I am quite keen to base units as a single base these days whenever I can. I have been thinking about my WotR figures, and as the unit operates entirely within a relatively large grid area I think I have found a way to make each retinue, ie infantry and cavalry, a unit on a single base. My units started life as 4 30mm frontage bases, so I am now using 120mm by 40mm (approx) bases from TtS. In the right rear corner I fix a 7mm dice frame, then go with red, white or blue for household, retinue and levy. Further, as my previous units were the equivalent to 8 half bases, but when you get down to a single base (ie 2 half bases) left then it is automatically removed, I can thus use a D6 to represent strength in half bases plus 2, so two pips left represents half strength. I use the old disorder figures to represent disorder and will put my command groups on circular bases. They will join a unit by touching its right side. This should not cause any problems as I solo play. Arrow shortages, morale markers and artillery will stay as written in the rules.
Two full strength levy units using the PP generic flags.
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Great idea and they look good.
I'm trying to be generic with mine so ended up with a lot of small bases... pics coming soon. :)
The Generic flag sheets from PP are a blessing for this approach. I have also found that standards and flags for historical commanders are supplied in 15mm by Pete's Flags (eBay), Ancient and Modern (previously Donnington), and Citadel Six (who seem to be the only supplier of characters such as the Duke of York). The Citadel Six flags are also of the self adhesive style, so may not be to everybody's taste. If anyone knows of any other 15mm WotR flag suppliers I would appreciate that info - cheers, Andy.
Andy,
John Watson would be very sad if the Lance & Longbow Society's Freezywater Flags didn't get a mention here:
https://lanceandlongbow.com/shopFlags.php
A very extensive range of very nice flags, banners and standards (not that I'm entirely sure of the nuanced distinctions!).
Simon
Some more completions - generic base 3, The Kingmaker command stand and some morale markers and dead general tokens.
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That's some lovely work, Andy - thanks for sharing!
Simon
Still painting up and basing what I currently have, but would love to put in another order, however, at present the heads are not available to buy and the new archers are still not on the site. Being on the wrong/right side of La Manche it's not worth me putting in a large order followed by a much smaller one. Better to do it all in one go.
Have made some Winning the Fight markers. I thought WINNING was more appropriate than WTF.
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Very nice and tidy, Andy. Your neat handwriting helps too!
Simon
Nicely done markers Andy.
This winning the fight marker I think of as "no argument there then"
The casualty is a dead Essex knight wo happened to be wearing an armet with the visor raised. I cut the inside out and then painted the inside black. I also did a pin vise drill into the chest and glued ib a cut down spear. The winner is the Peter Pig 'amusing figure' holding a head.
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Very clever, Andy - there certainly is no argument there!
Simon
The Kingmaker's household troops are now complete, giving me the first of my historic household units. I plan to do 5 or 6 of these.
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I now have 6 units finished, with a 7th on the painting block. Then I plan a little breather to work on some scenic items for St Albans, plus further game markers, before the mammoth push for the 9 remaining units and the 5 command stands. Thank goodness the handgunners are mostly painted.
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Very nice, Andy!
I do like the fact in WOTR that it's relatively easy to have historical leader bases with loads of flags - possibly the most colourful PP period to play in?
Simon
Cheers Simon. I'm really looking forward to getting these onto the table and into battle. However, I was forgetting I will also need to do a command base for Henry VI, who was present but did not actually command. He can though be captured to provide victory points.
A few more odds and ends for the BB project:
First up is another retinue unit. I had a number of figures from my original WotR project of 40 years ago, wearing black and red livery (Stafford), plus two flags from then, so I painted up half a dozen extras to complete the unit. In fact three or four of the figures are Mike's Models.
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Next up two pictures of the market cross. The preaching friar and the Dominican monks are Essex. The woman shoe seller is from the old Peter Pig Renaissance Italy range and the stocks and cross are from the Peter Pig ECW sprinkles pack, with a little bit of trimming on the stocks figure to make him look more C15th. Almost all the paints used were contrast.
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The well, courtesy of the Joan of Arc game.
