Agema Publications

Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Agema Publications

A forum for the disscussion of the Play by Mail games from Agema Publications


3 posters

    Giants what are they good for?

    J Flower
    J Flower
    Emperor
    Emperor


    Number of posts : 1239
    Age : 53
    Location : Paderborn, Germany
    Reputation : 17
    Registration date : 2012-02-16

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Giants what are they good for?

    Post by J Flower Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:43 am

    Has anyone tried to raise the Battalion of Giants that were in Prussian service of Frederick Wilhelm? I wonder how they would work in game terms. they would technically have a longer reach in hand to hand combat, there Greater size and strength could also be beneficial in grenade throwing, also there imposing size must have some kind of morale effect on an opponent. Historically they are dismissed as an expensive curiosity.
    Kingmaker
    Kingmaker
    Admin
    Admin


    Number of posts : 1673
    Age : 67
    Location : Scarborough Jewel of the East Coast
    Reputation : 28
    Registration date : 2008-04-20

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by Kingmaker Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:03 pm

    I would suppose you could only have 1 battalion as they were hard to find

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Giants
    J Flower
    J Flower
    Emperor
    Emperor


    Number of posts : 1239
    Age : 53
    Location : Paderborn, Germany
    Reputation : 17
    Registration date : 2012-02-16

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by J Flower Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:16 pm

    Should they also be restricted to the Brandenburg-Prussian position ? Technically I suppose anyone could have raised such a unit but only Frederick Wilhem did.
    avatar
    Guest
    Guest


    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by Guest Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:47 pm

    That's an interesting one, it had never occurred to me to consider such a move.

    It might include some sort of calculation based on population to determine how many 'giant' recruits you had?
    J Flower
    J Flower
    Emperor
    Emperor


    Number of posts : 1239
    Age : 53
    Location : Paderborn, Germany
    Reputation : 17
    Registration date : 2012-02-16

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by J Flower Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:58 pm

    Historically Prussia recruited across Europe, there was even a close call when an ambassador visited Berlin and was almost pressganged on the spot. some monarchs also sent recruits to Prussia to impress the king. a hansom bounty was also offered to recruiting parties abroad to get there man. I would guess that with it's 2,000,000 population Prussia would struggle to find the resruits from its own manpower.
    avatar
    Guest
    Guest


    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by Guest Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:07 pm

    Good point Smile

    A quick question-was the historic battalion ever used in the field or was it used only as a ceremonial unit?
    Kingmaker
    Kingmaker
    Admin
    Admin


    Number of posts : 1673
    Age : 67
    Location : Scarborough Jewel of the East Coast
    Reputation : 28
    Registration date : 2008-04-20

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by Kingmaker Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:35 pm

    never went to war the king drilled it, he was afraid it would get completey destroyed so it was limited to show and tell... Razz
    J Flower
    J Flower
    Emperor
    Emperor


    Number of posts : 1239
    Age : 53
    Location : Paderborn, Germany
    Reputation : 17
    Registration date : 2012-02-16

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by J Flower Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:47 pm

    a lot of the recruits wern't too happy to be in Prussia either, at least one attempted to kill the king when he reviewed the unit, fired his ramrod at him I beleive.


    Last edited by J Flower on Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:50 am; edited 1 time in total
    avatar
    Stuart Bailey
    Emperor of Europe
    Emperor of Europe


    Number of posts : 2555
    Age : 60
    Location : Somewhere East of Bristol & West of Bath
    Reputation : 58
    Registration date : 2012-01-29

    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by Stuart Bailey Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:10 am

    The other problems with this unit included many members were idiots, had bad backs or very poor eye sight ..........all problems linked to found in people with genetic giantism. Plus in a fire fight most muskets fire high so being short is a positive advantage.

    Frederick the Great viewed the whole unit as a freak show and disbanded it as being useless in military terms.

    So if you do raise such a unit its probably best to treat it as a special type of Palace Guard Unit.

    Sponsored content


    Giants what are they good for? Empty Re: Giants what are they good for?

    Post by Sponsored content


      Current date/time is Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:29 pm