Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: Mpanko on July 25, 2019, 10:20:30 PM
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I am working on a project to build out 28mm troops for Henry Morgan’s attacks in Panama.
I am having a hard time finding a good source that talks about the Spanish uniforms, or lack there of, for the opposition to Morgan’s force.
Anyone have any ideas here? If the 1672 line from North Star had some irregular types that would be my preference but they seem a bit uniform for militia.
I am using Foundry Pirates for Morgan’s forces and the odd 1672 musketeer.
Thanks
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I'll check later but I think there is an Osprey that includes this - don't recollect how much uniform information was there. Let you know.
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I found at least one illustration, by Angus McBride, of Morgan's Panama raid. It is in an Osprey 'triptych' of three Osprey pirate books, entitled Pirates: Terror on the High Seas, looks like from 2001. The text, by Angus Konstam, describing the plate makes one brief statement about the militia, "The Spanish city militia were issued with white uniforms, although their appearance was not as regular as that of European troops of the same period." The illustration shows various colors of pants, varying hats, including metal helmets. There are also some cattle in view. The description also mentions that Morgan's forces used military discipline and thinner ranks (three versus 6 deep) despite their unmilitary appearance. Though they do look much better than your typical pirate gaming figure. Using ECW/30YW figures for both sides would match to the image. Hope that helps.
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Thanks that is great I looked and found the exact osprey pdf after reading your post :)
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Maybe this can help you. https://www.firelockgames.com/
Mark
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Thanks the osprey book on buccaneers did the trick. I know it is all terribly obscure but the uniform of the Spanish militia was what I was after.
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Spanish militia in the new world did not receive any uniforms until the early 18th century. Even regular units seemed to often be un-uniformed in the colonies. I recall William Dampier mentioning a retreating unit of Spaniards looking like a rainbow :)
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Well that is good news as I am painting them right now. A lot of white coats! I will add some more variation to them.
Thanks
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I am in for about 80 figures and counting now. I had the chance to try out the GW contrast paints along with my usual approach. Happy with the results thus far.
Most of the figures I am painting are from the Bircorne ECW and the North Star 1672 line...waiting on the new Spanish to add to the mix as well.
I have not based the Spanish yet as I am trying to find a reference that talks to the formations the Spanish adopted. I am thinking that a 3 2 1 approach like that for Pikeman’s Lament might be suitable.
Anyone have any thoughts or have suggestions based on a similar project?
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Did Morgan have any other hat foetishes, or was it just Panamas?
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I’ve also got a 28mm Panama project https://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2019/01/buccaneers-vs-spanish-for-pikemans.html#comment-form
Since that blog post I went to Salute and, somewhat unexpectedly, bought loads of ‘Blood and Plunder’ figures while the opportunity was there. I may have a few more figures to get, especially the new North Star Spanish, but I have now collected most of what I need. Many other projects have since sprung up and taken the lead, but I will definitely be doing some work on it this year.
I also decided to follow the Osprey book with regard to painting the Spanish militia in white coats but with a high degree of non-matching clothing. Nobody knows for sure what they looked like. It’s all conjecture.
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I'm extremely interested in this discussion!
Trying to keep pace, I read these:
Captain Morgan and the Sack of Panama
https://www.thoughtco.com/captain-morgan-and-sack-of-panama-2136368
King’s Pirate, Henry Morgan’s attack on Panama part 4: San Lorenzo.
https://adventuresinhistoryland.com/2014/05/16/kings-pirate-henry-morgans-attack-on-panama-part-4-san-lorenzo/
A stock photo of a contemporary engraving
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-pirates-sack-panama-1671-raid-by-captain-henry-morgan-on-the-spanish-15978373.html
And a painting of Angus Mc Bride found at Pinterest:
Henry Morgan in Panama 1671
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I’ve dug up my project plan to see what I was/am planning. I won't go into too much detail but this is an outline of the figures I'm using.
