Pavises

Just a quick post, to show the really lovely Burgundian pavise transfers from Little Big Men Studios, which I recieved this week and who's products I'm always really impressed with. I was aware that Stephen Hales was working on these , to use with the plastic pavises in the Perry 'Mercenaries' box. He's produced four versions with the same St Andrews cross, steel and sparks emblem of Charles the Bold. One from each sheet are pictured here. Swiss versions are to follow I understand.

The quality of the transfers is excellent and each one is slightly different in terms of the distress and dirt on them. They need careful cutting with a scalpel or scissors. The transfer design for the smooth pavise has a cut-out to align it with the proud metal spike at the base; the only marginal issue is that it really needs to be about2mm larger to cover the plastic pavise - consequently some careful painting is needed to match in the edges. Perhaps this will be remedied with the next sheets? The transfer for the pavise with the proud spine fits much better, once carefully eased over and firmy pressed down.

I will now be arming my crossbowmen with them, as I need an excuse to show them off. Some medieval books state that pavise use was on the wain by the 1470s, which maybe the case. However the Schilling Bern Chronicle illustrations show them in use by the Burgundians, in both seige and battle scenes.

Also pictured is a recent conversion, using plastic torso and arms from the Mercenaries box, attached to the metal legs of the kneeling gunner from one of the Perry WotR artillery sets. I needed someone to be using the pavises as intended; sheltering whilst spanning his crossbow. Some putty has been used to add a bag and lengthen the scarf at the back of the sallet. Hope this remains an 'original' and that Michael doesn't bring out some metal crossbowmen!

Last post on here I anticipate for a few weeks, as HYW stuff needs attention for the Salute Verneuil game - so keep a watch on 'Harness and Array' blog....