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Author Topic: Italian wars miniatures  (Read 5181 times)

Offline Atheling

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2019, 11:56:11 AM »
I forgot to mention the Assault Group, whose Italian Wars range of figures are specifically designed for the earlier part of the Wars. For the Spanish go with the Neapolitan Spanish, many of whom are still wearing the skirted tunic. The Italians and Landsknechts are also fine for the period. If you go to the Renaissance section of their website the figures can be found under Italians, Spanish, Maximillian Imperial and Albanian.

Thanks. I'm very familiar with Pete's (Tag Pete that is) Spanish, Neapolitan Spanish, Spanish, Italian and Maximilian ranges. I really like the Early Landsknechts . Lovely sculpts. I was contemplating  using them as both Swiss and Landsknechts (with minor conversions on side arms) but there is a distinct lack of any crossbowmen in the range which is a problem for the Swiss as they were slower to take up the arquebus then their adversaries. They would be fine for the 'Germans'.


Steel Fist Miniatures Gendarmes and lighter cavalry are ideal for the French, but there are no other specifically French troops as such.

An excellent source of information and inspiration is

http://stuartsworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/

which shows how to convert Perry figures to early Italian Wars - specifically English and French. He has also produced some metal dollies in the full skirted coat of the early C16th which will accept Perry arms and heads. These are also available through Steel Fist Miniatures.

Yep, I've got some ;) :)

Another very useful source of early Spanish pikemen is Old Glory. Many of these are wearing the skirted tunic, and some are depicted as turbaned Spanish moslems now incorporated into Ferdinand’s armies. They also have the advantage of hands to be drilled for accepting separate metal pikes, which then don’t fall off.

I'm afraid that not all that into the OG Italian Wars range :(

The quest continues :)

Offline Condottiere

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2019, 03:33:26 PM »
Does the Warlord Landsknecht box come with both Schweizerdegen and Katzbalger options?  ;D

If so I'm in, just for the sword options!!
The Perry produced multi-part Warhammer Empire plastics from the late 90s came with Schweizerdegen on the sprues, in scabbards and wielded in one hand.


Offline Condottiere

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #17 on: October 22, 2019, 03:35:52 PM »
About the easiest way to differentiate between Swiss and Landsknecht costume is, that while both often wore a cross insignia somewhere on their bodies (sometimes a cloth applique,  sometimes just formed by slashes in the outer clothing), Landsknecht (as Imperialists) wore it in an X shape (Cross of Burgundy - one of the badges of the Hapsburgs), while Swiss Reiselaufer wore it in a + shape (like that on the modern Swiss flag).

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/82/84/97/828497667512d91a4a9158e4be695eee.jpg
Landsknechts could wear + signs too, albeit in red...

Offline Malatesta

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #18 on: October 22, 2019, 09:26:16 PM »
You will not find what you want: Swiss, right period; Landsknehts right period; French right period. You must go with the Italian Wars flow - ciao baby!

Have you considered the Artizan Designs Swiss? They appear to be first quarter of 16th century: https://www.artizandesigns.com/list.php?man=20&cat=147&page=1





Offline Leman

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2019, 10:43:12 AM »
Artisan Design Swiss are indeed lovely figures, with the right sort of cross as slashing, and they are not too flamboyant. It is a pity they were not made with drillable hands, as the pikes on mine keep pinging off!
If it’s too hard, I can’t do it

Offline Atheling

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #20 on: October 23, 2019, 10:52:58 AM »
Artisan do produce some very nice specifically Swiss pike and arquebusiers for the Italian Wars. They also produce landsknechts and they do look different from one another, with the Swiss showing slightly less flamboyant slashing of sleeves and hose.

Yeah, the problem being that the Artizan Swiss range is a very small range by comparison to their Landsknechts. Otherwise, for  my purposes anyway, they would be ideal!

It's a bit of a shame, I remember emailing Mike when he announced the range and he was talking about producing more mini's than ever went into production. Of course, if you're running a business based on selling mini's then you might have legitimate reasons for not continuing with the original plans.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2019, 10:56:25 AM by Atheling »

Offline Malatesta

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2019, 12:27:02 PM »
Yeah, the problem being that the Artizan Swiss range is a very small range by comparison to their Landsknechts. Otherwise, for  my purposes anyway, they would be ideal!

