size of Prussian Landwehr Infantry units
Posté : mer. 8 juin 2022 08:33
Apologies in advance for what will seem like a very long introduction to a very minor question ...
1. In the text on page 210 the wording is precise: "in 1814 and 1815 you can have LW units of LARGE size".
2. The Prussian troop tables on page 213 permit a large size option for all LW infantry units.
3. On page 104, the final bullet in the section titled "adjusting unit sizes" says that all infantry units are of MEDIUM size unless specified in the army notes.
So ...
In the Summer 1813 army list on pages 216 and 217, LW Infantry have no LARGE size options listed, so I can safely assume that all such units must be of MEDIUM size as being consistent with all three conditions above.
In the 1815 army list on page 219, all LW Infantry have an option for LARGE size. Again, very clear.
In the 1814 army list on pages 218 and 219, the Grenadier Brigade allows LARGE size LW Infantry units as an option. Clear !
So far, so good ... BUT ... in the same 1814 army list, the Infantry Brigade does <not> allow a LARGE size option for LW Infantry.
This seems a contradiction between the text on page 210 and the troop table options because (wait for it) there is no army list in which Poor LW Infantry can have a LARGE unit option and yet the troop tables and text clearly permit that.
And, the text from page 104 allows only MEDIUM sized infantry units unless specified in the army notes.
THE QUESTION (at last !)
Which condition holds true ? 1,2 or 3 ?
Specifically, does the expression "unless specified in the army notes" include reference to the text on page 210.
Or to the troop table options on page 213 ?
Or, as I suspect, does it really mean ONLY in options specified within individual army lists (eg pages 216 to 219) ? And, if it does mean this latter interpretation, then why even allow a LARGE size option at all for Poor LW Infantry in the troop tables on page 213 as there are no army lists in which this is possible.
OTOH, if we take a very literal interpretation of "army notes", then these actually only appear at the end of the lists; and none of those "notes" allow for any LARGE size LW Infantry units. (To illustrate further: there are differing treatments of Prussian LW Infantry when compared to the various Austrian army list "notes" which do specify LARGE size units AND which is further reinforced in the Austrian troop tables which only permit those also.)
And, if we don't take a literal approach to the expression "army notes", then any of the above conditions are equally valid.
Lastly, it would seem to be more historical (and far easier) to simply allow a LARGE size option for any and all LW Infantry in 1814 and 1815 as per the text on page 210. And perhaps more especially so for any "Poor" LW Infantry generally.
Sorry for the length of this very minor distraction ...
1. In the text on page 210 the wording is precise: "in 1814 and 1815 you can have LW units of LARGE size".
2. The Prussian troop tables on page 213 permit a large size option for all LW infantry units.
3. On page 104, the final bullet in the section titled "adjusting unit sizes" says that all infantry units are of MEDIUM size unless specified in the army notes.
So ...
In the Summer 1813 army list on pages 216 and 217, LW Infantry have no LARGE size options listed, so I can safely assume that all such units must be of MEDIUM size as being consistent with all three conditions above.
In the 1815 army list on page 219, all LW Infantry have an option for LARGE size. Again, very clear.
In the 1814 army list on pages 218 and 219, the Grenadier Brigade allows LARGE size LW Infantry units as an option. Clear !
So far, so good ... BUT ... in the same 1814 army list, the Infantry Brigade does <not> allow a LARGE size option for LW Infantry.
This seems a contradiction between the text on page 210 and the troop table options because (wait for it) there is no army list in which Poor LW Infantry can have a LARGE unit option and yet the troop tables and text clearly permit that.
And, the text from page 104 allows only MEDIUM sized infantry units unless specified in the army notes.
THE QUESTION (at last !)
Which condition holds true ? 1,2 or 3 ?
Specifically, does the expression "unless specified in the army notes" include reference to the text on page 210.
Or to the troop table options on page 213 ?
Or, as I suspect, does it really mean ONLY in options specified within individual army lists (eg pages 216 to 219) ? And, if it does mean this latter interpretation, then why even allow a LARGE size option at all for Poor LW Infantry in the troop tables on page 213 as there are no army lists in which this is possible.
OTOH, if we take a very literal interpretation of "army notes", then these actually only appear at the end of the lists; and none of those "notes" allow for any LARGE size LW Infantry units. (To illustrate further: there are differing treatments of Prussian LW Infantry when compared to the various Austrian army list "notes" which do specify LARGE size units AND which is further reinforced in the Austrian troop tables which only permit those also.)
And, if we don't take a literal approach to the expression "army notes", then any of the above conditions are equally valid.
Lastly, it would seem to be more historical (and far easier) to simply allow a LARGE size option for any and all LW Infantry in 1814 and 1815 as per the text on page 210. And perhaps more especially so for any "Poor" LW Infantry generally.
Sorry for the length of this very minor distraction ...