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Mayhem in the streets. A local resident outside the Blue Bushel is unaware of the disturbance going on around him. Building by Joan of Arc; pub sign and drunk from the PP ECW sprinkles pack, with the drunk modified to more C15th attire; the scrapping knights are both PP but the casualty is from the original range whereas the winner is one of the new sculpts (household fighting).
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Andy,
Very nice painting and composition of the figures.
Best wishes,
Martin Buck
Cheers Martin. This has been the most enjoyable project I have done since I started my Peter Pig 1914 project back in the UK. Whereas the BB project benefits (for me) from single base units, I am intending to put my WWI figures back onto the 30mm frontages cited in the rules.
This is a lovely project, Andy. Nice to see bits and bobs from different manufacturers coming together so nicely.
Those Joan of Arc buildings are nice and full of character - maybe something for us all to look out for on eBay?
Simon
Indeed they are. I would particularly recommend the Village Pack, which contains buildings, civilians, animals, trees, tents and so on. Also the Siege Pack containing the full castle, plus damaged wall sections, siege machines, artillery, handgunners. There are some fascinating odds and ends in those Joan of Arc packs, including monsters, devils, angels etc. The game itself is a bit board game style, but the figures and terrain items are great.
Finally the weather has cooled and I have been able to finish the shop building for St Albans and other Medieval and ECW battles.
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Nice work Leman.
Very nicely done, Andy - you've brought out lots of colourful detail there.
Simon
Thanks folks.
Very beautiful ...
I like very much the base with the monk ! The painting (both figures and scenery elements) is superb too.
Really inspiring !
Excellent Andy, great inspiration. I really like the Big Bases.
Getting back to work on these this evening now that the weather has finally broken here. I have one generic unit to finish and then some work on a Welsh spear unit and another of predominantly Welsh bow, the latter using some Joan of Arc figures which will give them a slightly old fashioned/rustic look compared to the English.
Welsh spears are nearly done and the generic unit is done and packed away. Meanwhile here are the Duke of York command, four commander trait markers and a couple of woodland scenics trees.
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Those are rather lovely, Andy - great job!
Simon
Looks like one or two might have picked up a bit of grass. I'll have to keep them out of The Flying
Dutchman in Groningen. :o
The Welsh spear are now complete. They are a motley bunch with no Peter Pigs among them. The commander is an Essex figure in the front rank wearing armour from earlier in the C15th (from the Hussite range). The men with spears forward are Irregular figures. Those wearing berets were removed to bolster the continental pikes of Martin Schwartz's command. Those shouldering their spears are from the Front Rank 15mm range (which may have been acquired by QRF). The four figures making up the standards group at the back are Essex I think, wearing somewhat outdated armour which adds to the motley appearance of this unit. The photos are the unit, a close up and player's distance.
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I also dug out an old artillery crew from the 80s. I have no recollection of which company made them, but I think I got them at Northern Militaire. They originally had a gun which came with them, as well as an odd shaped base with the two barrels and a rammer. Over the years the gun has disappeared, so I replaced it with a Mike's Models bombard, which I have also had for years. The crew only needed a coat of matt varnish, and the bombard itself was very quick to paint, then the whole thing was fixed to a 50mm base and terrained.
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They look great.
Wonderfull work Andy. Im really looking forward to seeing your first game with these.
Nice job Andy.
The flags in this period really add another dimension to the figure bases.
Simon
Only another 7 units to go, plus commanders and markers, for first St Albans. However, I am about to complete the Earl of Salisbury, Lord Clifford and a unit commanded by Lord Scrope ( who does not appear as a battle commander in any of the scenarios). I quite fancy the idea of producing an archer heavy unit of old fashioned looking Welsh. I also have a mounted Warwick command which just needs a rebase to fit with my theme of circular command bases.
Very nice work: painting, basing...
Superb !
Cheers,
Xavier
Two more command bases, first the Earl of Salisbury, second Lord Clifford, plus Lord Scrope's retinue. Again this is a mix of previously painted figures with newly painted Peter Pig additions. this is proving to be a very enjoyable project.
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Again, this is a great work ! Painting, basing...
I particularly like the way you enhance your miniatures : the way you place them on their base, the way flags are positionned... This is great !
The work made on bases is also very nice (sand, grass, rock) : everything is well balanced.