It's a bit of a shame, I remember emailing Mike when he announced the range and he was talking about producing more mini's than ever went into production. Of course, if you're running a business based on selling mini's then you might have legitimate reasons for not continuing with the original plans.

I recall when I pointed out to him the limited extent of the range, he indicated that the range was supposed to be mixed in with the more flamboyant landsknechts.

Offline Atheling

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #22 on: October 23, 2019, 01:22:09 PM »
I recall when I pointed out to him the limited extent of the range, he indicated that the range was supposed to be mixed in with the more flamboyant landsknechts.

In short that is invalidated by the weapons sculpted onto the mini's ie. short swords.

in general the Swiss preferred the Schweizerdegen and the Landsknecht the Katzbalger. They were not mutually exclusive but certainly they were the preferred last resort weapon of each 'nationality'.

Offline Malatesta

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #23 on: October 23, 2019, 01:38:51 PM »
in general the Swiss preferred the Schweizerdegen and the Landsknecht the Katzbalger.

Indeed, the miniatures would need a bit of converting ether way.

I would hope that the range could someday be expanded. He offers the only 28mm Swiss appropriate for the first quarter of the 16th century (in my view). He may be missing an opportunity.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2019, 01:40:25 PM by Malatesta »

Offline Atheling

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #24 on: October 23, 2019, 04:42:47 PM »
Indeed, the miniatures would need a bit of converting ether way.

I would hope that the range could someday be expanded. He offers the only 28mm Swiss appropriate for the first quarter of the 16th century (in my view). He may be missing an opportunity.

Agreed! One day soon I hope!

The conversions shouldn't be that difficult, but they will be time consuming :(

Offline Atheling

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #25 on: October 24, 2019, 05:27:20 AM »
Just to illustrate my point:

Swiss Swiss Schweizerdegen (first picture) and Landsknecht (Second picture):


Offline Griefbringer

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #26 on: October 24, 2019, 07:26:26 AM »
Thanks. I'm very familiar with Pete's (Tag Pete that is) Spanish, Neapolitan Spanish, Spanish, Italian and Maximilian ranges. I really like the Early Landsknechts . Lovely sculpts. I was contemplating  using them as both Swiss and Landsknechts (with minor conversions on side arms) but there is a distinct lack of any crossbowmen in the range which is a problem for the Swiss as they were slower to take up the arquebus then their adversaries.

How many crossbowmen would you really need for your Swiss force? TAG makes plenty of crossbowmen in the Spanish and Italian ranges, and with some conversion work these could look close enough. For example, how about the Neapolitan Spanish crossbowmen with head swaps from the Perry European armies range (which contains two packs of spare metal heads).

Offline Leman

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #27 on: October 24, 2019, 08:00:32 AM »
It might be possible to build Swiss crossbows using a mixture of pieces from the Perry's European Mercenaries, Landsknechts and separate metal heads sets.

Offline Griefbringer

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #28 on: October 24, 2019, 08:50:59 AM »
It might be possible to build Swiss crossbows using a mixture of pieces from the Perry's European Mercenaries, Landsknechts and separate metal heads sets.

If one wants to dabble with converting plastics, perhaps a more straightforward starting point would be the Warlord Games set of Landsknecht missile troops. There is a review with sprue pics available here:

https://www.chaosbunker.de/en/2018/08/21/review-warlord-games-pike-shotte-landsknecht-missile-troops/

Perhaps not the most impressive plastic set out there, but in this context there are a few interesting features:

1.) Every model has a choice of arquebuss or crossbow as armament
2.) The swords are provided as separate pieces rather than cast on, and thus are easy to replace
3.) Ammo/quarrel pouches are also separate pieces

Offline Atheling

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Re: Italian wars miniatures
« Reply #29 on: October 24, 2019, 10:42:42 AM »
If one wants to dabble with converting plastics, perhaps a more straightforward starting point would be the Warlord Games set of Landsknecht missile troops.

I've got some on order for some conversion work.

I would not use the Warlord Landsknecht plastic as they are as they look far too wooden for my liking.

Fine for kit bashing but when you compare them to the dynamism of the Steel Fist range there is absolutely no comparison!
« Last Edit: October 24, 2019, 10:45:05 AM by Atheling »