Well I'm on the home stretch now as these belong to my final ward for Never Mind the Billhooks project. These colourful chaps belong to the Earl of Kildare who fought for York in the later attempts to seize the throne. One thing I've noticed about the Wars of the Roses is there isn't a lot of books about the period. Yes one can obtain a couple of decent general histories but apart from that there isn't too much meat to go at. Well that's my reason for adding Gallowglass and kern to this ward. In my mind, they are from Ireland and who wouldn't want decent quality mercenaries when you go on campaign.
I hope to finish the said mercenaries very soon, depending on back pain, procrastination and the like. I must admit I am tempted to paint some figures in red and white stripes in tribute to my local team, but given they are still struggling to get out of the mess they find themselves in, I better not push my luck.
This chap is an early Marcus Hinton figure and very nice he is too. I was lucky enough to locate a few and chopped the implement he had been holding out of his hand. The trumpeter is a Perry plastic just to add a bit of interest.
I had? to paint some heavy cavalry to use in this period, although given the number of gendarmes and the like I have in my Italian Wars armies, they really weren't needed. I'll be very honest I still think the old Citadel range of figures for the Wars are amongst the best even though they must be 40+ years old. If only they were the same price as when they were first released. Foundry now charge £5.00 per cavalryman which is a bit steep considering their age etc. I managed to scrape a few together courtesy of E Bay, but even they were pretty expensive. But I really wanted some, its pathetic really.
Kildare's new units resplendent in red and white. It reminds me of the Stadium of light pre Covid. Happy days.
Lovely work all around - I do like that Hinton figure too!
ReplyDeleteThe Hinton figures are much larger than his later figures and appear almost 32mm. He was a talented bugger.
DeleteVery nice looking force
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil, the colours are totally wrong being too bright, but look better to my eyes anyway.
DeleteThose are very grand additions to the collection Robbie. And cheer up, you might be a season ticket holder at Walsall.😕
ReplyDeleteOh I think following the Mackems is sufficient misery for any football fan. Its like a never ending miserable saga of ineptitude and corruption. And the footballs no better either.
DeleteVery nice and the WotR / Billhooks project is racing onwards. I like the swirl that runs down the length of the cavalry lance .... I tried the same with my recent cavalry, but just can’t get it to look consistent enough to the eye.
ReplyDelete£5 per figure soon racks up to a princely sum!
Thanks Norm. There was some enterprising soul producing transfers for lances but I still use a technique I was own years ago, where you paint one side of the lance first and then join up the marks, its easier how than explain, but it works.
DeleteI have Kildare in my own WoRs army - all kerns and gallowglass. As for the citadel cavalry - cripes my 30 odd are worth more than I thought!
ReplyDeleteIts great you also have some WotR units Paul. As for the Citadel knights, they are dearer than the wonderful Steel Fist figures? I still like them but with postage a 12 figure unit is well over £60.00. That is an awful lot of money for the figures.
DeleteFine looking contingent Robbie, beautifully painted.
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
Thanks James, it has been a pleasant interlude.
DeleteRobbie-Stadium of Light??(rhymes with ?????)-lovely paint job though-sometimes the old figures add a certain "class" to a unit.
ReplyDeletejohnc
When they injected you John, they should have stuck it in your backside, anyway hope you are your lass are well.
DeleteLovely work, don't talk to me about Foundry prices, your new gendarmes are ace!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain