Mini Mania Pt.3- 17th Century Pike and Shotte

 Rather than lamenting inability to take part in the Holy Holly Day celebrations commemorating the Battle of Nantwich 1644 today, I feel it is time for another showcase. So as many of you might know, the 17th century and in particular The English Civil Wars are my favourite period of history and certainly the period I wargame the most. I research, am just finishing writing a book on the period, I reenact it, it is the period to which I feel I am an authority on. Therefore do not be surprised if in coming posts there is a predisposition for lots of 17th century material.

A quick note on photo's, still having issues with lighting and exposure-winter in Scotland does not make for the best framing of shots. Certainly for my part, I feel some of the issue is with the image resolution rating,  will from now on be raised to 18megapixels to make the best use of zoom focus and detail. Obviously at the moment this is a try and test method;we all want good looking miniatures, so photography is very much an uphill battle. If any followers want to further show me some free photo editing software available online, would be more than appreciated.

Petard and Petardiers Assistant, 28mm Foundry

2 Scots Frame Guns from Warlord Games.

The start of what I hope to be the next 17th century project after ECW is concluded (for the moment) and Zulu War. Wargaming the Covenanter/Pentland Risings 1666-71. What is so good about the period is that uniforms and units making up the Scots Government army are virtually the same as those at Sedgemoor in 1685, thus killing two birds with one stone, while also adding a couple of Scots Militia/Highlanders to the mix (as seen in the lower of the above). I'm not sure about doing Covenanter/Monmouth rebels for the period, as so few manufacturers make them, with little or no variation in pose. What I might do is go down the root that Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy did for their Glorious Revolution issue (and the Sealed Knot for every Sedgemoor reenactment) and use ECW armies and just buy available rebel figures to mix in. What are your thoughts?  Top Royal Regiment of Dragoons. 28mm North Star 1672

Leslie's Lifeguard, Cuirassiers (possibly previously in Swedish service as Argyle was also listed in one source as having a Cuirassier Lifeguard). 28mm Warlord Games

28mm Bicorne Miniatures Frame Gun. Quite possibly my favourite ECW manufacturer, I think I shall be coming to them for a large amount of my next purchases. Tons of character, paint up beautifully (although not sure the photos do them justice. Brilliant.

28mm Warlord Games Covenanters (with some Renegade and Foundry thrown in). Slowly but surely my Scots armies coming together. You might quite a few of them are dressed in red coats, which is quite unusual for Scots armies. Obviously when looking through the battlefield histories such as Auldearn and Kilsyth we come upon units such as Home’s Regiment of Redcoats, a supposed penal regiment that had yet to shed their British army for Scotland Coats, or indeed Sir Arthur Erskine of Scotscraigs Regiment, that did not have the required money, nor clothing issue of the period, so instead relied upon dressing their troops in black police vestments, or alternatively Argyle’s own regiment, based upon a black coat with red breeches, based upon his family livery, a factor carried on into many Campbell regiments. By corroborating and going through Covenant troops that served in Ireland from 1640-6 shows that in actual fact at least five known regiments wearing such coats. But if we also equally look at regimental returns , we can also ascertain pay was largely withheld during the Irish campaign, a factor Project Auldearn blog (a first class resource for anyone wishing to wargame Montrose’s rebellion) highlights by retaining 1/3 of all troops in redcoated regiments in grey/ragged coats. Therefore the objective of such an article would be to highlight the ability and need for differentiation, change and difference within Monro’s and ultimately the Scots Government Army during the 1640’s. The incorporation of Irish loyalist troops into their mix and some regiments, particularly Argyle’s retaining partial Highland folk dress argues the point that in terms of makeup, the Covenanter army was very similar to that fielded by Montrose.

Painted up using the Army Painter method (although I use watered down Cuprinol, its cheaper, generally does the same job, except for a gelling agent) I think in the flesh they really do the job and will look really impressive when they finally get on the gaming table soon.

All for now, next time possibly a book review. 

Mini Mania pt.2 Military Modelling 54mm and Above

As well as being a wargamer, I am also trained as a historian and archaeologist and therefore also like delving into the minutiae and makeup of the details of soldiers equipment and clothing, a feature that 28mm and below really doesn't do justice. Often the kits are expensive or hard to comeby, hence my ability to work on them only happens occasionally. But I defy anyone who has read or picked up an issue of Military Modelling, not to be inspired to try their hand at more detailed larger scales. However the following are my attempts in plastic to replicate the look, feel and nature of period soldiers.

