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perrys british awi infantry

Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 4:30 am
by turrabear
i was wondering if anybody could help . i've been planning to game general howes philadelphia campaign for a while . i've been planning to use perry miniatures metal awi britsh figures but they offer two different types of figure
british infantry slouch hat and roundabouts.(not sure what a round about is)
british infantry slouch hat cut down coats
which range of figures should i use for the period.
many thanks in advance
mark

Re: perrys british awi infantry

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 10:34 am
by Clibinarium
Sorry I didn't spot this sooner.

A roundabout is the soldier's waistcoat which has had the sleeves of the coat sown on to it (the coat being cut up to provide repair material for the rest of the uniform).
ImageImage

The shortened version of the coat has its tails cut off for the same reason. Both were probably handier for campaigning in. The modification was to an extent forced by the capture at sea of a large consignment of clothing by American privateers (I think this might have been just before the Philadelphia campaign). The captured coats then turned up in American regiments dyed brown.
ImageImage

Generally the light infantry wore roundabouts, and line favoured the cut down coat, though a few line regiments may have worn the roundabout.

Images from http://www.historicalimagebank.com/gall ... 1/album15/
definitely worth having a look at.

Re: perrys british awi infantry

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:47 am
by turrabear
Clibinarium wrote:Sorry I didn't spot this sooner.

A roundabout is the soldier's waistcoat which has had the sleeves of the coat sown on to it (the coat being cut up to provide repair material for the rest of the uniform).
ImageImage

The shortened version of the coat has its tails cut off for the same reason. Both were probably handier for campaigning in. The modification was to an extent forced by the capture at sea of a large consignment of clothing by American privateers (I think this might have been just before the Philadelphia campaign). The captured coats then turned up in American regiments dyed brown.
ImageImage

Generally the light infantry wore roundabouts, and line favoured the cut down coat, though a few line regiments may have worn the roundabout.

Images from http://www.historicalimagebank.com/gall ... 1/album15/
definitely worth having a look at.
many thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

Re: perrys british awi infantry

Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:08 pm
by Ronan the Librarian
Hi,

I've replied to your original post on the "General Discussion" forum. The only thing I would add is that line troops did not wear the roundabout - at least not in red - because only the light companies had red waistcoats, which formed the basis of the conversion. This may have happened later in the war and/or in tropical theatres (eg the Caribbean), but not in the Philadelphia campaign.

There is an account somewhere suggesting that at least one line unit (the 49th Foot) may have acquired material to make sleeves for their white waistcoats, in which they undertook a foraging expedition. Alternatively, this is (perhaps more likely) a reference to a party of new recruits who were sent out to acclimatise themselves. Recruits were generally issued with white jackets whilst doing their "basic training" in England prior to embarking for America; whilst they were recruited by a specific regiment and trained with their fellow recruits, when they arrived in theatre they could often be re-assigned to another regiment in order to keep as many units as possible at fighting strength (the receiving regiment would then reimburse the recruitment costs of the donating regiment).

RtL

Re: perrys british awi infantry

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:06 am
by turrabear
thank you so much for your help. im pretty new to the a.w.i period and I have a bit to learn but any information I'm very greatfull for.