In keeping with the international tradition, Hussar regiments in the Prussian Army and the Army of the German Empire were the fanciest troopers in the army. One cannot help but assume that the most fanciful garb of the circus ring and the wierdest of high school drum majors uniforms owe a debt of honor to the hussars of the 19th century.

Nor did the Germans allow any nation to get ahead of them when it came to fancy hussar garb. Among the few concessions made to practicality were an abandonment of the pelisse by all but the Guard Hussar Regiment and the third and fifteenth regiments of that arm. The busby, it is true, was shorter than in the elite companies of the let French Empire or indeed of the troopers of Frederick the Great's Hussars, but it sufficed to hang a fancy bag, a plume, and a scroll of engraved metal, while the dolman type and fancy shabraque set a standard for sartorial excellence rarely to be rivaled even in the mounted parades of other nations.

To start at the top, the short busby was of seal skin, surmounted by a cockage of national color abovewhich commonly waved a white plume. On the front of this busby the Guard Hussar Regiment had a gold guard star, the 1st to 16th (Prussian) Regiments a scroll of button color inscribed "Mitt Gott Fur Konig und Vaterland," while the 17th (ex-Brunswick) has a similar scroll inscribed: "Peninsular, Silesia, Watterloo" and, after 1870, "Mars la Tour." The let and 2nd Regiments (Lieb Hussaren) and the 17th have centered on the front of the busby a Skull and Crossbones of white metal.

Girdles of the hussars were of black and white fur in the Prussian regiments, blue and white in the 17th regiment, white and green in the 18th and 19th.

Pantaloons were of dark blue cloth in the Prussian(lst to 16th regiments) units and in the 17th. The 18th and 19th wore light blue pantaloons. There was a narrow stripe on the side in the lace color of each regiment.

Forage Caps: While most collectors will definitely prefer to represent hussars in full regalia, including sealskin busby, there is an option. The hussars also were issued a forage cap in the shabraque color of the regiment. Piping around the band and top was in lace color. (this makes it possible for cheapskate wargamers to trim the brim of Airfix R.H.A. mounted figures and paint them as hussars-for shame!)

Boots: Hussar boots were of the Hessian pattern trimmed around the top in the regimental lace color.

Pelisse: The pelisse was worn only by the Guard Hussars, 3rd Hussars, and 5th Hussars. The Guard had a dark blue pelisse with white fur, the 3rd Regiment had a white pelisse trimmed with black fur, the 15th Hussars a Black pelisse trimmed with black fur. Lace on the pelisse was in the regimental lace color.

Shabraque: The basic shabraque color is given in the table of regimental colors. However, from various illustrations, it would appear that the space between the inverted lace "wolf's tooth" trim the shabraque was in the cap band color where that was different from the basic shabraque color.

The piping and regimental number on the gray overcoat was normally the same color as the tunic (or Dolman

German Hussar Regimental Colors (1870-1913)
Unit	Tunic, Cap, Greatcoat straps, & Shabraque	Cap Band	Lace, Buttons, Cap piping, Shabraque Piping
Guard Hussar	Scarlet (D.Blue Shabraque)	D. Blue	Yellow
1st Hussars	Black	Scarlet	White
2nd Hussars	Black	Black	White
3rd Hussars	Scarlatt (D.Blue Shabraque, Greatcoat straps)	Scarlet	White
4th Hussars	Brown	Brown	Yellow
5th Hussars	Crimson	Black	White
6th Hussars	Green	Scarlet	Yellow
7th Hussars	D.Blue	Scarlet	Yellow
8th Hussars	D.Blue	Light Blue	White
9th Hussars	Light Blue	Light Blue	Yellow
10th Hussars	Green	Purple	Yellow
11th Hussars	Green	Scarlet	White
12th Hussars	Light Blue	Light Blue	White
13th Hussars	Light Blue	Scarlet	White
14th Hussars	D. Blue	Scarlet	White
15th Hussars	D. Blue	Yellow	White
16th Hussars	Light Blue	Yellow	White
17th Hussars	Black (Scarlet overcoat straps)	Scarlet	Yellow
18th Hussars	L.blue (yellow piping & number on overcoat)	L. Blue	White/Black
19th Hussars	L. Blue (white piping & number on overcoat)	L. Blue	White

German Hussar Regimental Colors (1870-1913)
Unit	Busby Bag	Collar Patch on Greatcoat, outer border of Shabraque
Guard Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
1st Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
2nd Hussars	Black	Black
3rd Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
4th Hussars	Yellow	Yellow
5th Hussars	Crimson	Crimson/w/black border on shabraque
6th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
7th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
8th Hussars	Light Blue	Light Blue
9th Hussars	Light Blue	Light Blue
10th Hussars	Purple	Purple
11th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
12th Hussars	White	Light Blue
13th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
14th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
15th Hussars	Yellow	Yellow
16th Hussars	Yellow	Yellow
17th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
18th Hussars	Scarlet	Scarlet
19th Hussars	Dark Red	Dark Red
Sabertache: This article was worn hightby the left hip, and appears to have followed busby bag color in most cases, the royal cipher in tape color appearing in the center.

Equipment of Hussars

In 1866-71, the hussars carried a curved light cavalry saber of the same pattern as the dragoons(also light cavalry.) Scabbards are shown both as metal and as inlaid leather. he carbine, a short form of the single shot bolt action Dreyse needle gun, was slung on the right side, normally with a white bandolier, though Knoetel idendifies, the Brunswick hussar bandolier (17th German Empire Regiment) as being black. A black cartridge box was worn in back.

After 1887 the hussars below the rank of corporal (or equivalent) carried a lance with a lance penon of the same colors as the uhlans of the same state. Shortly before adopting field gray the hussars, still in substantially the same colors, carried a full size infantry rifle slung on the right, and a straight sword on the left, rear of the saddle.

Trumpeters: The trumpeter was distinguished chiefly by a swallow's nest apparently of cap band color trimmed in the regimental tape color.

Figures: There are several excellent flats in the 30mm scale for 1870 German Hussars from Ochel, Heinrechsen, and other standard editors. By far the best and most lively I've seen, however, are the Neckel series of Hussars charging. Rose models XX107 and XX 17, which depict a pre-1914 trooper of Lieb Hussars or GardeHussa s (Death's Head or Guard Star) and a lieb Hussar standard are available for the 54mm collector. Owing to a recent move, I seem unable to locate my Scruby catalogue, but memory seems to indicate a smattering of suitable figures.

If you follow the 2 men command stand with 4 squadrons of 2 figures each which I normally use to represent the 600 man German cavalry units of the 1870 period you should find the intricate tape patterns and fancy colors of the Hussars quite a challenge in any normal wargame scale, but with only 10 figures to paint in one uniform (6 if you are one of those guys who uses 1 figure to 100 man ) you get a chance for a breather before you completely lose you eyesight.