 English Man-at-Arms/Billman 1415, 54mm Italeri. The Hundred Years War has always been a conflict that has fascinated me, whether watching Henry V, reading Bernard Cornwell, or exploring the connected battlefields in The Scots Lowlands, but raising a wargames army doesn't appeal (whatever the Perries throw at us) because the idea of raising a French army of the period doesn't appeal. Maybe it is the style inherent, maybe it is continued losses until Carcassone and Castillone-maybe it is a set in stone English sensibility (they did raid and burn up and down the coastline from where I originate from). Anyway this was my limited commemoration of the Agincourt 500 and I'm rather proud of him. The armour has been finished off in gloss varnish and colour scheme has been taken from a contemporary livery coat.

The following two are my continued frustration at not being able to attend the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo this past year. As such, I have a long term goal (as suggested in Arthur Taylor's 1972 Discovering Model Soldiers) of targeting part of my modelling towards painting every uniform of La Garde Imperiale (A Grenadier a Pied Tambor, officer and artillery team wait patiently on the desk). Naturally, this cuirassier wears the uniform of 1e Regimente Cuirassiere, 54mm A Call to Arms.

But the pride and joy of the past year has to be Sergeante de la Grenadiere de la Garde, 110mm from Miniart Figures. I wish more people did these still like Airfix, although this seems to be a dying fashion today, with interests naturally gravitating towards WW2 (although Tamiya are lovely). Clothed in dress uniform, on guard in the marble halls of Fontainebleau, the floor, plate, brocade, buttons and musket have been finished in Gloss Varnish, while the bearkskin and plume in Satin. One feature that I take great pride in all my models is painting faces, as it is here you can differentiate most between masses of troops, I feel because of my dark colour palette a feature too often missed. Here I have to blow my own trumpet and say I am really proud of the face and think it portrays a small level of emotion, even if under the rigours of service. The model is not quite done yet, the base I would like to give a coat of gloss varnish to and add a plaque, possibly with the Imperial Cipher or an Eagle in Chains. 

In a couple of weeks will also post up the start of my alternating modelling project, a rifleman.

Next up, my favourite period by far, the era of Pike and Shotte, the 17th century.

Mini Mania pt. 1 WW2

Apologies for lack of blog posts recently. Finishing work on the English Civil War military manuals book, produced by a notable military history publisher, more news before long regarding its contents, material, and stuff of interest to the historical wargamer. Equally, also recently walked the battlefield of Auldearn, a stones throw away from Culloden, as part of an SBT evaluation in the face of imminent expansion of the A9 motorway, soon to be the subject of a joint blog post highlighting features of the battlefield and how you can arrange it on your table.

In the mean time, I have noticed recently, those of you who are connected via Facebook, that I have not photographed any of my painting/modelling endeavours for the past two years and as such, a major update on projects and finished materials is in order. Therefore, here I shall present a relevant Gallimaufry of the best of that collection for your delectation and delight. Apologies for varying quality of photographs. Getting used to not using an SLR means varying zoom/quality of image, something hope to rectify soon.

First off a Jagdpanther for the Battle of the Bulge. From Pegasus Hobbies, 1/72. Haven't actually made up any forces to go with this yet, although likely to use Neil Thomas Wargames: An Introduction as a starter.

An Airfix 1/72 Tiger, again likely to be used for Operation Barbarossa, using the same system as above.

A change of scale here with 28mm Crusader Miniatures Officers/NCOs section of Fallschirmjager for use for Bolt Action. Not sure whether going to make up a German paratrooper section for Italy/possibly advance into Germany, but I really like Warlord Games recent set which is on the shopping list, so who knows.

Lastly a 15mm platoon of German Stug III's. These were originally bought with the original Flames of War original box set. Since playing them, although it is a fun set of rules, I don't feel it mirrors Battlegroup scale WW2 action well. On the other hand it is very popular, so may build up a Plastic Soldier Company force around it. Eye is being drawn by Battlegroup Panzergrenadier though.

Next post Military Modelling 54mm and beyond. Also need to start posting up some reviews to the books I read and also a Wargames New Years resolutions list.