All the Buccaneers are firelocks and all the Spanish are matchlocks. The Buccaneers are shot only. The Spanish will have a unit with half-pikes, Marines, and a cannon. The rest will be Militia shot.
BUCCANEERS
North Star:
Officers, Sargeants, Drummers
GS32
GS33
Blood & Plunder:
English Militia
Freebooters
Henry Morgan
Bicorne:
ECW026
ECW028
ECW029
Renegade:
ECWM9
Frontrank:
Monmouth LSGP3 flintlocks
SPANISH
Blood & Plunder:
Spanish Commander
European Soldiers (for Spanish Marines)
Milicianos
North Star:
Officers, Sargeants, Drummers
Spanish Musketeers
Spanish Pike
GS01
GS02
GS15
GS16
GUN003
GS35 Artillery Crew
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Sounds great... that illustration from Osprey is what I started off with as a reference.
I have quite a few painted up as I said in an earlier post. A lot of Bicorne ECW for my buccaneers were painted as I waited 6 weeks for Foundry to ship my pirates. I
I like the Blood and Plunder models but they are best in their own units based on what I have on hand.
I am also using some of the ECW green and red flags on the buccaneer side per Osprey.
I am working both the assault on Panama City and the attack on San Lorenzo as well. The attack on San Lorenzo is really interesting even though I have only found a couple of pages worth of details on the attack. There you need the Blood and Plunder models to represent the Spanish bow armed native auxiliaries that were part of the reinforcements to the garrison.
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Hm...I visited Panamá Viejo last winter. One can still walk among the burnt ruins, which are kind of eerie right next to the modern mega-city. There's a museum with a fairly large diorama of the city in 1671 (partially speculative, of course). You can see it on the Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panam%C3%A1_Viejo). I have some extra photos of that if you're interested. There were also a few archeological items such as cannons and swords and a rough timeline of the battle, but nothing that would really help with uniforms IIRC. :?
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Sounds great...
Looking at the wiki page I am curious. I have read no accounts of artillery being used in the battle against Morgan’s men. So with that said I see a fortress as part of the diorama with many cannon in it.
Given that the Spanish knew Morgan was heading to them for weeks in advance it seems strange that they would not have done something with those guns... if this is accurate to the time of the attack.
Anyway...great stuff! lol
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Looking at the wiki page I am curious. I have read no accounts of artillery being used in the battle against Morgan’s men. So with that said I see a fortress as part of the diorama with many cannon in it.
Given that the Spanish knew Morgan was heading to them for weeks in advance it seems strange that they would not have done something with those guns... if this is accurate to the time of the attack.
Funny you should mention that! The museum label said:
This is a hypothetical reconstruction of Panamá city in the 17th century. It was originally created in 1995 based on research by Eduardo Tejeira Davis, Ph.D., and was modified in 2017.
The Wiki photo was uploaded in 2015. I visited in 2018 and lo and behold, all buildings on that island have changed! The fort is now simpler too, and there are no guns:
(http://dolmot.net/mini/ref/Panama/PanamaViejoModel1-1000.jpg) (http://dolmot.net/mini/ref/Panama/PanamaViejoModel1-2000.jpg)
A few quotations of possible interest from various labels:
Military Architecture
Panamá Viejo barely had defenses. Its small Nativity Fort accommodated just 12 soldiers and 4 pieces of artillery. The Royal Houses had other functions, and by 16th century it was still made out of wood.
Two proposals were made to fortify Panamá Viejo: one by the engineer Bautista Antonelli (1586) and another by Cristóbal de Roda (1609). None was executed, due to high costs and bad timing. The city remained vulnerable to a pirate attack, which eventually arrived.
-- Meanwhile, Captain Juan Pérez de Guzmán organized the defense of the city with a poorly armed and unprepared militia composed mainly of civilians and slaves.
