No all of them, thank God – they was so rarely, but the leaders who have thus far emerged from the paint table. So far we have the Oberst who commands the Freikorps, his cavalry Rittmeister, two Musketeer officers and two NCOs. You can see them above, working from right to left. We used the rules to find out exactly whom we are dealing with, with some surprising results.
Oberst Mossack von Sekka, the commander of Freikorps von Sekka, is from a Prussian military family with wealth and influence, but sadly he is a cad whose sense of honour is, at best, questionable. His, ahem, dalliances are why he is no longer Colonel of an old Prussian Regiment and now commands the questionable Freikorps. Of diminutive stamp, and certainly no looker, he is considered by all to be thoroughly dislikeable. Clearly his wealth plays a major part in keeping his mens’ service and his military record is sufficient to see him in employ.
Freiherr Rittmeister Augustin von Kraken is said to be the illegitimate son of a Prussian Prince. The Freiherr is a man of considerable honour and a stunning linguist, having spent many years as a child in exile in foreign courts. He is of average stamp but a good looking chap with an affable personality. His goal is to achieve some success on the battlefield in order to curry the favour of the father he has never met but who has at least provided him with a minor title. Military success could, he hopes, restore him to a position of legitimacy or, at least, win some advancement.
Hauptmann Ernst Augustus von Glottalstop. With extravagant wealth and considerable influence, Ernst Augustus is minor nobility, being the fifth son of an Elector in the central German states. He is, however, a terrible rotter and in known to use the impressive cavalry sword carries to persuade unfortunates to hand over their wealth. He is of average stamp and is fair of face but, unsurprisingly, is a vile individual. One can only suspect his father chose the wrong sort of school and is now paying the price. Hence the young man’s position here rather than in his father’s service.
Finally, Fanenträger Sigwald Göring is a gentleman ranker who joined the Freikorps with the hope of a glittering military career. He has proved his worth on the battlefield already and won a commission as a result. Göring is honourable and a good looking, strapping fellow although something of a dullard.
The NCOs are a rather different bag, both with charm and rumbustious wit which makes them popular with many a serving wench. Unteroffizier Marek Puska is a giant of a man, good looking with it, whilst Jägermeister Jurgen Kellermann is a strapping fellow and a handsome devil. It is their good management of the men which serves to balance out the social misfits who command them.
Our Croats have just been undercoated and we will introduce their three leaders once they are complete and the artillery will follow on from that to complete our little force. More on that this week, painting time permitted.
POSTSCRIPT
Part of me wishes that I hadn’t painted these chaps until after I’d diced up their personalities. As a result I am going to give the Freiherr a powdered wig as befits his birth, I’ll possibly do the same for the Fanenträger too. Oberst von Sekka turned out to be a right nasty piece of work, so I am thinking about adding bright red lipstick for him, just to emphasise his caddish nature. Overall, I am really rather pleased with the band of misfits I ended up with. There’s nowt so queer as folk! as we are probably no longer allowed to say…
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10 thoughts on “Meet the Freikorps”
Fine looking chaps! And good to see a new ImagiNation! I’m planning to use SP2 for my 19th (FPW era) ImagiNation. Once I rebase the buggers!
Nicely painted, and what a suitably villainous bunch of poltroons, freebooters, libertines and social climbers they are.
A great start Rich
Interesting that you went with that name. When I first heard the Panama Papers news reports I assumed the company was Mossack von Secker. I had visions of German “immigrants” to Panama in the second half of the 1940s.
My thoughts exactly. It seemed too good to miss.
“Fanenträger” is your version of Ensign?
With an “h” added I would recognise Fahne=flag/banner easier – Fanhenjunker would be in lin line as would a couole of other terms.
Would a naritficial mole / mouche be in line with your dandy type? Not that you would see it on the table anyway.
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I will not comment on the name’s but am looking forward to the Croats.
Davor Suker? -xxx Zarkovic ?
I was (reliably?) informed that Fanentrager was the correct 18thC spelling. I had presumed that Fahnentrager would be correct, but apparently not.
Fähnrich is the usual – or ‘standard’ – word, for what that’s worth. I don’t have immediate access to a glossary of military archaisms, so won’t claim it’s appropriate for the period.
Fähnrich would be okay later – but I preferred to avoid the Umlaut and it is the earlier term -. actually in Prussian armies or those copying them Freikorporal – https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freikorporal – would be used.
Freikorporal would be changed in the 1806 refoms into Fähnrich and Portepee-Fähnrich, two new ranks.
( I had answered to this already – just don’t see that post – sorry, if I double post now )
Fahnenjunker ( Standartenjunker ) for Kavallerie was used earlier – actually it should be Freikorporal for the Prussian army and its imitators. – https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freikorporal –
The army reforms after 1806 altered this to two new ranks Fähnrich and Portepee-Fähnrich.
Actually, while being nitpicking – in Germany even landless minor sons would bear titles and rank would precede title as this is a part of the name: so Rittmeister Freiherr Augustin von Kranken.
( Whlie names like “Sigwald” sound like straight ouf of a paperback novel, not out of a 18th century Taufbuch. ) <SorryA