Entry #7 to AHPC VIII: Italian Wars Landsknecht Culverin

I've returned to my Italian Wars project to add a bit of artillery support to the collection.

This is a German-crewed culverin (or bombard?) mounted on a adjustable split-tail carriage. In modern terms this is not a particularly large gun, but to those living in the 16th century this would have been quite an impressive piece of artillery. (With it being near as much a danger to its crew as it would be to their intended targets.)

The figures are from Redoubt Enterprises and while they are a bit ill-formed and perhaps a tad lumpish, I find they have a certain charm about them and they posses a wonderful dynamism, especially in how their various poses convey a sense of movement. These fellows really reinforce the idea of them frantically trying to realign their gun while in the midst of combat.

I tried to match the groundwork to the rest of my bases, which are all autumnal, so a wide assortment of brown foliage, late blooms and a generous carpet of fallen leaves are all there. If it weren't for the big freakin' gun and its boorish crew of beer-swilling Landsknechts, perhaps it would be a nice place for a quiet repast with a bottle of Chianti, a loaf of fresh bread and a plate of prosciutto. Ah, bellissimo!

Have a great day everyone!


Next Up: Another Beastie for 'Kingdom Death'

Landsknecht Pike Additions - Unit Done (phew!)

The first elements of this unit made their debut a little over a year ago, but its only recently that I've managed to finally complete it.

I could go on and on, whining about how painting Landsknechts can a complete rash in the codpiece, how their puff-and-slash uniforms are absolutely hell to paint, that they actually have no uniform so you can't paint-in-groups, but rather have to brush each one as an individual model, that you need a load of them to make a convincing unit... BUT I'd be lying like Conway because for all their fiddliness, and expense in time and energy, I still love working on the little blighters.

A few work-in-progress shots...

Standard bearer carrying the Fugger Family banner.

von Frundsburg banner bearer

Anyway, here they are on the last few bases that I needed to complete the unit, around 20 or so figures to add to the previous 32.

This base I completed during the final days of the Painting Challenge.

The hauptman leading the boys in...

These fellows below I just wrapped up a week or so ago for the Lead Painters League.

As you can see, I have a thing about flags...

And the completed unit of pike.

I had my good friend Byron from SG2 Creations make up some custom clear acrylic movement platters to save both fingers and figures when moving them around the tabletop.

Finally, a shot of my rather modest Landsknecht contingent as it stands now with pike, shotte, commander and handbusche heavy musket team.

Thanks for visiting folks and have a great week!

Next up: Something from Mars

28mm Landsknecht Command

Just a short post today. This time out we have a Landsknecht command stand to add to my slooowly growing Italian Wars collection.

The mounted Oberste is from Wargames Foundry. He's casually draping an Imperial banner over his shoulder while haranguing one of his doppelsöldners ('double-pay' men) who, in turn, is traipsing alongside him with an imposing Zweihänder sword. The swordsman is from Warlord, previously of Pro Gloria Miniatures.

Banner is from Pete' Flags. 

This last shot is of the Landsknecht commander following behind some Swiss Reisläufer from Bern with their evidently peckish 'mascot'. 

Thanks for dropping by folks. Have a great week!

28mm Landsknecht Arquebusiers

Finally. Another Italian Wars unit done - Hooray! I can't tell you how delighted I am to get these guys off my desk and into the cabinet.

The majority of these figures are from the venerable but excellent Wargames Foundy range, with the casualty figure sourced from Artizan Designs. A few slight mods but nothing too fancy. The banner is from Pete's Flags.

Like the other units in my Italian Wars collection, I've done the groundwork in an autumnal theme (dunno why, I guess I just liked the colours when I started). The whole group is mounted on a single irregular-edged base, one of several that I had the good folks over at Warbases do up for me. It's roughly 180mm x 60mm.

I have to say I find these guys to be a complete and utter slog to paint. What with their puff-and-slash sleeves, striped trousers, wacky feathered headgear, oh yeah, and lets not forget their exuberant and rather, ahem, 'optimistic' codpieces. I think the reason they got such a reputation as hard-asses is that everyone picked on them for dressing like complete gits.  
 

Oh well, they're finally done and now I can finally move on... 

...to more Landsknechts!! 

Fuuuuk.

Landsknechts Arquebusiers, Group Two - Work in Progress

Spring has been a little shy this year, but has finally made its appearance. Hallelujah! So while I've been making the best of enjoying the outdoors I have managed to get few more Landsknechts done for my upcoming arquebusier unit.

These four lads are Perry-sculpted 28mm models from Wargames Foundry. 

I still find the 'anything goes' styling of Landsknecht clothing to be a little daunting. Nonetheless, I've found that once I get a fix on a colour combination it usually comes together alright.

Of this group, I think the fellow with the white and pink sleeves and hose is my favourite. 

You have to figure that this guy has to be a pretty hard case to pull-off that getup...

Just one more group and I can get them based up. Hooray!

28mm Foundry Landsknecht Arquebusiers - Work in Progress

I'm currently working on a Landsknecht arquebus unit for my Italian Wars project. The going is rather slow, but I'm plodding along at a fairly steady pace.  Nonetheless, I thought I'd post a few work-in-progress pics of the first four gunners of the group. 

I'm having fun with their riotous clothing, but I must say after doing a few figures my mind starts to turn to mush trying to think of interesting colour combinations. All I can say is thank goodness for Pinterest for providing a bewildering assortment of Landsknechts images  - I think I'd run out of ideas without some outside inspiration.

 

I have no idea if the trippy painted woodstocks are historically accurate, but I've seen them on other sites so I'm running with it.

There will probably be around 16 figures in the unit, all on a single base similar to my other units. I'll post the next set when they're done.

Have a great week everyone!