Sunday 22 May 2011

Elmeti and more Men at Arms

These are the latest figures I have finished for the collection. They are all from The Assault Groups fantastic Renaissance range. They are the mounted conquistadors and the Italian Elmeti. I gave most of them the Heavy Lances rather than the Spears they are provided with as standard because I want most of the figures to be either lesser armoured Gendarmes or better armed Coustilliers or Ordonnance Archers, basically in between the really heavily armoured Gendarmes and the Lighter horse.

Although I have pictured them here as a unit I don't think this is how I will use them in the end, the mounted conquistadors with bucklers I will use as either mounted spanish officers or as command in a troop of Jinetes (when I get round to painting one up!).








The figure below I intend to use as a better armed Jinete when I have more figures to make a unit of them up


Well armed Jinete

Below is another figure who will probably end up as a Jinete, bearing a Spanish standard. I was pretty lazy with the bucklers, I hate having to paint designs on shields!

Spanish Standard Bearer

I gave this guy one of the extra weapons from the Eureka Gendarmes. I think he will be a commander for my Spanish forces.

Spanish Commander

I think this figure is meant to be pointing with a lance/spear. As with the above miniature I have given him one of the Eureka axes instead. Quite a versatile figure, he could be a command figure or simply a lesser armed Gendarme, his style of armour would be seen all over Europe in the early 1500s.






Whilst I want most of the figures to have their lances upright if possible to give a bit of uniformity, I do like the charging figure with the lance levelled.

Charging men at arms


These figures below are the ones that are especially useful. I could see them either filling out the ranks of my Gendarmes or providing a bit more armour in the lighter armed cavalry.




These 3 are great figures, the TAG Italian Elmeti. At the moment they are just adding variation to my other horse. If TAG make some more packs I may create a specific Italian Elmeti troop.

Italian Elmeti

Italian Elmeti

Italian Elmeti

Finally a little extra I finished to add to the Artillery Park, its The Assault Groups Early 16th Century medium ordinance piece.

Medium Gun, early 16th Centruy

Sunday 15 May 2011

Hapsburg vs Valois

I wanted to see what opposing forces I could represent with my collection so far so I took a load of photos of the armies set up as Hapsburg Imperialists versus the Valois French. Although already a substantial collection I still feel I need a huge block of Swiss (I think I will use the new Artizan figures for this), Gascon Crossbowmen, more Italians, Stradiots, Jinetes and mounted crossbowmen. Thats the beauty of this project though, there is always more to come to satisfy the megalomaniac in me!

In terms of rules I have based the army for Warhammer Ancient Battles but to be honest I get very little time for games and am much keener on collecting and painting the figures. Thats most of the enjoyment for me. I also love making the collection look as varied as possible to represent the flamboyance and rag tag aspect of these forces.

Hapsburgs, left, Valois French, right


A shot from the other side of the table, with French on the left and Imperialists on the right


Below is a little scene of some looters, most of the figures are Artizan apart from the guy with a pig who is from Pro Gloria miniatures, http://progloriaminiatures.blogspot.com/ . Its a great figure.


Looters!

Burgundian Gendarmes and Support

Imperial Gendarmes
 I was really pleased with this photo below of the Imperialist cavalry. On the left are Gendarmes from Charles Vs Burgundian inheritance with their supporting Light Cavalry, whilst on the right are Gendarmes from the Holy Roman Empire.
Imperialist Gendarmes

An Imperial Commander

Gendarmes and support from the back

The Lighter Cavalry

Imperial Command

Imperialist Gendarmes

Genoese Arquebusiers in French Service

Spanish Arquebusiers

Genoese Arquebusiers in French Service

Spanish Guns

Below are a couple of shots of the Hackbut from Pro Gloria Miniatures. I wish more of this type of thing was produced by manufacturers as I think these lighter guns would have been very common, especially in the siege warfare and fortified camps that were so common in this period. I have also attached a contemporary illustration of one to show how spot on this is.


Light Gun

Landsknecht Light Guns
Contemporary Illustration of the Light Gun

Landskecht Arquebusiers


French Gendarmes


Landsknechts in French Service

Spanish Infantry

Spanish Cavalry

Italian Crossbowmen in French Service (they are actually TAG spanish miniatures)



Hapsburg Landsknechts (sorry about the trainers in the background!)

Landsknecht Arquebusier

French Guns

French Guns

French Gendarmes







Landsknecht Arquebusiers


Spanish Infantry

The pike block advances!


Landsknecht Arquebusiers

Spanish Guns, Light and Heavy


Imperial Landsknechts

French Guns and Gendarmes

Imperial Commanders