-- Despite possessing vast military experience, Pérez de Guzmán proved to be a mediocre strategist: for example, he deployed a retreating scheme when the buccaneers were crossing the Isthmus, and chose the worst possible place to fight them. --
And about the first stages of the battle in the morning:
The pirates descend from the hill in 4 squadrons of 300 men each, armed with muskets. Don Juan Pérez de Guzmán prepares the city's defense with 1,200 infantrymen and 400 cavalry units located on a plain next to a smaller hill. They have only 600 firearms, mainly arquebuses. Most of the defenders only carry hand-held weapons, like pikes and spears.
I don't know if you already got the same (or possibly conflicting?) information from elsewhere. However, based on the museum's descriptions, you might be looking at a grand total of 12 proper soldiers and mostly just militia without firearms. If that's the case, I wouldn't expect uniformed look there at all. :o
Edit: Maybe this is old news too, but looks like the engraving linked earlier comes from Alexandre Exquemelin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Exquemelin)'s book The buccaneers of America : a true account of the most remarkable assaults committed of late years upon the coast of the West Indies by the buccaneers of Jamaica and Tortuga, both English and French, wherein are contained more especially the unparalleled exploits of Sir Henry Morgan, our English Jamaican hero, who sacked Porto Bello, burnt Panama, etc.. It gives an account of the whole Panama campaign in its part III, chapters V-VI. A 1924 edition of it is available online (https://archive.org/details/buccaneersofamer00exquuoft). Page 206 (book's numbering) mentions:
He discovered more, that in the city they had made trenches and raised batteries in several places, in all which they had placed many guns, and that at the entry of the highway which led to the city they had built a fort, which was mounted with 8 great guns of brass, and defended by 50 men.
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They found much difficulty in their approach unto the city. For within the town the Spaniards had placed many great guns, at several quarters thereof, some of which were charged with small pieces of iron and others with musket-bullets. With all these they saluted the Pirates, at their drawing nigh unto the place, and gave them full and frequent broadsides, firing at them incessantly. Whence it came to carrying with pass that unavoidably they lost, at every step they advanced, great numbers of men.
Fascinating if true. It sounds like Pérez de Guzmán indeed wasted his troops in the open, while somewhat convincing defence could have been organised closer to the city. Who knows? Nevertheless, this makes interesting reading. I'll probably return to this later myself too. Today I should have been working on completely different things already but pirates are far too exciting. lol
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Dolmont
Awesome post! I have found disparity in the numbers of the Spanish in Panama but all have said they were a militia force with some cavalry. There only seemed to be a limited amount of firearms and many were armed with pikes, spears and even bows in the case of the natives that were there.
This is very much a new period for me so a lot of reading goes along with my painting right now.
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I understand the Spanish pikes were probably half-pikes. Any views?
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I have read both the Esquelmeling account and a book by Peter Earle called The Sack of Panama. In Earle’s book he combines a couple of sources.
I have not read any reference to half pikes but then again perhaps the original sources made no such distinctions.
Perhaps there is another source that states this. I know the Blood and Plunder militia have spears but no pikes.
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Playing around with contrast paints in my work up of the buccaneers for Panama. First up is my version of Morgan from Foundry....and yes I did take the paint job inspiration from his namesake rum...
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An imposing figure and a good start!
This thread becomes more and more interesting! Cheers!
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Next up is my take on Colonel Bradley, again from Foundry. Bicorne ECW and Foundry figures immediately behind those as a part of the buccaneer force Morgan brings with him to attack Panama.
I was happy to see that the two aforementioned figure lines work together, in the far background there are some 1672 French officers from North Star. Being clad fabulously in red they are really part of my other pike and shot project for the Sun King’s wars.
My painting for this project as mentioned in an earlier approach is using a mix of contrast and regular paints to go as fast as possible to field a force to game with....so eyes are not painted, and there was no attempt to do anything more than the base paint followed by ink/ wash or just a contrast straight application.
