From Kerry T: Men in Buff - ECW Cavalry (240 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

I hope you all had a good new year and have a great  hobby year to look forward to.

For the this my third entry and for the first few weeks of this challenge I had planed to try and knock off some English Civil War cavalry. I'm painting both Royalist and Parliamentary forces for the ECW because I'm largely a solo gamer. My main inspiration came from Simon Miller and his blog and a few years ago when I got an unexpected windfall (my annual bet on a golf tournament at my home club) I bought some Empress Miniatures ECW figures with the winnings.

Since then I've added figures, mainly infantry but then you do need  a fair few cavalry I'm told for ECW. In the main infantry regiments are close to 40 figures strong and cavalry around 24figures. My aim is to use For King and Parliament but I'm also intrigued by the prospect of Never Mind The Matchlocks.

This year I sold a  "never would be used" painted Prussian SYW army and have since used the proceeds to buy some ECW cavalry from Empress Miniatures, First Corps, Bicorne Miniatures and lately Bloody Miniatures.

I painted more than 100 horses over the holiday period as I prefer painting these in large batches. Hopefully than means I can produce a new unit in each of the coming few weeks.

Given my last post was Men in Black, I now give you men in Buff - does this mean they are Buffoons?

Bicorne Miniatures Dragoons

Though these Dragoons carry the colours of Sir Henry Washington (Royalist) my intention is really to use my cavalry generically for both sides - call me a Philistine if you like. There used to be a great web based ECW resource that I used for coat colours but sadly it seems to have been lost forever now. If anyone has any web ECW sources they recommend for painting I'd be grateful. Consequently I have no idea if the coats match the flags!

Another Flags of War ensign

Only 12 figures strong at this stage

The second unit are definitely a Royalist unit though -The Kings Lifeguard of Horse. 

The Dragoons show the Lifeguard the way

Again only 12 figures strong and with a mix of sword and pistol

They're no longer down wind of those smelly dragoons

This way to ye old tavern

On the way home from the tavern, lets charge that house

Finally, never ever ride next to an officer, especially if he's been to the tavern

Its not easy to fit 3 Bicorne horse on a 60 x60mm base

so look where the officer's pistol is pointing!

The Lifeguard are also Bicorne Miniatures and will allow me to open myside-duel challenge for         the title Masterchef or Chief can opener. 

Unlike the Dragoons they each wear a cuirass/breastplate over their buff coats and thus I claim 60cans/points and 1 squirrel

No breastplate only a mold line!

Thus in summary

24 Mounted 28mm figures @ 10 points each= 240 points

Best wishes

From Millsy:

Oh my, these are just gorgeous Kerry! I've been hearing about these on our regular chats and it has certainly whetted my appetite to see them completed. The wait has more than been worth it too.

What a wonderful collection of mounted troops and representing the rightful King as well. It's great to see a Royalist lifeguard unit, and also one of the lesser known in Washington's Dragoons. I can almost hear the thunder of hooves as they charge and rout the rebels before following them off the field.

Let me also compliment you again on both your table setup and your photography. Both are superb and prove the perfect backdrop.

240 well earned points mate!

Cheers,
Millsy

From Kerry T - P is for Pike & Shotte. (194 points & Squirrel)

 Morning, afternoon and evening all

I assume that introduction or greeting covers all of you worldwide!

P is for Pike and Shotte

Its another lovely Sunday afternoon here in NZ and I'm pleased to say that I've managed to finish another unit this week though it was a bit of a mission having had to paint late into Friday and Saturday evenings to complete things. I wouldn't normally paint on these evenings, though I paint most other evenings and as a consequence rarely watch TV.

Its been really nice to have one of my sons come home to stay for a few days, with the added bonus that he'd agreed to jump on the ride-on today and cut the grass - so this meant that I could get out my pretend grass and so base and finish the Kings Regiment of Foote this morning. So I've finished a unit that I hadn't expected to this week. That's handy because mid week I'm away on a golf trip for a few days and have little hope of painting much in the next few days. To be honest, the break is quite welcome

I think this is the last of my Royalist infantry regiments bringing my total to 10 infantry regiments to date. I say I think its the last - I'll have to take a look at how many of the Royalist standards I bought from Flags or War!

I started collecting ECW figures almost 3 years ago when I knew I just had to have some of those exquisite Empress Miniatures ECW  figures  https://valleyboyinnz.wordpress.com/2019/05/05/oh-look-shiny-yet-another-new-project-and-other-bits/ 

As one might expect, I then discovered other equally nice figures out there and have since added figures from the First Corps, Bicorne Miniatures & Warlord Games. I've generally painted a unit here and there bumping them up or down the painting queue as the mood takes me.

These are Bicorne Miniatures Figures, I generally don't mix figure manufacturers in a unit

As one might expect from a newly painted unit - it will inevitably run away in its first game so here we go...

Flee for your lives

Not exactly a Pike block but at 12 figures I think these look respectable enough  and so have chosen to field all my units with 12 pike. I think this is the minimum I can get away with but on reflection I wonder if 16 would have been better 

Psst Don't tell Ken Reilly there's only 12 of us, so keep shuffling around lads and hopefully the bugger won't notice😄

I like Bicorne's "Musketeer at order" pose and almost wish I'd bought more (but then I suppose I would never have finished the unit in time for today!)

Finally there's the command group with their Flags of War standards https://www.flagsofwar.com/collections/ecw-royalist

I didn't know Marty Feldman fought in the ECW (guy on the right front rank - I never paint eyes but I've only just spotted that and will need to sort it)

In painting these I've tried to go for a bit of a faded red, VJ Cavalry brown, washed with Army Painter Dark Tone, then highlight with a mix of VJ Flat red and Cavalry Brown before the final highlight with added VJ Cork Brown

My plan is to use for King and Parliament Rules by Big Red Bat, with the inspiration from his work here https://forkingandparliament.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately as a solo gamer I need to collect and paint both sides

I'm definitely a fan of lots of big flags 

I like the mixture of headgear in these figures

 Oh what the hell..

Here we go here's what I have to date

So that's 38 figures I think at 5 points for a total of 190 and another Squirrel (err ahem, that's why I'm still at the bar in Sarah's Yacht pretending to eat your share of the nuts but in reality slipping them into my pocket because I should have 4 squirrels to feed by now!) 

Excuse me but would you mind passing the nuts?

______________________________

Fabulous looking regiment of pike & shotte, Kerry. Love those final shots of all your collection arrayed for battle. I'm popping in a few extra points for the brave banners. Beautiful.

Enjoy your golf getaway!

- Curt