Ordonnance Longbowmen (III)

I've based up the figures that Archiduke painted for me to complete my third Ordonnance company of longbowmen. The large arrow bag, based on ones shown in the Berne Chronicles, was made from ProCreate putty. The company flag is a download and is reflects a common layout for Burgundian Ordonnance flags used by Charles the Bold's army, encompassing saint, Burgundian flint device and Charles' personal motto. The saint illustrated is St Bartholomew, but the specific company that carried this flag is unknown. As the flint device is pierced by arrows (or possibly quarrels?) I'm happy to use it with longbow troops
Sorry that pictures aren't too good - unexpectidly sunny day here! I have the other figures painted and to be based for another longbow unit, which will complete the Ordonnance ones. These will be done very soon.

Good things will come to those who wait...

As you're very probably aware, the new Perry Miniatures website has added more images of the 3-ups for the forthcoming plastic box of mounted men at arms for 1450-1500 period. The sculpting of these figures is quite outstanding - the rendering of the armour plates, helmets and weapons (as well as the destriers they ride on) is beautifully done.
As it now appears that we'll have to wait longer than hoped for the release of these figures (possibly Salute 2012) I thought I'd look at the images released so far (via TMP & Perry Mins site) to try and build a picture of what the box will contain and try to scope some of the permetations for assembling different figures (putting to one side the opportunities there will be to mix with the exsiting plastic sprues).

So what we do know for certain from information provided by Michael Perry, is that each box will contain 12 mounted figures, comprising of four different body armour styles - Italian, Italian with coat, German and English/Flemish - which broadly covers the main styles of armour manufactured in the later fifteenth century Western Europe. Each figure will have 3 different weapon arms. The critical design feature is that the fingers will be cast attached to the various weapon shafts - this appears to allow any weapon to be used with any arm (although the couched arm position will really only take a lance). In the 3-ups the seperation of fingers and wrists appears to be just discernible. So far the weapons shown are lance (which presumbaly they'll be plenty of), hammer, axe, mace and sword. Most arms should also be interchangeable with the bodies, with the exception of the German fluted armour.

We have already been shown a good number of the new heads - usable with other plastic and metal figures. I've identified eight so far (bascinet, barbute, sallet with raised visor, sallet with raised visor and pennant (for Burgundian conductors), chaperon, bare headed, deep sallet without visor and an armet with plumes - taken straight from Uccello's Rout of San Romano painting). Hopefully the number of heads on the sprues will exceed twelve and alos include some sallets with plumes too.

The horses are composed of three parts - two halves and a head/neck - which I believe follows those in other Perry plastic cavalry boxes. So far there are 2 left and 2 right halves and a total of six heads - one with chamfron and two armoured, one with plate and one with mail neck protection. The 'coup de grace' with these figures for me are the additional bardings, to apply as options on the horses - one German style (based on the Wallace Collection armour of c 1480 and the other Italian barding of c1450 from the armoury in Vienna. Perhaps we'll have to wait for the Burgundian armour on some future metals?

The sculpting is simply wonderful and for me they are the best of Michael's designs for plastics to date - all the figures are very convincingly portrayed and as they'll form the backbone of my Burgundian army, the release date can't come soon enough...

Ordonnance Pikes - WIP

These are pictures of work in progress for the first of two Burgundian Ordonnance pike units. These are figures for the rear three bases, at a painted but not yet varnished and based stage. They are all Perry plastic figures from the Mercenaries box, with just a couple of metal Tudor & Swiss heads added. As these are rear-rankers they've been done as speedily as I can and so do not have the usual final highlight stage painted on. Also for padded jacks I've brushed on Army Painter dip onto a light buff colour and let the dip do the shading work. I plan another set of three bases as front-rankers, which will be a mix of more plastics and some metal Perry figures. Burgundian and Flemish flags will probably be located in the middle rear rank base.

You may notice some wobbly looking pikes - although the castings are fairly sturdy and flexible too, I packed some to take away on holiday in an old GW carrying case lined with foam etc, but despite the extra care taken some still came home with non-straight pikes. A lesson learned. More soon...toodle pip.

What I bought on my holiday...

...were these.

