Hi, I'm Ashton — the founder of this unit.
I started this project out of an interest in Prussian and Bavarian WWI history and a desire to build something research-grounded rather than generic — a unit tied to a real regiment, a real region, and a real campaign history, rather than an unspecific "German soldier" impression. IR 29 stood out for its documented Catholic-Rhineland recruiting ground and its presence at nearly every major Western Front engagement of the war.
I'm based in San Francisco and building this unit from the ground up, which means a lot of the early work is research: digging through digitized regimental histories, confirming uniform details before ordering kit, and figuring out where a West Coast WWI reenactment community can take root. I portray the unit's founding persona, Unteroffizier Peter Thielen.
If you're curious about the hobby, the regiment, or just want to talk WWI history, I'm easy to reach — see the Join page.