Another thing : I also like your choice for colours : it brings light to the miniatures.
Yes ! I am fan !! :)
Thanks Anatoli, very much appreciated.
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The Earl of Northumberland for the St Albans scenario. Here I have used three figures from a PP character pack, all be it labelled as Lord Hastings. This meant I had to do a tabard of the earl's coat of arms. This was a bit of a challenge with my shaky hands, so I settled for an impression at wargamer's distance, hoping that the flags would be a distraction. The other two standards/banners are carried by two unarmoured Essex pikemen from the late medieval/early renaissance range.
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And here is the reason I used Hastings as Northumberland; I already had a Hastings command diorama from my first outing with Bloody Barons, so these were painted a couple of decades ago. I rebased them on a circular base and added a new PP armoured follower. The others are two older PP dismounted knights and the standard bearers are unknown fully armoured and an old Mike's Model with a head swap.
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Another rebasing from early outings with Bloody Barons, this time the Earl of Warwick mounted. These are Minifigs models. I thought I might start the game with him mounted, dismounting in true Warwick mode, when it comes to handstrokes.
They are cracking bases, Andy - those flags are wonderful!
Simon
They are... Superb !!!!!!!!!
Brillant work !
great stuff - i wish mine looked as good.
Thanks gents. As always it does seem a pity to have to get old for your skills to really sharpen up. Been working on Henry VI and Somerset this morning. That will complete all the command bases needed for First St Albans, then I can crack on with my final 6 unit bases (6 retinues probably sounds better in a WotR context).
Whoohoo! the order has finally gone in to complete my WotR collection (if such a thing is possible) and also a few street barricades for WWI SB.
This update is my final two command stands for First St Albans. They are the Duke of Somerset, using all the figures in the 3rd Duke's character pack, plus an extra couple of standard bearers from Ancient and Modern. The second is Henry VI - he should be visible at the folowing battles:1st and 2nd St Albans, Ludford Bridge and Northampton. In all cases he is just a pawn to be captured or rescued (depending on circumstances and the colour of your rose) but he does add a nice colourful touch. Please excuse the stray static grass on him. I didn't notice it until I expanded the photo. Luckily it was dry and just brushed off.
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The Henry VI base unfortunately has no PP figures. Henry, the mounted knight and the foot standard bearer are from Ancient and Modern. The mounted Herald is a repainted Front Rank figure from at least 3 decades ago. The musician speaking to the king is a plastic Joan of Arc figure.
All that silver and flags looks great Andy.
There was a trend some years ago for claiming armour was all blackened etc. but silver looks accurate and enjoyable.
martin :)
Apparently, as I have just written in Recently Read, Edward IV favoured blackened armour, although he is also shown in contemporary documents in white (polished metal) armour, so he could be in either. I am going to do a few Edward command figures - as Earl of March, as he may have appeared at Towton before his coronation, and in a crowned helmet at Barnet and Tewkesbury. Same with Richard
when he was Duke of Gloucester. I think the Earl of March will get the blackened armour. I also think a few more painted helmets scattered about might look good.
Lovely work Andy, showing off the character packs beautifully and also evidence of how well they mix with other sculpts.
I have the Henry figure from Donnington. I think mine came with a Margaret figure too.
I have two Margarets now, one A and M and one PP. I will paint one up as Margaret and one as a Lady-in-waiting. I can sit her off to the side for Blore Heath, Ludford, 2nd St Albans, and Tewkesbury.Also useful for an 'imaginative' scenario, such as capture the queen as she flees to Wales. She will also come in useful in a Kingmaker campaign. I have also come across another oddity. Apparently at Towton Edward, currently uncrowned, fought under the banner/standard of the Black Bull of Clarence. Anybody have any further info on that?
Not heard that before but how intriguing!
The beauty of these bases is a real temptation for me to buy and start painting an army from this period...
The work you did on these bases is brillant ! Each base is a mini scenery, with living figures on it !
I am starting to discover a period of History that I did not know at all, which is very fascinating...
