Saturday 12 March 2016

Burgundan Coustillers - completed units.

I have finally completed another two mounted coustiller units, as the support rank for my Burgundian Ordonnance men at arms. One figure just needs the addition of a flag, which will hopefully be done in a couple of weeks time.




These seem to have taken me some time - I started work on assembling and converting the horses on my holidays in September - and they have sporadic work done on them in the intervening months, in between other paint jobs. I've now done 4 contingents of coustillers and based on current plans I have three more to do for the men at arms I have.





The figures represent mounted coustillers, who the Ordinances of Charles the Bold in 1471 decreed  "...was to arm himself with a good javelin, a medium length single-handed sword and a foot long double-edged dagger." Each was provided with a coat in the ducal colours (blue & white with red St Andrew's cross); which only some of mine are wearing others have alternative Burgundian devices. Flags are a mix of personal pennons (from unknown captains or noblemen, captured and recorded by the Swiss towns) and Burgundy coats of arms.




They use Perry Miniatures Light Cavalry, with some degree of enhancement done on many of them and some bits knicked from other WotR boxes - previous posts covered some of this conversion work. Its great to get to the finishing line and so move onto the next unit/figures - for me this is nearly always the point when the static grass is glued on and the figures and bases appear to be 'tied together' and the finish comes into focus.

Now....who's protecting the person of the duke?


20 comments:

  1. Marvelous, just marvelous!

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  2. Great color layering and shading on the uniforms and the horses. Very striking.

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  3. Quite wonderful as always Simon and I'm quite jealous as always.

    'Javeline' was Old French for a spear shorter than lance length, rather than today's meaning and its mention was immediately followed in the actual ordonnance itself by 'or a demi-lance with a handle and rest'.

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  4. The archery guard is protecting the duke? ;)

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  5. Thanks Jim, I was limited to Vaughan's chapter on the armies.

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    1. Vaughan's book is great, but like many historians, he's not a military historian and goes for a literal translation, thinking nothing of it.

      I imagine it's the same from English to French... 'dart' is ME for a javelin, so a French speaker is perhaps thinking of what we use in the pub as a weapon of war.

      If you want to see the Ordonnance in Modern French: http://legioburgundiae.unblog.fr/

      Google does a fair job of translating them, but a bit of effort and lateral thinking is needed in places.

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    2. Many thanks again Jim - have bookmarked that page!

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  6. Superb, and better late than never, these will look awesome along side your men at arms!

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  7. Only just found this, excellent work Simon, and privileged to have seen them in the flesh in progress. I'm being selfish now but could you do a photo of a Burgundian lance, interested to know what it comprised and what it looks like in the Chick image.

    Stuart

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  8. Visiting your blog is a feast to the eyes and imagination. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. beautiful as ever! i think its time for you to get the whole army out for an up to date photo shoot ;)

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  10. Exellent looking unit. Come together very well.

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  11. These are wonderfull painted Knights! And teh flags are awesome!

    Greetings
    Peter

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  12. Excellent painjob! What is the base size?

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