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Over the Hills and Far Away - A British enlisted soldier in the Napoleonic Wars

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No little german boy, don't talk to the recruiting sergeant
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    "Fuck..." you mutter to yourself as you hack and cough over the edge of the ship, small chunks of vomit and phlegm fall into the water. After taking the English King's shilling the recruiting sergeant had sent you on a ship that was bound for the home of your new regiment. The one good thing that had come out of this trip was being able to turn down the navy press gangs by showing off army enlistment papers, and then becoming violently seasick in front of them.

    You hadn't intended on signing up the day you walked into Bremen's market square put several hours wandering the street, but the longer you had walked through the market stalls the more the lack of coin in your pockets ate at you. The familiar recruiting drums had stirred memories of childhood when you followed behind the drums and colours as one of the innumerable camp followers, earning bread money by doing favours for those soldiers that had spare coin after your Ma had died. Eventually the decision came to your head, service in one of the German state armies wasn't for you. Being able to see the world as one of the globe travelling red coats sounded much more appealing than sitting around in Hanoverian service watching the farms before the French or Prussians rolled over you.

    The wind picked up and nearly blew your borrowed hat off your head. Reaching up and pulling it back down you gaze at the approaching town and in a section of the city not too far from teh docks you spot a barracks, proudly flying the colours of your new regiment. Your destination once you make land.
    What Regiment have you been recruited into?

    [] 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fuzileers) - Start date 1790
    Venerable enough to have recently celebrated their centennial, the Royal Goats have served the crown with honour since the Glorious Revolution. From the Williamite battlefields of Ireland to the war torn fields of Europe in the Nine Years, Spanish Succession, Austrian Succession, Seven Years, 45 Rising, and even the forests of America in that Revolution, where they alone among the regiments of Yorktown saved the colours from capture.

    [] 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    The Slashers are almost an archetypical English regiment, almost. Disastrous losses to weather in Newfoundland and a period in French captivity during the American revolution are countered by solid service in the Wars of Spanish Succession, the Quadruple Alliance, and Austrian Succession. Their nickname however belies the other part of their nature. While in the colonies a Montreal judge who had made life difficult for the regiment found his home broken into and ear cut off. Despite jackets in the regiment colours found with blood on them the stone wall of comradery prevented anyone from being charged. Recently assigned to North Gloucestershire the regiment stands ready to show its mettle.

    []43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    Raised on England's southern coast the 43rd has spent most of its existence in the America's. From Quebec with General Wolfe and the Siege of Havana to Bunker Hill and the Siege of Yorktown. Some denigrate them as a "colonial service" regiment but their skills are a match for any other infantry regiment wearing the red coat.

    []52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    The Light Bobs early years were marked by luck. From their ship to Canada running aground safely enough for all to disembark to departing the American theatre after Bunker HIll where the regiment fought so fiercely scarcely a dozen men were left unwounded yet managed to survive intact. After several years to reconstitute themselves the regiment made its way to India in 1783 and has been fighting the Anglo-Mysore Wars. Some denigrate them as a "colonial service" regiment but their skills are a match for any other infantry regiment wearing the red coat.

    [] 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot (MacLeod's Highlanders) - Start date 1790
    In 1777 a wave of new highland soldiers were gathered together under the auspices of the famed John Mackenzine, Lord MacLeod. A veteran of the Jacobite side of The 45, and mercenary in service to both Prussian and Swedish crowns. Following his path the soldiers of the regiment have won glory everywhere from India to Gibraltar. Following a period of recuperation the famed MacLeod's Highlanders depart once again for war.

    [] 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    Freshly raised at the request of the East India Company, the Glaswegians of the 74th are ready and eager. The Highlander's reputation at war is unmatched by any other wearing the red coat and away in India a life of battle and plunder await, if it can be taken.

    [] 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders) - Start date 1793
    As the French Revolution rages across the sea His Majesty King George needs more men and needs them now. Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht sends out the call to his ancestral lands in Lochaber and as always the Highlanders answer. Despite Alan Cameron being a mere Cadet-Chief under his cousin he's determined to serve the crown now as he did in the American Revolution. Out of his own pocket the Camerons are raised and readied for war. The Highlander's reputation at war is unmatched by any other wearing the red coat and Alan will be damned if he puts on a poor showing after the Cameron of Lochiel tarnished their name.

    [] 87th (The Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1793
    As the French Revolution rages across the sea His Majesty King George needs more men and needs them now. Sir John Doyle, Secretary of War for the Irish House of Commons, raises and equips a regiment of Dubliners. Despite the abundance of Irishmen in the army only the venerable 27th (Enniskillen) Regiment of Foot bears the official title of an Irish regiment. As one of three Irish foot regiments going into this war you bear the heavy burden of the Emerald Isle's honour upon your back.

