From Kerry T: Hold, hold, hold - Scottish foot (100 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

I've often made comments in the past about what I call my wandering ill-disciplined brush. Today's entry is an example This leaves me to wonder how the mind works, or perhaps more specifically how the mind of a wargamer works (or doesn't). 

I raise the subject really because I find myself now  having completed  a unit of Scottish spearmen from the "Wars of the Bruce" range from the  Antediluvian Miniatures range. What's so special about that? Err, well the project actually started with a plan to do the Wars of the Roses (1455 to 1487). So how come I find myself offering an entry from the Scottish Wars of Independence (1296 to 1328 & 1332 to 1357).

It all started a few years ago when "Never Mind the Billhooks" was gaining in popularity, when seeing other gamers' efforts, I felt the attraction and bought a load of Perry plastic and metal figures for the period. Now there is an overlay between the WOTR and the Hundred Years War  (1337- 1543) and my mind suggested that with a switching  I could do both, perhaps using many of the same figures.

How did I get here though? - well I think its a combination of factors really

1 The joy of painting and staying productive by flitting between periods - what I mean by my ill-disciplined brush

2 The inevitable cry of " Oh look shiny". Thus the siren call of miniature figure ranges as you browse the net. This time it was the Antediluvian Miniatures range,  Claymore Castings, Perry Miniatures Agincourt range, Footsore Miniatures Baron's war range and lastly the Medbury Miniatures STL range. Oh yes and flags the twin calling of Flags Of War and GMB flags, I've always been a sucker for flags. In the main though I blame the figures, hence in the past seeing Artizan Landsknechts and Artizan Moors along with the Arab irregular cavalry in the WW1 range have led to a weakening of the will and thus new projects

3 A degree of megalomania... I started off intending to paint some English and French, then thought oh I could add some Scottish, Welsh and Irish.....

4 Media -In the past films like Lawrence of Arabia, The Last Samurai, and Kingdom of Heaven have led to the start of new projects. Then there are books or more recently audiobooks, essentially historical fiction (I listen while I paint) - Griff Hosker, Harry Sidebottom, David Gillman, SJ Turney & Christian Cameron whose words have filled my imagination with visual images of tabletop figures and before I know it my wallet's been opened and my brush is off on another wander!

I suppose a medieval purist will be having kittens now, figures from the Baron's war through to early/mid 100 years war are likely to come together to form my intended armies.

I could go on I know but this is by way of explanation of how I find myself here, with these....

Antediluvian Miniatures Wars of the Bruce range spearmen and knights

Based in 5s on 120 x 60 mm Warbases 2mm bases

I just love the action in these figures and was astonished by how good the  painted examples on the Antediluvian site look and so I was hooked. 

Spearmen on this base with a figure from the command pack at the back

They need something behind them I think though, more depth

Aonghus Og Mac Dohmnaill of Islay"s banner

Wasn't sure how many figures to add per base, 6 might have been better

Flags of War banner - a Scottish Saltire

The nearest base shows the knights rather than spearmen

My troops always run away

Used army painter on these, they're a bit shiny though

Well there we are, I'm not sure where I'm going with this project, all over the place as usual. When collecting I didn't really plan the units but I think in the long run I'll try and mix different figures into each unit using a mix of Claymore, Antediluvian, Footsore, Perry and Medbury. The Front Rank I have I think will have to be kept separate. There's an inspirational thread on the Lead Adventure Forum by Gareth Lane or Lord Raglan https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=135278.0 that I've followed

I'm not sure what I'll do for rules yet and a measure of my flutterbyness is that I've bought flags for 100YW French, English and Scottish along with flags for Bannockburn (1314) and Otterburn (1388). I'll just have to see where the butterfly takes me! I think WOTR is going to have to wait

So in summary

20 x 28mm Foot figures @5 points = 100 points

1 Squirrel

9 x 5 - 45 Can opener points

With many thanks

Valleyboy

From Millsy,

I was hoping to see these after you mentioned them on our regular paint and chat sessions!

They are absolutely smashing and the large bases to the front make them both safer for opponent's minis but also add a real sense of theatre. The fact enemies will be pushed back away from the pikemen reflects the way the weapon works and I love it.

The basing itself is great too and has a really compliments the colours of the padded jacks and surcoats. Lovely work mate and another well deserved 100 points.

Cheers,
Millsy