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Although these Spanish are not part of my buccaneers project I could not resist painting a few of the Tercio uniforms around this time period. First time I have ever painted historical infantry in purple and red! lol
These will be added again to the European side of Spain’s wars in this time period.
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Here's a couple of books I just ordered that might be of interest to some.
Mark
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A painting guide, a little early but talks a little about uniforms after 1650. https://balagan.info/spanish-painting-guide-for-the-thirty-years-war
Mark
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I have read the Sack of Panama but not the second book. I got it on Kindle a couple of days ago. It is pretty good so far thanks for the recommendations.
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First group of buccaneers painted and based in the Pikeman’s Lament 3-2-1 style. This is a about 1/3 of what I am working on for the buccaneer side of this project.
Focus for me is getting these guys on the field versus really detailing them out.
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The first Spanish force to face the buccaneers below. I know earlier we talked about uniforms or not and I have leaned towards the mostly white coated militia for the 1670 time period. This lets me use the great North Star sculpts along with a couple of Bicorne guys. I still need to paint the Blood and Plunder natives and the pike / melee units I am using to represent the poorly armed rabble that formed part of the Army of Panama.
All good stuff!
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Some Spanish militia a bit closer, my iPhone photo skills need work probably.
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Your figures really pop.I'm enjoying your thread.
Mark
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Looking great! Very good job! I like them!
Nice basing also!
Eager to see some close ups!
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Very nice looking project for a really interesting historical setting.
Good work 8)
www.gallopingmajorwargames.com
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Yes , I’m enjoying this thread as I have quite a few of the Foundry pirates . Looking forward to more posts .
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Thanks for the comments.... close up of some buccaneers below
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Group photo with the man himself surrounded by his fellow Brethren of the Coast.
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Spanish militia...at least my version thus far as explained in earlier posts. Pretty much the white coated Osprey illustration version these are...
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I found a good site that has some info on the different flags Morgan used....some of which I have in use already...
http://www.benersonlittle.com/_i___i__center_how_history_s_greatest_pirates_pillaged__plundered____br_and_got_a_93845.htm
Not sure if the hyperlink will work... if not just paste into browser.
The only flag I am having trouble finding is a green one which I have read that red and green flags were part of Morgan’s forces. I am leaning toward just using the green version of the English ensign if I can’t find an alternative.
Anyone know of a possible green flag used by Morgan?
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Yes, I have visited this site, very interesting info found there!
And your close up and group photos, are a joy to see!
Cheers!
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Great work!
My figures are still sitting in boxes...
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Seeing the mention of slaves amongst the Spanish militia, should some of them be even worse dressed/equipped?
The only Caribbean slave figures I'm aware of are the Trent ones, although much later date:
http://northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=60&cat=171&sub=245&page=1
but perhaps a single pack of the slaves with armes blanche and a pack with muskets could add enough variety
Otherwise I seem to recall someone had some figures for 17th century Brazilian plantations a few years ago (but cannot recall who)
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Would these fit ? https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/pirates-and-swashbucklers?page=2
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I have looked at those... on the fence though with the Blood and Plunder figures made for this. I really like Foundry but their almost 8 week turn around on shipping is a real pain in the @$$ :o
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Sorry I spotted this thread so late. The one contribution that I can make is that the Spanish organized their militia in racial companies. There were white, negro, Indian, mestizo, and mulatto companies.
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Not late at all... I had read the same regarding the Spanish forces in Panama. There are a couple of choices in the Foundry line and some dedicated figures for this in the Blood and Plunder side.
As we are approaching the 349th anniversary of the Panama raid I need to get at least some of them on the field!
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Would these fit ? https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/pirates-and-swashbucklers?page=2
The Spanish would never arm slaves with muskets and would only very rarely arm free blacks with firearms during this period. They were given lances and pikes. Some of their Native American allies were given firearms, but this was also very rare. They barely had enough for themselves!
