From PaulSS: French Nobles and English Peasants (108 points)

Both sides of my Hundred Years War project get some attention this week with the French getting three mounted commanders and the English getting another draft of bowmen.

The French commanders are all from the same Perry Miniatures French mounted command at Agincourt set. Three dynamic characters who shall lead the French men at arms in glory against the English usurpers.

The first noble is Waleran de Raineval, Comte de Fauquembergue who led the third French battle at Agincourt and was killed during the battle.

On his jupon he is wearing his heraldry of 'arms or on a cross sable five escallops argent'. The Perry's have very handily sculpted this on the figure so it's more a case of colouring-in than free-hand.

The second noble is Louis,Count of Vendôme who commanded the 1600 mounted men at arms on the left wing at Agincourt and was subsequently captured during the battle but survived the massacre of the prisoners.

This figure took a dive on the floor while I was varnishing. His lance was bent double and I had to do a lot of touching up before the photos. Bugger!

Again the Perry's have sculpted in his heraldic detail of 'arms quarterly 1&4 France Modern on a bent gules three lions rampant argent 2&3 argent a chief gules overall a lion rampant azure armed langued and crowned or' I had to repaint that a few times as I kept getting it wrong.

I added the lance pennant from paper and did a pastiche of the arms in freehand.

The final noble is Anthony Comte de Brabant who let 800 mounted men at arms on the right wing of the first battle at Agincourt and was captured in the battle and executed with many of the other prisoners at the pivotal stage in the fight.

This chap is a lovely clean sculpt and is devoid of heraldry, which was quite a relief especially after painting Vendôme!

On now to the 15 English who are all made of components from the two plastic sets English Army 1415-1429 and Agincourt French Infantry 1415-29

The first set is another block of 15 bowmen deployed behind their row of stakes that were used to disrupt the French attacks and protect these lightly armoured troops.

Like the previous set of English bowmen they are made with a mix of the bodies from the French box so that there are some chaps with heavier armour than those made solely from the English set. The French box also contains a few unarmoured bodies in different poses to the English box to add variety.

I have painted these in a mix of liveries representing archers from several retinues grouped together. The stakes on the base come from the English set and are a useful addition.

Some close-ups of the individual figures. Many are sporting the cross of St. George that was used as a field sign through the campaign of 1415.

All but the central figure in this group were made using French bodies. The one on the right is a very dynamic pose in the French set that adds some action to the group.

Only the first figure in this group uses a body from the French set the remainder are all from English bodies. I like the green & brown livery so much I plan to paint a whole unit in this scheme.

The second group of five archers could either depict a small unit of archers deployed among the men at arms in the centre, or, if deployed in a more open order a unit of bidets skirmishing on the flanks of the line.

Again a mix of English and French bodies painted in a mix of liveries.

Usually my units are in multiples of six, but you'll see that these are in fives, that is because the additional three figures are already painted and entered in the Sport bonus round. So that my movement trays did not have holes in them I made some empty bases, some with stakes, to insert in there so that I can use them when casualties are removed, or, if I just want to make the figures I have stretch further.

Here is the larger unit of archers at their full complement of 12 and the bidets at 6.

 So, with three mounted nobles and fifteen foot that should give me 105 points plus whatever bonus points for the heraldry and fillers.

I'm now out of bowmen so shall have to concentrate on the French again next week. Fortunately, this turned up at the weekend.

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Execute the prisoners? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances!

We need a statement, not a manifesto. One hundred seventeen points will be enough for today.