I had originally intended to keep this blog to be related purely to 'things medieval'. However I will break this self-imposed rule, as I want to share some images of these military-related items that I purchased on a market stall in France when recently on holiday.

They are glass slides for an antique light protector, showing various figures from French armies of the Seven Years War and Napoleonic periods. They are about a foot long by 3 and 1/2 inches high and are fairly fragile things. There are six of them, which were sold in a thin wooden case. There's spare room in the case, to suggest that originally there may have been ten or a dozen different slides. The quality and fineness of the painted images done directly on to the glass, are really excellent and each has a description for example 'fusilier' and some have a date for the figure too. I've only done a little digging on the internet and would love to know more on these and to try and date them etc. My guess is that they are late ninteenth century, when such lightboxes were around, either for private use or for public viewings before the advent of cinema. The box has a label on it for Au Nain Bleu, which is a toyshop in Paris, opened in 1837 and still in business, which could be the provenance for them.

If anyone has any more background info, I really love to know more?

What I did on my holidays...

well...not a lot of painting of wargame figures unfortunately. A combination of very warm weather (which I find dries the paints too fast when working 'al fresco') and the distractions of good food, a swimming pool, my books and local attractions meant that much less than planned was done.
On the latter here are some pictures of a visit to Castlenaud which was nearby and is perched on the Dordogne river. Since my first visit to the castle about 15 years ago, the exhibits of arms and armour inside the castle have increased significantly in both quantity and quality. I have no idea where all these items have been acquired from, but if they are genuine, they are most impressive and make the trip there more than just a walk around an old stone building.

You'll hopefully be able to see that the open sallet has the distinctive manufacturing marks of the Missiligia armourers workshop and the collection of crossbows, which are often rare items, is excellent. Another intersting item is the archer's brace, which I assume is a decorative one - as it's beautifully carved from bone - rather than for practical use. Outside are a variety of reconstrcuted trebuchets, which are demonstrated each day in the summer, as well as a bombard and mantlets. The castle itself has been partially restored from semi-derelction since the 1960s, and it has a nice example of one bastion having been 'updated' in the sixteenth century to accommodate bigger artillery. It's strategic position is clear, whcih great vistas up and down the river and guarding a crossing. Consequently in the Hundred Years War it's occupancy changes hands amny times between the English and French.

I'll be back very soon with some figures - to ensure that this blog doesn't become 'castle visits' only content - no more planned for this year!

Longbowmen preview

Here's some longbowmen, including a couple of banner bearers, that have just been painted for me by Rafa at Archiduke Painting Services, who provided me with the photos. They are the Perry metal and plastic castings that I fiddled around with to create some different poses on a previous blog posting. Rafa's done a quite brilliant painting job on them; the detail and the tones look fantastic. I will soon have enough to base and complete two more longbowmen contingents, which I'm planning to be able to do next month - I'll post them up (of course).

"A Chalons! A Bourgoyne!"

A contingent representing Louis Lord Chalons, seigneur of Chateau Guyon, leading his enthusiastic household and retinue of Burgundian dismounted men at arms. Chalons was from the Franche-Comte region and was made a knight of the Golden Fleece in 1468. He commanded the left wing at the battle of Grandson in February 1476, where he was killed. According to an account he was leading an attack to capture the banner of Schwyz canton, but it may have been that he died in the rout of Charles's army at the battle.

The format for the unit has been inspired by Dave Andrews beautiful command stand of Edward IV at the Perrys Tewkesbury game at the Salute show of 2010. It comprises of three bases, all 60mm frontage, but with the middle one for the mounted figures having an 80mm depth to enable it to be used with mounted units when these are done. The mounted figures are Perry WotR range, whist the 'wings' are a mix of Perry plastics and metals from the WotR & EA ranges. Some figures have been slightly enhanced; with the addition of plumes, scarves, a couple of weapon changes and re-positioning of arms, to create a coherent group focussed on their lord as they advance towards the enemy. The flags are all free downloads.

I'm pleased with the overall layout, given the extra time that I've had to put in. On to a more mundane Ordonnance pike bloc next - 36 figures planned so I'll need to speed up the painting process somewhat! Hopefully will get the rear-rankers done in the next few weeks.