28mm Wars of the Roses: Archers (4)

 

Now three more units of archers – town or country militia with tawny livery.

40mm WAS/SYW Karlstadter-Lykaner Grenz

 

This is the figure I had commissioned in the UK. I have added Sash & Saber's Hungarian command to fill out the drummer, officer and standard bearer. I will also be doing a second battalion in a light blue uniform for the Szluiner regiment.

The figure comes in three parts: the body, sabre and head. The only problem is that the prong on the head (which should insert into a hole in the neck/stock) is placed centrally and when you align them up you get a chap without a chin. I have experimented with cutting off the prong but that produces a weak connection. I will have to experiment further with the second battalion of Szluiners to see if I can get a better fit. Note that I have also done a grenadier company of four figures using Sash & Saber's grenadier heads.

It is unlikely that Grenzers carried flags in the field but Dave Morfitt, in his excellent blog “Not by Appointment”, has shown a speculative penant-type flag which is really too wonderful not to use.

I aim to do the Szluiner battalion sometime in September.

28mm Wars of the Roses – Billmen (2)

More billmen, this time with a 'tawny' livery.

 

28mm Perry Plastics FPW 1870: Prussian battalion

 

I bought a box out of curiosity as soon as they became available. I had started an 18mm FPW project that I soon abandoned as I like the 18mm scale but did not enjoy painting the figures – I have realized that as I grow older so the figures need to get larger to paint half decently.

These Perry figures are very nice indeed. Each box has 39 figures – one command sprue of 4 figures, two skirmisher sprues each of 6 figures (one of which is a dead chap) and 5 sprues of line figures (each of 5 figures). That adds up to 41 and I suppose that includes the 2 dead guys.

I have done 24 figures in this battalion and will add 6 figures of skirmishers. Effectively one will be able to throw forward one company of skirmishers out of four. Unused in the box remains another 6 skirmishers and a sprue of line. The formation in the pictures is in column which will be murdered by the French chassepot so it may be worth painting the second skirmisher company as well.

Whether I continue with these is unknown. I will certainly buy a French plastic box when it becomes available. I should also mention that the painting guide included in the box is a great help as are the two flag examples, one of which I have used here. Note the lovely black/silver pennants which were battle honours and were of greater status than the flags themselves.

Army for Sale

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/114806074364

28mm Wars of the Roses – Billmen (1)

 

Three units of billmen using the same plastic Perry box (the Archers box) but with the bill arms, a nasty looking weapon. Red and white livery so can serve on any side.

28mm 1st Carlist War-Carlists: 4th Guipuzcoan

 

This unit has the same uniform as the 1^st but I have given them white trousers, summer wear, to distinguish them from their colleagues. As for the missing 3^rd, I have no information about them.

Note the inclusion of a monk with a blunderbuss.