Sunday 9 September 2012

Burgundian Ordonnance crossbows (II)



A second unit of Burgundian Ordonnance crossbowmen, which have taken some time to be completed. Most of these figures were painted for me a couple of months ago by Chris Thompson and I’d been dithering about how to base them, knowing that the Perrys were working on metal Italian crossbowmen. I’ve painted up some of these new figures, but then decided that they really needed was a casualty figure – which I added to Chris’s lovely figures. I wanted to create the unit advancing and under fire and using pavises.

It’s probably unlikely that pavises were used in this way in open battle; they were certainly employed in large quantities in both sieges and on board ships to add protection on the decks. However I’ve given myself some margin for historical reinterpretation as the LBMS transfers are so wonderfully detailed  and really look the part, being based on surviving examples – despite being just a tad too small for the plastic pavises and so requiring some paint to be mixed to match and blend the edges a little.

The figures are mostly plastics from the Mercenaries box, with a couple of minor conversions that were done on metal figures from the EA halberdier pack and the WR artillery crew.






I’m now planning to do an additional mixed crossbow and handgun unit of skirmishers – partly as the Italian figures are so nice (and completely usable as Charles employed large numbers of mercenaries from Condottieri captains) and as I have acquired a lovely Ordonnance crossbow flag to use.



I’m  at the basing stage with another Ordonnance unit, so they should be along quite soon…


13 comments:

  1. Great looking bases, lot's of character.

    Completely agree about the Perry Italian figures being so nice, it would be a shame not to use them.

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  2. Wonderful units, the figures are really nice, and the painting style is great! The wounded crossbowman is really impressive...

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  3. Excellent. the addition of the casualty is great
    Cheers
    paul

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  4. The level of detail is intense. You are one of the very best at faces and eyes.

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  5. Once again, a really nice unit !

    J-B

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  6. I also like to take artistic liberties and no doubt your idea really worked!

    Christopher

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  7. Stunning work !!!

    Best regards Michael

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  8. Great stuff. Not sure about the chap doing the hokey cokey though ;-)

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  9. I must say that Chris has done a wonderfull job in the painting department as you have in the basing department too.

    I think the pavises look pretty solid so you've done a nice job on them too.

    Darrell.

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  10. Fantastic looking set of figures.

    Regards,
    Matt

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  11. Excellent detail on all of these figures, you've really got a good cohesive look to the unit and a sense of movement and purpose, every figure contributes to this, the conversions are seamless.

    The small details all contribute, from the dropped crossbow to the pavise strap, commendable Mr C !

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