Descrizione

Wellington’s Allied army was a colourful mix of nationalities and troop types. None were more exotic-looking than the three regiments of Highlanders at the Battle of Waterloo. The first Highland regiment was raised in 1739 to monitor and patrol the highlands for ‘ne’er-do-wells’, and it was later taken into the line as the 42nd Royal Highland regiment, ‘the Black Watch’. Although The Seven Years War saw the raising of several more Highlander regiments, they were disbanded after the war. The American Revolution saw further units raised, two of which were retained following the war’s end. The outbreak of the war with France in 1793 saw a real increase in Highland recruitment. Highland regiments or ‘Redshanks’ that fought during the Hundred Days were the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, 73rd Highland, 79th Cameron Highlanders and 92nd Gordon Highlanders. Armed and equipped as the Foot battalions, the Highlanders were “damn forward fellows with the bayonet,” being renowned for their ferocious charge and mêlée capabilities.The jacket worn by the Highland regiments was, to all intents and purposes, the same as that worn by the Guard and Line infantry, as was the equipment that they carried on campaign. Men in the Highland regiments wore kilts and hose instead of trousers. A ‘mounted’ bonnet replaced the shako; this was made of a cloth-covered wire frame surrounded by a turban diced in red, white and green, the whole being covered in ostrich feathers. On the left side was a regimental rosette that held a plume in the same colours as the rest of the infantry, apart from the Black Watch who wore the ‘red hackle’ in all companies to honour the regiment’s gallantry at the Battle of Geldermalsen in 1795. In 1809 most Highland regiments replaced their kilts with trousers to assist in recruiting from Lowlanders. Highland battalions carried two battle flags, one being the Regimental Colour and the other being the King’s Colour.With the contents of this plastic boxed set you can field all three of the Highland units – the 42nd ‘Black Watch’, the 79th Cameron Highlanders and the 92nd Gordon Highlanders. The Highland units had won a reputation for tough fighting in the Peninsular campaign and fought well at Quatre Bras and Waterloo on the following day. They are each commanded by a smartly dressed brigade commander on horseback.This new plastic kit also includes 24 skirmishing (and much-asked for!) 95th Rifles and a 3-gun Royal Artillery 5.5-inch howitzer battery. No British army is complete without the splendid Rifle Brigade! Three battalions of the 95th fought at Waterloo in their trademark dark green uniforms. Their efficiency with the Baker rifle was well known to the French, who really did not like to face them! The vast majority of the three units fought in line and square at Waterloo (available as part of The British Infantry, some famously deployed in skirmish order in the sandpit next to La Haye Sainte. These figures can also be painted to portray the brave German defenders of that vital farmhouse. Box Set Full Contents:3 x Highlander Regiments of 80 Men each3 x Mounted Brigade Commanders24 x Skirmishing 95th Rifles3 x Royal Artillery 5.5” Howitzers1 x Full-colour Napoleonic British flag leaflet.