Of Swords and Sorcerors, A Fantasy Wargaming and Lore Blog: Uniforms and Flags of the Friekorps, a Pictorial Guide

Though the Freikorps is seen by outsiders as a single, unified entity, in truth there are several layers to its organization, as discussed in a previous article. Based on ancient traditions, the Freikorps fields a wide variety of colorful uniforms that varies from regiment to regiment. Colored facings denote platoons and further esoteric insignia denotes squads, while companies in traditional Astra Militarum fashion have unit standards, symbols, etc... Tall bearskin caps denote the Schutzen regiments, while shakos adorn the heads of the Landwehr soldiery. The Leibgrenadiers have bearskin caps as well, and wear richly adorned heavy carapace armor when fighting.

Landwehr:

The tradition of green uniforms was born out of necessity, living on a dense forest world, Alfheimers are natural born hunters and the forest green of their PDF uniforms reflects this straightforward mindset. Through the millennia, the uniform has changed little, being largely a reflection of the first inhabitants proud martial heritage that they brought with them from ancient Terra.

Landwehr of the 201st Regiment help their fallen commander after he was struck by heretic lasbolt, a fallen soldier of the Aughmoor Auxilia, another storied regiment of the world of Aughmoor lays close by.

Baron Hohenlohe of the 201st Landwehr with color bearers of the I and II Platoons of the I Kompanie. Alongside him are Lord Commissar Linovsky, and Techpriest Holtz.

Schutzen:

Usually drawn from the Albrechtspire hive, the Schutzen regiments are more sumptuously attired compared to the Landwehr, with a variety of colored uniforms between regiments. White is mostly predominant, especially with regiments raised from the junker class of the upper hive. Red, blue, grey, and even green have all been noted by Munitorum scribes tasked with supplying the various regiments with proper attire. Whereas in combat the Landwehr sport steel flak armor, the Schutzen wear bronzed flak which once denoted their frontline status. Though only slightly less experienced in forest fighting, the Schutzen tend to be very good at urban combat, having defended their hive city from invaders on numerous occasions throughout Svartalfheim's long history.

Schutzen officer with young cadets of the military academy in the upper hive. The junkers enroll their children at an early age to learn the art of war and many go on to become fine officers of the Freikorps.

The 31st Schutzen "Alt Blauen" (Old Blues) at the battle of Hollenloch, where surrounded by Orks, they held their ground in an open clearing of the mighty forest and fought to the last man before being overwhelmed by Ork Choppas.

Soldier of the 55th Schutzen, the "Scarlet Scum" of the lower Elbestrasse in the lower reaches of Albrechtspire. Made up mostly of Guildwerkers and lower ranking members of society, they have made a name for themselves on more than one occasion, and are tenacious fighters in urban battlezones, highly sought after by offworld commanders for their superior discipline and cunning.

Soldiers of the 55th urged forwards to fight a genestealer cult on Hive Tarsus.

The 69th Schutzen on the ice world of Roskva Prime

Schutzen heavy bolter team, from the 45th Regiment, attached temporarily to the 201st Landwehr while fresh recruits are shipped off from the homeworld.

Leibgrenadiers:

The Leibgrenadier Regimente is a single regiment, on paper, comprised of the finest warriors of the junker class, and an elite group tasked with protecting the Grand Elector himself with their lives. The Leibgrenadiers are divided by company and assigned to each of the Friekorps regiments on an as needed basis to provided a much needed punch in hotly contested warzones. Their discipline and tactical skill is unparalleled amongst the Alfheimer soldiery. Their uniform is a cream white, and the various companies follow the standard Alfheimer designations using facing colors and other esoteric symbology. Typically the carapace armor that the grenadiers wear vary in color from company to company, with some wearing polished bronze, such as the I Kompanie, and others wearing blue with bronze trim, white, and even red and green carapace.

Leibgrenadier of the I Kompanie with heavy flamer.

Regimental Colors:

Regimental colors, company colors, and platoon standards vary wildly from unit to unit, but the overall unifying heraldry is that either of the Imperial Aquila, usually effaced in stark black against a field of gold (the Regimental colors of the Leibgrenadiers being the most famous example.) or the Lion of Albrecht, the founder of the hive that bears his name. A red and white striped lion on a field of blue, the Lion of Albrecht is the main heraldic symbol of the Friekorps, for like lions they fight with ferocity and courage like no others. Usually this lion is superimposed over the Cross of St. Otto, that comes in a variety of colors depending on the regiment that bears them.