16th Reichsarmee Template: Trooper of the Bayreuth Cuirassier Regiment (Franconian Circle)

The Franconian troops were "collectively the least reliable element of the Reichsarmee" (Duffy, Prussia's Glory p.31). The Bayreuth Cuirassiers had a bad experience at Rossbach, where they were taken in flank by Prussian cavalry when attempting to deploy and were swept away. At Freiberg on 29th October 1762 they performed magnificently: "GM. Tresckow did wonders with the under-strength Reichs Bayreuth Cuirassiers, "which hewed into the enemy cavalry, put it to total flight, made many prisoners and then reformed by squadrons thirty paces from the wood to cover my flank; the two squadrons of the Hohenzollern Regiment [of Cuirassiers] had come up to hack into the rear of the same enemy cavalry, and likewise reformed" "(Duffy, By Force Of Arms, p.387).

First raised 1682. Made up of 23 contingents. Inhaber: Markgraf von Brandenburg-Bayreuth 1735-1763. Composition: 5 squadrons with a theoretical total of nearly 700.

Uniform: Black tricorne, yellow or gold lace, black cockade, yellow or gold button, white bob with red centre. Black stock. White coat with white collar, poppy red lapels, cuffs and turnbacks, gold or yellow metal buttons. White and red aiguillette on right shoulder. Poppy red cummerbund. Straw waistcoat and breeches, poppy red lace. Black boots. Black painted metal cuirass. Poppy red shabraque with white edging, red "worm" of lace on the white edge.