Book Recommendations?

[Hman]

Hi, I am painfully aware, my knowledge of the ECW is poor!

So any recommendations for books covering the political and military aspects of the ECW?

[martin goddard]

You are just about to be swamped I fear. If you want a shorter, easy to digest response better say so now.

[Hman]

Yes please!

[martin goddard]

Here is a first "offering".

Pages 9 to 15 (6 pages) of
The English Civil war 1642-1651  by Philip Haythornthwaite
ISBN 1860198600
The book is also full of pictures and other interesting  army information.

There, short!



https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1860198600/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+english+civil+war+haythornthwaite&qid=1577483057&sr=8-1

Pretty cheap methinks.

[Radar]

Whatever you do, avoid the Haythornthwaite. Cheap, pretty pictures but too many errors. You can spot figure sculptors who have used it as inspiration as the illustrator's mistakes have made it into figure ranges. I can think of two quite easily (one 28mm, one 18mm) who have replicated exactly the same error.

Try "All the King's Men" by Stuart Reid, which is a brilliant primer.

"Decisive Battles..." by Wanklyn is pretty good, even though the title is a bit of a misnomer.  Those two should see you right.

The Ospreys are okay-ish; but are rather dated, the best arms and armour book is the recent Royal Armouries book.

After that, stuff gets a bit more specialised. Army or battle specific for example.

There are only a few half decent political/background primers, as most have a  heavy bias to one side or the other. The online BCW Project is an excellent free resource. Good, neutral commentary on politics/background, biographies and military campaigns. Also has a regimental wiki which is invaluable as a painting guide.

[Colonel Kilgore]

Thanks for this summary, Radar.
I was sad to hear about the errors in Mr Haythornthwaite's books, of which I have a couple. I found he pitched things at my level: my ignorance of any errors was blissful 🙂

[Smiley Miley 66]

Is there one book that can summarise the basic uniforms used by one side or the other ? Or both ? For those that are still learning about this period.
Miles

[Radar]

Alas not. Closest you'll get is the Royal Armouries arms and armour book, which dwells on hardware. For clothing, cloth colours etc the internet is your friend. Possibly best to search for Sealed Knot and ECWS re-enactment photos.

Both sides pretty much wore the same. Hence the need for soldiers to wear field signs. On one occasion at least both sides picked the same field sign. (Can't remember the battle, have nagging feeling it was Cheriton, but not certain).


No ostrich feathers, rugby shirts or musketeers wearing armour. Most of the mental imagery we have of the Civil Wars is down to the Victorians who thought the surviving stuff needed blinging up.

Early war you'll see pikemen wearing armour (including tassets) and morion helmets. Cuirassier cavalry also in the first year or two. As the war progressed the armour got ditched by all (too expensive, too heavy).

So what did they wear?

Cavalry moved to the buff coat, often with breastplates. Riding arm often a metal riding gauntlet, although some buff fishscale examples survive. Buff coats had buff sleeves, gentry quite often had fancy fabric sleeves which were either swapped for buff ones, or fabric was on top of the buff.

Montero and Monmouth caps were much more common than wide brimmed hats (too expensive). We know that many regiments were issued coats (some trews too), but often not what colour. Reds, blues, unbleached (white) and grey seem to be most popular. Very very rare to see black as it was the preserve of the very rich and the clergy.

Lots of regiments were not issued clothing - south western troops in particular. London Trained Bands were expected to provide their own kit to a particular standard (part time rich soldiers) so 'trained band buff' was quite common (sleeveless buff coats). The London Trained Band auxiliaries were full time troops and we know that at least one regiment were issued coats.

It is thought that some regional armies often wore similar coloured coats - Newcastle's northern army are believed to had a lot of white coated regiments (not just Newcastle's RoF).  Scots in their hodden grey (which is actually brown).

Only with the advent of the New Model Army did any real notion of 'uniform' come into play.

[Smiley Miley 66]

That's good to know.
After I ve done my Western forces for next year. I ll  come back to ECW.
The nice thing about this forum, is the diversity of people's knowledge across the board.
The other thing is regiments information. I live down on the South coast and want to do New Model Army. So any local regiments ( I know this was mainly a royalist area ?) or where to get the information from would be a help please ?
Miles

[Radar]

Best source will be the BCW regimental wiki. I don't know of any lists by location.

You'll need to cross reference Southern Association regiments that transferred over to the NMA, or trawl through the NMA lists. A long laborious job either way I'm afraid.

[Leslie BT]

Radar, looks like you have the making's of 1 15mm article.

Painting guide, colours not to use! etc.

Books to  read, museums to visit, and errors on the existing 15mm figure ranges!!

[Radar]

I might just have a whole blog devoted to the subject...

[Smiley Miley 66]

You could do an idiots guide to your blog and and other sources though ? For those of us that aren't up to speed ?
Miles

[Colonel Kilgore]

That's a good idea, Miles, if Radar is up for it. I actually found Radar's summary of 28th December very helpful in providing some clear direction, so maybe a bit of embellishment to that and the references you suggest would be a helpful start for many?
I haven't moved on much with ECW since I painted up my 15mm Mike's Models force in the late '80s, so I for one would value more up to date guidance.

[Sean Clark]

Also the Baccus Miniature site has a very good article about colours and flags. I'm at work on my phone so can't link from here but hopefully will put the link up later.

Or, just use Google!