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Thread: Ran out of British light infantry

  1. #1

    Default Ran out of British light infantry

    The British are a bit lacking in light infantry regiments in this period. I assign 4 light infantry of the same type (rifles or muskets) to each full stack. After scouring the internet for a bit, this is all I can come up with, and some of them I'm not even sure fought in theater, but here is what I have so far:

    43rd (light infantry)
    51st (light infantry)
    52nd (light infantry)
    60th - 5th, 6th(?), 7th(America only?) (green jackets)
    68th (light infantry)
    71st (light infantry)
    85th (light infantry)
    95th - 1st, 2nd, 3rd(?) (green jackets)
    KGL - 1st, 2nd (green jackets)
    Chasseur Britannique(?) (light infantry)
    Portuguese Cacadores(?) (light infantry) (not even allied with them atm though lol)

    I'm trying to stretch the rifles by giving 80-man units battalion designation rather than regiments but I kept the 120-man unit designations as regiment.

    As you can see I have enough light units for 4 full stacks, 2 equipped with rifles and 2 with muskets. I would like maybe 2 more light infantry units for the Gibraltar garrison. Are there anymore light regiments? Scraping the barrel here.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Ran out of British light infantry

    well, the 60ths 5th Battalion had rifles, although calling them the Royal Americans is a bit off, seeing as they were mostly Germans...

    Shoot coward! You are only going to kill a man!

  3. #3

    Default Re: Ran out of British light infantry

    The 43rd certainly had two battalions.

    Pretty sure the 52nd had more than one as well.

    Given that its your army and can't exactly mirror the real British army - which for a start had a much lower ratio of light infantry than yours anyway - there is nothing to stop you adding more additional battalions as required.

    Also each line battalion also had its light company.

    These were occasionally formed into provisional battalions of light infantry.

    In effect this means that for every 9 line battalions you can have one provisional light battalion over and above the light battalions you've identified.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Ran out of British light infantry

    A battalion is 10 companies, 8 center, 2 flank, but yes, punch battalions are probably the best way to go thinking about it now.

    Shoot coward! You are only going to kill a man!

  5. #5

    Default Re: Ran out of British light infantry

    If you are using standard unit sizes with smaller light infantry regiments the light/line ratio is actually nearer 1:7 than 1:9.

    For the French there is a similar problem in that voltigeurs only served as light companies and were almost never combined into provisonal units.

    Accordingly I just name them Compagnies du Voltigeurs and don't try and number them.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Ran out of British light infantry

    Provisional battalions it is, then.

    I think I am close to 1:5 when counting my entire military. I garrison every town with 1-3 line infantry.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Ran out of British light infantry

    Clodius is on the right track.

    Most of these regiments were extremely popular with recruits and had several battalions. I think I'm right in saying the the 95th Rifles had to physically be banned from recruiting any more men after they completed their fifth battalion (so, 5,000 men?)

    Whilst many many other battalions were heavily over establishment. At Waterloo for instance the 52nd Light Infantry went into the field with almost 1,500 men.

    To that must be added the light companies from all the line regiments which added to the total number of light infantry available, so basically an additional 10% of the total infantry strength available.

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