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Thanks - I should have bought more militia from you at Hurricon on Saturday then! :D
I have one of the B&P thatch roofed buildings painted now. I picked that one up at Hurricon and will post some time in near future.
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I had a chance to pick up one of the Blood and Plunder new resin buildings at Hurricon in Orlando last week. It is a nice sturdy model and will serve well as a basic thatch roofed hut found throughout the Spanish Main in our Buccaneer time period.
Some new buccaneers are shown for scale and fit.
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Had some pirate games earlier for TLAP day...everyone had a silly good time...
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Scenario was based on the Drake raids into Nombre de Dios and the mule silver train. We played in the buccaneer era though as that is what we have figures for. The fight to intercept the mules headed into town became a general engagement as the Spanish were able to hold on against the initial ambush until reinforcements arrived.
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The games we played were play test adaptations of the Commands and Colors system by the game designer Richard Borg himself :o
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very cool.
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Marco55
Those Foundry ones look fantastic! I should have sprinkled a few of them among my Maroons.
Dan
https://www.flickr.com/photos/9593487@N07/albums/72157600724909419
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Those are very nice!
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Looks very exciting! Very nice pics and terrain! Congrats!
I am very interested if the C&C adaptations are available.
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I missed this first time around, what a great project!
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what are the 2d hexagonal terrain tiles (er... I mean: home-brewed, or bought?) ?
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I bought all the figures to do something similar to this a few years back but it got lost in the general fog of projects. This thread has awakened my interest however. A new project and I already have most of the figures I could possibly want? Why, it would be rude not to! Thanks for the inspiration!
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All the hex tiles are 5 inches (measured flat to flat). Our local group- based in Orlando Florida has been working custom mats and such with the Deep Cut Studios folks. Kostas has a great system and high quality stuff- highly recommended!
https://www.deepcutstudio.com/
As I posted previously the game was an adaptation of Richard’s Commands and Colors system. While the games published are board games - either with blocks or miniatures we mostly use miniatures for all our games. My favorite aspect of the system is the wonderful blending of rule mechanics that allow for a very fast paced game with multiple decisions each turn.
This particular game was a playtest of a new ‘pirate’ variation looking at smaller scale engagements and such set around the Spanish Main. No idea if/when this would be made into something commercial. His Jacobite game was just published by Compass Games a few weeks ago :)
https://www.compassgames.com/commands-colors-tricorne-jacobite-rising.html
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I will probably get a wack by the moderators but below is another shot of a Commands and Colors game...but this time it is Napoleonic. lol
This was a ‘what if’ scenario from the 1815 campaign.
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I have suggested something similar to my folks but they were somehow hesitating...
This is spectacular! I'll show them! Cheers!
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great game mate, congratulations for those well painted minis!
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Some great brushwork in this thread! And it looks like you had some fun games as well.
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Love this thread!
It's a topic I've considered briefly a few times but haven't taken further. There's a great combination of practical advice and inspiration here which is really getting my interest :-)
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I painted the Foundry pirates and mixed in the excellent Bicorne ECW figures for variety. If you look closely you will see them.
In the games we ran on Saturday, an officer/leader was mounted on a group base With an appropriate flag for easy ID. In the photo below you can see Officers attached to various units.
The lead buccaneer group- their grenadoes / incendiaries already have the fuses lit (those are the puffs of cotton affixed to their bombs). They were lining up to charge the battery protecting the Nombre de Dios shoreline.
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Are there some of Foundry’s Mexican villagers armed with machetes in the background alongside the Spanish forces . Great idea , I guess their attire would have been the same in both periods .
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Good eyes :D. I looked around for compatible peasant types and since I was ordering from Foundry these seemed to fit. Just painted them as generic peons. Kinda useful for any Central American / Mexican civilians you need. I used a few as the mule team leaders too.
In the photo below these guys are part of the silver laden mule convoy that just got ambushed by the English buccaneers at the start of one of the games.
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Wow! Nice.
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Great setups and painting.
Mark