Napoleonic Wars

**Intrepid Sidekick** · 01-21-2009, 20:03

Hi just taking a breather from work.

There are special units in the game for a number of nations, that anyone who buys the game gets.
The special forces are extras.

**Fisherking** · 01-21-2009, 20:13

Originally Posted by Intrepid Sidekick

Hi just taking a breather from work.

There are special units in the game for a number of nations, that anyone who buys the game gets.
The special forces are extras.

That is fabulous!

Thanks Intrepid Sidekick for letting us know!

I am sure we are all eagerly awaiting to get a look.

In the mean time I guess we will just dream & guess, in order to make the time pass...

**Sir Beane** · 01-21-2009, 20:37

Originally Posted by Intrepid Sidekick

Hi just taking a breather from work.

There are special units in the game for a number of nations, that anyone who buys the game gets.
The special forces are extras.

Fantastic! It's great of you to drop by and give us this little tidbit.

Now we can speculate as to what these special units are!

Fantastic!

**Oleander Ardens** · 01-21-2009, 20:42

Hi just taking a breather from work.

There are special units in the game for a number of nations, that anyone who buys the game gets.
The special forces are extras.

Menacing voice:

...So now we want the hear names and numbers

**Sir Beane** · 01-21-2009, 20:46

Do you think this is worth starting a new thread for? I think most people will miss this otherwise. If anyone thinks it's a good idea I'll post one up.