Lifesize inspiration

About time that this blog was kicked back into life and as I'm busy on t'other blog recently, thought I'd show some pics taken at Warwick Castle event at Easter weekend.

It's only an hour away from my home, so my daughter and I dodged the rain storms to mingle with some acquaitances from the duke of Buckingham's retinue living history group and visited the excellent 'Kingmaker' display. The pics are some of the life-size figures in the castle, displaying the earl's retinue making preparations for the ill-fated Barnet campaign of 1471. All the clothing and equipment is spot-on for the period and taken from reliable contemporary pictorial evidence. I'm also planning some encampments, so also took some pics of camp life for future reference too.

If you've not been before, I recommend the castle and the quality of the Kingmaker galleries is (almost) worth the steep entry price alone.

More HYW figures (probably the remaining Scots) will be coming here soonish...

Armagnacs (part une)

In attempting to get close to a point of partial completion with my HYW armies at the end of this year (which I have failed to do) I realised that I'd overlooked the fact that earlier in the year I'd finished about fifty-odd French figures, a mix of men at arms and retainers, which I found carefully tucked away in a box. So these are the first group of six bases. Until now I'd hesitated basing them, as I want to use as many pre-printed flags as possible, due to their high quality, and to align flagbearers to respective knights where I've painted specific heraldry on surcoats. So these figures are those who have generic French flags (from Adolfos Ramos, LBMS, et moi). Future basing now appears to be held hostage to a future date when new HYW flags are available - so anyone who can influence Grahame Black or Steve Hales to release some more, will have my eternal gratitude! Figures are Perrys with a couple of Citadel Miniatures interlopers, all brushwork is mine.

This will probably be the last blog on here for a short while, as I switch my attention to my Burgundians and things plastic on t'other blog. However I have made a 2010 resolution to complete these armies.

Scots

Between 1418 and 1436, the Armagnac faction of the Dauphin Charles, sought to renew ‘the auld alliance’ and recruit Scots to bolster the fighting against the English and Burgundians. This was despite the fact that James I of Scotland was still captive in England, as he had been since 1406. Around 5,000 Scots were involved in campaigns, contributing to the French success at Bauge, but suffering heavy casualties at Cravant in 1423 and Verneuil the following year, after which their numbers and importance don’t appear to have recovered.
This first contingent are spearmen, continuing the tradition of the Scots ‘schiltron’. However in the first quarter of the fifteenth century they had a mix of arms. It appears that higher numbers of archers were recruited, presumably to deliberately counter the English longbows.
These Perrys have been painted by Jim Bowen (with 3 added by me, as I realised when basing up that I’d miscalculated how many I needed!), many of them bear the Scottish ‘saltire’ badge, although I decided to have them fighting under a French flag.
Scots archers and men at arms to follow.

Sustenance

Just a quick post, with a vignette that I did a few weeks ago. A man at arms, usable for any army, taking on fluids (probably wine not water) after the battle. The camp follower is a Foundry figure from their Swiss wars range. The useful wayside cross in the background is Bicorne from their ECW range (I think). More anon.

Speedos

Four bases of English 'scurrors' painted allegro, using the Army Painter dip. Having read avidly Dave Imrie's Saxon Dog blog over the last few weeks and having been impressed by the quantity and quality he's acheived by brushing on the dip, I thought I'd succumb and give it a go in the hope of increasing production levels, without compromising too much on detail. Also these figures are not 'core' to the English army and may see action on the table only on rare occassions, so I felt I had little to lose.
I'm pretty pleased with the results. I undercoated the figures with a light grey enamel and then just blocked in the colours, using much paler tones that I would normally use - all those Foundry highlight shades look like they may get used after all. This approach felt very odd and distinctly uncomfortable having painted figures with a shade and highlight style for more than 30 years. However just when I was thinking it may have been a bad idea, came the 'eureka' moment when the dip is applied (by brush) and all the figure's details are picked out and some decent shading applied. When dry I then picked out some highlights, with the same colour as the base, on some cloths and on the faces. I chose the 'Dark Tone' dip, on the basis that it would have greater impact on the plate and mail armour. The dip finish is gloss, so figures were matted down with a spray of 'Coat d'arms' matt varnish.
Horses were traditionally done but I will test dip on some soon.
Overall results are a 7/10 for quality (but only if you study the figures close up) and a 11/10 on time saved - doing these 'nomally' would have taken me probably 3 times longer.
Figures are Perry and pennon from LBMS banner sheet. Basework to be completed and photo'd in artifical light - not great pics I'm afraid.

Bedford at Ivry 1424

John duke of Bedford was Henry V's oldest surviving brother, following the deaths of the King and the duke of Clarence. In Henry VI's minority Bedford became Regent of France and as such led the war effort and secured the significant victory at Verneuil in 1424.

The chronicler Jehan de Waurin, one of the key sources for the wars, was in attendance with the English army that year and describes Bedford when the English army besiged the town of Ivry in August. He wore a specially made surcoat, bearing the combined red cross of England and the white cross of France, signifying to all in attendance and behind the walls of the town, his legitimacy as Regent of the two countries, now legally combined following the Treaty of Troyes.

I'm assuming that he continued to wear this for the remainder of that year (at least) and so have made some marginal modifications to one of the Perry commanders to re-create Bedford. I decided to put the French cross on blue (although many contemproary illustrations show it on red) to create some contrast. The figure in the middle of the base is a lovely figure sculpted by the 'count of wymborn' on Steve Dean's website; others are Perrys.

Longbowmen (II)

A small contingent of English longbowmen defend the crossing point of a tributary of the Seine, somewhere in Normandy.

The remainder of the English longbowmen for now; another 9 bases completed here. I'd like to do another three to take the total to 18 and so retain the 3:1 ratio with the men-at-arms. Figures painted by me and Jim Bowen on a roughly 50-50 split. Couple of older Citadels tucked in amongst the ranks including two plastics (before the current plastic 'renaissance'). The commander figure is Sir John Harrington (whose 19th century descendant appears to have invented the water closet!) who I've used as I had the GMB flag! Another St George flag is to be added to these for completeness. The terrain board is made by Keith at Realistic Modelling Services, who has a top-notch product.
Bases with defensive stakes are still to be completed.