    []88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) - Start date 1793
    As the French Revolution rages across the sea His Majesty King George needs more men and needs them now. The Honourable John de Burgh, Earl of Clanricarde sends out the call to his ancestral lands of County Galway, where the English touch lies lighter than the rest of Ireland. Despite the abundance of Irishmen in the army only the venerable 27th (Enniskillen) Regiment of Foot bears the official title of an Irish regiment. As one of three Irish foot regiments going into this war you bear the heavy burden of the Emerald Isle's honour upon your back.

    [] 92nd (Gordon Highlanders ) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1794
    As the French Revolution rages across the sea His Majesty King George needs more men and needs them now. His Grace George Gordon, the Duke of Gordon sends out the call to his ancestral lands in Aberdeenshire and as always the Highlanders answer. The Highlander's reputation at war is unmatched by any other wearing the red coat and Gordon will be damned if any other clan outdoes his.
    What Company have you been assigned to?

    [] Grenadier Company - Taking off the gloves
    Big boys, Hard Chargers, Absolute Fucking Units. Usually the tallest men in the regiment Grenadiers are expected to act as either the shock assault that breaks enemy positions or the reserve to hold when others fail. Grenades may have fallen out of fashion but your capacity for mayhem certainly has not.

    [] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
    Sure you have the training to stand in line and take fire or square up for a cavalry charge but where you shine is the open order. Spreading like a cloud ahead of the line, pairs of Light Coy men skirmish with the enemy, softening them up.

    [] Line Company - Roll with the punches
    The poor bloody infantry and the footsloggers at the heart of every battle. In garrison you don't have the status of the grenadiers or the lights and slog along at grunt labour. In battle you are the thin red line that delivers death volley by volley or at the tip of a bayonet, all the while receiving that and more from the enemy.
     
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    • Let's go for broke and be a German Sharpe

    [X]43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
    Sure you have the training to stand in line and take fire or square up for a cavalry charge but where you shine is the open order. Spreading like a cloud ahead of the line, pairs of Light Coy men skirmish with the enemy, softening them up.
     
    [X] 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fuzileers) - Start date 1790
    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

    Going for a light infantry route seems best to me in terms of giving the players more agency; light infantry operated with a bit more independence and were generally the most "elite" formations within armies of the period. In terms of regiment, I don't have any especial preferences, so decided to go with something famous and classic.

    Excited to see where this goes!


    View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bs07OvqXp4
     
    [X]52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

    A recruiting sergeant came our way
    From an inn near town at the close of day
    He said my Johnny you're a fine young man Would you like to march along behind a military band
    With a scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat
    And a musket at your shoulder
    The shilling he took and he kissed the book
    Oh poor Johnny what'll happen to ya?
     
    Last edited:
    Oh as a heads up Regiment choice has no mechanical effect. It simply detetmines the path you'll follow through this war.
     
    [X] 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fuzileers) - Start date 1790
    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
     
    [x]43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot
    [x] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
     
    [X]43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
    Sure you have the training to stand in line and take fire or square up for a cavalry charge but where you shine is the open order. Spreading like a cloud ahead of the line, pairs of Light Coy men skirmish with the enemy, softening them up.
     
    [X] 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790 Freshly raised at the request of the East India Company, the Glaswegians of the 74th are ready and eager. The Highlander's reputation at war is unmatched by any other wearing the red coat and away in India a life of battle and plunder await, if it can be taken.

    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
     
    [X]52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot - Start date 1790
    [X] Line Company - Roll with the punches

    Being lucky sounds like a good trait to have for a regiment, and especially for a normal grunt.
     
    vote 2 time limit
  • Voting
    • Alright since I'm still high on inspiration and have ideas gonna set a time limit for the vote.

    is when regimental vote closes. If there is a tie I will not do a tiebreaker round I'll just pick whichever of the two winners I like more that day.
     
  • Voting
    • [X] 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fuzileers) - Start date 1790
    [X] Light Company - Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

    Seems the thing to be. Bit sad I was too preoccupied to discover this sooner and push for a thieving street rat of London type build. Would have been really good for Light company. Still, excellent start, keep up the good work and have a nice day.
     
    [X] 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fuzileers) - Start date 1790
    [X] Grenadier Company - Taking off the gloves

    No particular reason why I want grenadier over lightfoot other than I'm just diversifying the vote a bit
     
    vote 2 result
  • Voting
    • Well looks like you guys are joining up with the Fusiliers Light Coy.
    Adhoc vote count started by MaHaL on Jan 21, 2024 at 7:15 AM, finished with 16 posts and 14 votes.
    Click to expand...
     
  • Voting
    • Yeah we need to raise sneaking somehow or we aren't going to last long as a skirmisher. Some enemy will get the drop on us and bam!! Dead.
     
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