Cheers
Xavier
Freezywater has Edward's banner at Towton as having the black bull of Clarence, but I don't know their source for this. Edward's claim to the throne was based on his descent from Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, hence his use of the bull as a device. Edward also used the white lion of Mortimer as a badge, due to his descent from Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, heir presumptive to Richard II, giving him an alternate line of descent for his claim.
Thanks for that information Usag - I have those standards available so will make use of them - the White Lion for Northampton and Mortimer's Cross, and the Black Bull for Towton.
Xavier - the figures are a real treat to paint, and are ideal for the later wars of Louis XI and Charles the Bold from 1450 onwards (possibly even a little earlier when the Henry VI marriage treaty with Louis XI broke down in the later 1440s). Martin makes some excellent crossbowmen of the period and A and M some useful Swiss and troops that can be armed with a variety of weapons, as well as some excellent camp vignette models. I have plans for French and Irish mercenaries to be present at various battles.
Quote from: Anatoli on October 20, 2022, 04:03:51 PM
The beauty of these bases is a real temptation for me to buy and start painting an army from this period...
The work you did on these bases is brillant ! Each base is a mini scenery, with living figures on it !
I am starting to discover a period of History that I did not know at all, which is very fascinating...
Cheers
Xavier
Xavier,
I look forward to seeing pictures of some games of Bloody Barons. If your other games are anything to go by, they're going to be something special!
Every so often I squeeze in some more terrain pieces to do. Not sure yet how to represent the town ditch but I do have barricades available in the form of logs from Time Cast. Also a couple of Joan of Arc bridges and a few boulders, bushes as grid markers. May also knock out a few concerned citizens and the odd felled cow. At some point I will have to make a nice tent scene for Henry at Northampton.
These are looking fab!
Re armour: Unless you expressed a particular preference the general rule of thumb was the richer you were the shinier your armour. After all YOU weren't the one cleaning the blood and crud off it. Unless of course you covered it in some form of garment. Munition quality armour could also be a dull gunmetal colour where the hammer work was not polished off, but the overlapping joints etc. still had to be smooth to function properly. Blackened armour was an application of soot and oil (lampblack) as a rust preventative measure. Bluing was a heat application which tended to wear off, ditto russet. Those could potentially affect the hardness of the lames. Most of my WotR period troops are in a gunmetal finish with only COs and hobnobs in the shiny stuff. Needless to say the grunts will be covered in a liberal amount of crud.
At last back on track with this project. Spent an enjoyable afternoon completing the archers and some extra billmen for a Clifford unit. It could be levy or retinue, but it has been my personal Death by Brown, if anyone remembers that particular ECW thread. A few posh lads in with a load of figures wearing, or using, various shades of brown. I think that's what was putting me off getting it done, but finally the log jam has been broken. The next unit will have a Somerset allegience, so should involve more variety when painting - Retinue or Household. Once based up I'll post a photo of the brown and white Clifford chaps.
Looking good Andy
martin :)
Xavier there was a lot of battles for the period around this area and Brittany.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ5bkawra-DjiRg-21spMEOsGyjpwutGo
Will give some ideas for the War of Breton Succession.
Thank you, Les...
Indeed, this period of Breton History, before it became part of the kingdom of France, is really interesting...
I am watching the videos, now... ;)
As promised, the Clifford retinue. I thought it was worth doing from a couple of angles as this is the closest I have to a freshly painted all PP retinue including some new billmen. Only the figure with the square banner is an old Minifig's.
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Very nice, Andy, and worthwhile seeing from several angles.
I wouldn't want to tangle with that bunch of ruffians!
Simon
The poorer (Welsh) archers arrived with my brother. I am considering mixing them with some of the levy archers to produce a base of predominantly Welsh archers, such as the troops who turned up late for the battle of Edgecote. I think an advantage when shooting and a disadvantage in melee may work well, given the way I base my figures.
This "whole unit" approach works well Andy.
Maybe a D6 to show how many deaths they have suffered?
martin :)
Don't know how I missed this last post. In the above photo you can see the dice holder where I do use a dice to record losses. Each base in a normal game, i.e. a four base unit, can sustain 2 casualties. Thus I use a D6 for 3 half bases. When a unit reaches only one base left it is automatically removed in Bloody Barons, thus I do not need a D8.