A Picture for Alan of Tradgardland
In a thread over at the Tradgardland blog, Alan has been discussing some interesting pictures of 16th and 17th soldiers bearing both pikes and missle weapons, a combination which may or may not have been widely used! Alan's post reminded me of some images I have seen here and there of late 18th century Austrian grenzers using a sort of spontoon as well as their musket, the spontoon having a hook mid-shaft, presumably for stabilising the musket for long range shooting. Here is a one such picture of a grenzer scharfshutz , from the magnificent New York Public Library Vinkuizen web site.
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=125794&imageID=90317&total=94&num=40&parent_id=120437&word=&s=¬word=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&lword=&lfield=&imgs=20&pos=58&snum=&e=w
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=125794&imageID=90317&total=94&num=40&parent_id=120437&word=&s=¬word=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&lword=&lfield=&imgs=20&pos=58&snum=&e=w
I have always liked the grenzer with pike etc.I have used Minifigs of this figure for my Umstrittental army. Like the Ditchmarchen armies of the middle ages I conjectured my 18th century chaps would use the pole to polevault across
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I have always thought the Austrians had interesting kit such as double barreled muskets and air rifles.
Thanks for posting the piccie for me.
best wishes
Alan
The polearm/firearm combo is also quite common in eastern countries, with Polish Musketeers and Muscovite Streltzy using them to great effect... I have an image of even Russian in Potemkin hats (1790's?) using small pikes as shooting aids and against cavalry. Will try to post for your viewing pleasure.
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