78th Highland Regiment: Design

Having commenced purchases from Old Glory I have determined upon Redoubt Enterprises to field my version of Campbells 78th Highlanders. At a representative troop scale of 1:9.2 this 58 figure battalion will be one of the largest units I have ever built. For that reason I can more accurately purchase the number of figures I require from Redoubt Enterprises who also provide for a kneeling shooting figure pose in both grenadier and fusilier options which I need for this particular regiment. Whilst for the first time Wolfe arrayed his battalions at Quebec only two deep, it seems probable that the 78th remained in the traditional three rank firing formation. This is the account handed down to us by Malcom Fraser of the 78th and the retention of this regulation array seems most probably due to the comparable strength of the 78th in the field (532) and the width of the battlefield. The regulation drill as enunciated by Bland from 1727 (Treatise of Military Discipline) and retained under the refinements of 1748 and 1756/7 see the retention of the three rank platoon firing doctrine which required the front rank to kneel. The 78th, as Lieutenant Fraser recounts (Journal Relating to the Operations Before Quebec in 1759) the highlanders were engaged in ongoing skirmishes with the Canadian militia and once the French regulars advanced with Montcalm, his regiments was engaged in what he estimates was a six to eight minute fire fight against French regulars probably the Regiment La Sarre. Given the highlanders involvement in a firing line, thats how I want to depict this unit. Malcom Frasers account can be found on-line at http://openlibrary.org/books/OL24992984M There persists within the ranks of 18th century wargamers and manufacturers a continued preference for standing or marching figures and an obvious aversion to not only shooting poses but especially kneeling figures. Given the nature of the Plains of Abraham action, Im rather inclined towards providing for only one battalion for my British to be anything other than shooting or advancing the 48th as a reserve unit will be standing by as it were. As a deliberate whole-of-battle build, this project is for me about representing the battle and modelling an appropriate appearance whilst retaining the dynamics required to wargame it and avoid a static display. Redoubt Enterprises is one of the few figure manufacturers in this scale which provides kneeling firing figures and as I want this unit blazing away, my decision is pretty well dictated for me. In addition to the regiment itself, Ill be purchasing a further 11 figures for the detached light infantry in support of Dalling. As a modeller who prefers to mix figures up from various manufacturers, this unit will be entirely Redoubt and one challenge for me will be how best to break up the uniformity or chocolate soldier appearance of so many identical figures.

Inset above is a well-known diagram of a battle formation for a battalion of the British army from 1757, showing the four divisions plus grenadiers, the central forward positioning of command and colours and the platoon firing sequence. I have been workshopping the basing for this unit and is essentially comes to rest on the principle of divisions. With the grenadiers at this time divided into two bodies to cover the flanks, the remaining battalion arrayed in four divisions with the command or colour party in the centre (as above). This I am representing with three bases of nine (9) figures (3x3) and one of 12 (3 x 4) with two grenadier stands of 3x2 and the command group. Being for Quebec, there will be no mounted colonels for the British. The following is how my 78th unit will look:

The colourful colour party or command stand (centre) consists of a drummer and piper (yellow) behind the two ensigns with Kings and Regimental colours (grey) escorted by one of the three sergeants (green) all led by the Colonel (bright red). The two centre divisions have no officer (dark red) as only part of the battalion made it to the Plains of Abraham in the first (and only) wave of boats. The grenadier stands (light blue) have a fusilier each as an overflow from the outside divisions. I will be purchasing to represent the divisions in three firings from left to right they will be 1. firing, 2. presenting and 3. Loading which will repeat only once across those division stands to the right of the colour party as you see the above diagram. Im already looking at the design for my next units, the Louisberg Grenadiers and the biggest battalion in field the 48th foot with 70 figures.