GSD229 Rubí's IR painting guide, reviewed

Today, I consider my general review of the WSS Austrophile regiments painting guides be complete, after checking the last one I had published so far, which is the regiment the Marquis of Rubí --after being appointed Viceroy of Majorca by Charles III-- hurriedly raised in 1713 to reinforce Majorcan defenses, while inside a Barcelona city that was already under siege...

I have found no fundamental discrepancies with Boeri, Hernàndez & Riart's encyclopedic work, but just a couple of side notes worth to be added. Despite one of such notes concerns the regimental flag I have already published under codes 15GSC229, 20GSC229 and 28GSC229, I have considered that no changes were deemed necessary yet --let scholars debate before!

Therefore, I have already made available an updated v1 version of this particular painting guide (GSD229), that can be freely downloaded from our Free Stuff page, or directly right here by just clicking on the image above.

Announcement in advance: I am currently awaiting the chance to acquire a new book on the matter, hopefully allowing me to check my current list of Two Crowns Spanish Infantry guides too --a task I'm going to start by mid-November, most likely. Besides, the substantial increase of my library on this matter will help me design and publish new flag sheets and guides of both sides --something hopefully happening next month too.

GSD211 Saragossa/Alcaudete IR painting guide, redone

Keeping up with my WSS Austrophile regiments guides review, today it's been the turn for the GSD211 Saragossa City one (a regiment better known perhaps as Alcaudete), whose v1 version was admittedly fragmentary and incomplete. Thanks to the latest work by Boeri, Hernàndez & Riart I have now been able to thoroughly review this unit history and uniformology from its creation to its ultimate withdrawal to Italy, and beyond.

Therefore, I have already made available an updated v2 version of this particular painting guide (GSD211), that can be freely downloaded from our Free Stuff page (or you can download it right here, by just clicking on the image above).

No amendments are needed to our flag sheets xxGSC211.

GSD210 Alacant/Richardi IR painting guide, reviewed

I have just checked my GSD210 Alacant/Richardi infantry regiment painting guide against the latest work on this subject by Boeri, Hernàndez & Riart. Thankfully, most of my compilations were correct, having to mend just a few details such as the grenadier cap style.

I'm happy to let you know it is already available an updated v2 version of this particular painting guide (GSD210), that can be freely downloaded from our Free Stuff page (or you can download them right here, by just clicking on the image above).

Besides, no amendments are needed to our flag sheets xxGSC210.

GSD204 & GSD205 Valencian regiments guides, redone

While reviewing the newest informations about the Austrophile regiments of Valencia (both City's and Kingdom's), for if something in my own painting guides had to be mended or completed, I have noted with dismay these were in flagrant contradiction with the pre-existing source I had based my own work on. Plainly, while my former source assigned blue coats to the Valencia City regiment and green coats to the Valencia Kingdom regiment, this new encyclopedic research I'm currently reviewing does exactly the opposite --even specifying the precise shade of green used!

After some hard thought and a side verification with a couple of additional sources, in the end I've chosen to give credit to the far more comprehensive work of Boeri, Hernàndez & Riart, even if this meant having to redo the affected painting guides from start to finish. As hastily as I've been able to, here you have ready for free download the painting guides GSD204 City of Valencia I.R. and GSD205 Kingdom of Valencia I.R. at our Free Stuff page (or you can download them right here, by just clicking on their respective image).

No corrections are compulsory to our flag sheets xxGSC204 or xxGSC205 after this review, apparently.

GSD203 Queen's Own I.R. painting guide, updated

I have just completed my review of the GSD203 Queen's Own infantry regiment painting guide, following the revealings given in the latest paper on this subject. I have found no mistakes in it, thankfully; but I've found instead a lot of supplementary information allowing me to give a more complete picture on this particular unit uniformology and history, until its ultimate reformation in Milan after the 1713 withdrawal.

Therefore, I'm glad to let you know to have already updated and uploaded a new v2 version of Queen's Own I.R. painting guide (GSD203), which is available for free download at our Free Stuff page.

No amendments are necessary to our flag sheets 10GSC201, 15GSC203, 20GSC203 or 28GSC203, either.

GSD202 Ahumada I.R. painting guide, updated

There are major changes in my painting guide for the Ahumada infantry regiment, after reviewing the latest research that Boeri, Hernàndez & Riart published in recent dates. The only information I had at hand so far was that one given by Kühn and Hall referred to this regiment's uniform and equipment in 1716, once that unit had been withdrawn from Spain to be redeployed in Naples, and later Hungary.

Now their whole uniformity history is fully known since at least 1705, and this knowledge may deliver you a few surprises! This is why I have just updated and uploaded a new v3 version of Ahumada I.R. painting guide (GSD202), which is already available for free download at our Free Stuff page.

No amendments seem necessary to our flag sheets 10GSC201, 15GSC202, 20GSC202 or 28GSC202, thankfully.

GSD201 Catalan Guards painting guide, reviewed

Following my announcement as of yesterday, I've just reviewed my painting guide for the WSS Catalan Guards regiment, for if anything had to be mended, as a result of the latest research published by Boeri and Hernàndez on the Austrophile armies subject.

A few notes have been added here and there, although in the end the forementioned guide has suffered no major change, fortunately. Similarly, our 10GSC201, 15GSC201, 20GSC201 and 28GSC201 flag sheets remain untouched.

Anyway, this particular painting guide (GSD201) new v3 version is already available for free download at our Free Stuff page.

WSS guides & flag sheets upcoming updates

A voluminous new book on military history, dedicated to the Spanish Austrophile army in the War of Spanish Succession, has recently come into my hands. Authored by Giancarlo Boeri and Francesc X. Hernàndez, this extraordinary 479-page work is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of full-color drawings and diagrams by the celebrated artist Francesc Riart. Although published in Catalan language only, for the moment, under the title of "Els exèrcits de Carles III i Elisabet de Brunsvic" (="The armies of Charles III (*) and Elisabeth of Brunswick"), this one book is an essential addition to the library of anyone passionate about this conflict, which shaped the turbulent makeup of contemporary Spain.

The collaboration of these two undisputed experts, Boeri and Hernàndez, has shed new light on the military uniforms and vexillology information on the units serving the Habsburg cause —to such an extent, and of such quality, that has made me feel compelled to revise each and every one of my WSS painting guides, and possibly even this or that one of my published WSS flag sets in every scale (1/144^th, 1/100^th, 1/72^nd and 1/56^th, currently).

This is a job I'm going to do without any special hurry, logically, although I will try to keep it at a steady enough pace. Eventual news will be duely shared in this blog as they come.

(*) Current Spanish Historiography does not recognize as legitimate the "III" regal numeral of Charles Habsburg as king of Spain, referring to him instead as just "Archduke Charles" or "Pretender Charles", while assigning that numeral to Charles Bourbon & Farnesio (1759-1788). However, while it might be true that Charles' hurriedly pressed coronation in Madrid —during the ephemerously triumphant 1710 Allied counter-offensive— lacked most of the elements contributing to normality and legitimacy, nevertheless it can't be overruled that Spain wasn't a unified kingdom yet at that time, so his previous coronation as king in the Catalan-Aragonese States in 1706 was, unlike that one of Madrid, fully legitimate and following all the prescribed steps before the "Corts" or Parliaments of Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia. Besides, his effective rule from that point in Catalonia and Balearic Islands was long enough (8 and 9 years, respectively) not to be ignored as if it didn't exist. Therefore, maybe he can never be truly acknowledged as 'Charles III of Spain', but he was legitimately 'Charles III of Aragon' indeed. This is why of the book's name, transpiring a philosophy I do adhere to.