Getting organised

I’ve been thinking about buying a rack for my paint for a while, and finally got around to it.

I also needed some more hydro foam for my wet palette, and some new sculpting tools for modelling long boots for Clifford’s mounted archers, so I sought these out at Green Stuff World. Overall, including shipping, this worked out ten quid cheaper than Amazon.

The rack is easy to assemble, and with a bit of wood glue for good measure the result is sturdy and stable. It looks neat, and has capacity for 60 17ml bottles.

Tidy!

French long spear armed mercenaries

Happy New Year to my readers, wherever you are in the world.

I had planned more progress with painting over the Christmas period, but influenza had other ideas. I am recovering, and now well enough to do a bit painting.

I have almost finished painting the first two ranks of the long spear (pike) armed French, with just a bit of detailing to do.

I have received another delivery from Steel Fist Miniatures, one of the figures – a flag bearer – is destined for Clifford’s company of dismounted archers. I am looking forward to starting these.

Slow but steady progress with the French mercenaries, a satisfying mix of Perry Miniatures and Steel Fist Miniatures.

Lancastrian limber ready for action

The Lancastrian cannon and limber are ready to join Margaret of Anjou’s army.

This model was inspired by Graham Turner’s painting The Hard Road to Tewkesbury in the fabulous The Wars of the Roses: The Medieval Art of Graham Turner, a similar model shown on the inspirational Full Harness blog, and informed by a bit of internet research looking at contemporary drawings and paintings.

The limber is from Perry Miniatures’ American War of Independence range (AW117), while the cannon is by Mark Copplestone. The figures are Perry Miniatures with one by Mark Copplestone holding the horse.

Graham Turner’s painting The Hard Road to Tewkesbury.

The model from the Full Harness blog.

My finished model, which isn’t as shiny as it looks here.

Lancastrian artillery: cannon and limber

The French cannon and limber in Lancastrian service is finally ready for basing.

The limber is from Perry Miniatures’ American War of Independence range (AW117), while the cannon is by Mark Copplestone.

The figures are Perry Miniatures with one by Mark Copplestone holding the horse.

French artillery on the move, and ready for basing.

Lancastrian French mercenaries

After a lengthy hiatus I have managed to finish two more small companies of French mercenaries.

A company of eight crossbow armed men and another of eight hand gunners will join the two French cannon, part of the Lancastrian mercenary contingent.

I have added a few pavises with different sized fleur-de-lis.
I also revisited the Yorkist mercenaries, adding a few more pavises for the Burgundians and the Flemish here, and ground foliage.

The fleur-de-lis and heraldic wolf waterslide transfers are from The Mighty Brush. These are very crisply defined and come in a range of very useful sizes. Everything else is hand painted.

I’ve also made some progress with the long spear (pike) armed companies and command figures. I want to finish these, the Lancastrian ‘butterfly’ limber and cannon vignette, then move on to the first of Clifford’s Flower of Craven.

The Mighty Brush waterslide transfer sheets.

The French company of handguners, a mix of Perry Miniatures and Steel Fist Miniatures figures.

The French crossbow armed company, more Perry Miniatures and Steel Fist Miniatures figures.

French hand culverins – lovely Mark Copplestone miniatures.

Mounted archers

I’m planning to have at least one company of mounted archers, with a matching set of dismounted figures.

I wanted to model a few horses waiting patiently for their masters to finish loosing arrows, so I sought out suitable models from Claymore Castings medieval range.

These are lovely pieces, finely detailed and crisply cast. I bought three sets, six horses in all. The first will be modelled for Clifford’s Flower of Craven.

Patient standing horses.

More from Pete’s Flags, and a project plan

It’s been too hot to paint; my study is on the south side of my house and it’s been scorchio for weeks, so I busied myself with some figure assembly, more reading, and planning.

I reviewed the flags and standards that I have from Pete’s Flags and from the Perry Miniatures’ plastic sets, and made a plan for the various factions.


Lancastrian forces

Queen Margaret of Anjou will take to the field with a force of French mercenaries armed with long spears (pikes), hand gunners, crossbowmen, and artillery.

Edward Prince of Wales, Duke of Lancaster, will lead a small retinue of men-at-arms in full harness.

The main army will comprise:

John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford
leading The Flower of Craven, a mounted unit of men-at-arms, spears, and archers.

Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset

Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland

John Wenlock, 1st Baron Wenlock

Henry Grey, 4th Baron Grey of Codnor

Sir Robert Baynton

All except Clifford will lead retinues of men-at-arms, archers and bill men.

The alchemist Henry Grey might even conjure mythical beasts!


Yorkist forces

Edward IV, accompanied by his brother Edmund Earl of Rutland, will field a retinue of men-at-arms in full harness, archers, and artillery, the latter commanded by John Judd, Master of The King’s Ordnance.

The main army will comprise:

John Radcliffe, Lord Fitzwalter
leading a mounted unit armed with spears and bows

Sir John Howard, Duke of Norfolk

William Neville, Earl of Kent, Lord Fauconberg

Sir William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings

John Tuchet, Baron Audley

Retinues will comprise archers, bill men and men-at-arms of various strengths. Since he was one of the wealthiest men in England, Hastings may field more figures in full harness. Fauconberg may lead a unit comprising mainly or exclusively archers.

I’ll need flags for Fitzwalter.

Pete’s Flags for Somerset, Wenlock, and Norfolk.