ECW cavalry regiment

[Captain Blood]

How generic would you say the uniforms of the English uniforms were from an Wester Europe perspective? It looks to me like the lobster helmet/leather jacket/snubnosed boots and an occasional sash was pretty generic across the continent to.

Yes, I think so. Pretty generic across NW Europe at least.
Those three TAG figures are German reiters, but two of them at least fit in perfectly with my ECW cavalry... TAG do Swedish, German, Dutch, English (soon) etc etc - and they all look pretty interchangeable to me.
I'm sure there are some 30YW purists who can spot the differences, but as you say - lobster pot or broad brimmed hat, buff coat, back and breast, big boots... All pretty similar really...  :wink:

[Hammers]

How generic would you say the uniforms of the English uniforms were from an Wester Europe perspective? It looks to me like the lobster helmet/leather jacket/snubnosed boots and an occasional sash was pretty generic across the continent to.

Yes, I think so. Pretty generic across NW Europe at least.
Those three TAG figures are German reiters, but two of them at least fit in perfectly with my ECW cavalry... TAG do Swedish, German, Dutch, English (soon) etc etc - and they all look pretty interchangeable to me.
I'm sure there are some 30YW purists who can spot the differences, but as you say - lobster pot or broad brimmed hat, buff coat, back and breast, big boots... All pretty similar really...  :wink:

Cool! My family celebrates 400 years in 2010 so I've been toying with the idea to do a game or diorama of the siege of Kalmar where my far off great grand sire made his mark on history. More like a display piece, I suppose. I'd like to pick your brains on how to go about it if I may since this is a period I have not done much with.

[Lowtardog]

How generic would you say the uniforms of the English uniforms were from an Wester Europe perspective? It looks to me like the lobster helmet/leather jacket/snubnosed boots and an occasional sash was pretty generic across the continent to.

Yes, I think so. Pretty generic across NW Europe at least.
Those three TAG figures are German reiters, but two of them at least fit in perfectly with my ECW cavalry... TAG do Swedish, German, Dutch, English (soon) etc etc - and they all look pretty interchangeable to me.
I'm sure there are some 30YW purists who can spot the differences, but as you say - lobster pot or broad brimmed hat, buff coat, back and breast, big boots... All pretty similar really...  :wink:

To be honest the armour in England would have likely been made or copied form German pieces of the time, possibly if you were doing infantry where mainland european fashions were more flamboyant then it could be notices e.g. the French open legged pantaloons etc but as Capn Blood says a breast plate is a breastplate and high boots are universal as is a buff coat.

[Gluteus Maximus]

Possibly the only difference might be the style of the helmets. The single nasal bar was popular in Europe, whilst the triple bar was more prevalent in Britain.
Even then, there would be a mix of both types, so you are probably probably be ok.

[fastolfrus]

Very, very nice, CB! That's an inspiration to finally paint my Hecker & Goros 30YW.

How generic would you say the uniforms of the English uniforms were from an Wester Europe perspective? It looks to me like the lobster helmet/leather jacket/snubnosed boots and an occasional sash was pretty generic across the continent to.

Light horse like these are fairly similar for most of northern Europe.
Single nasal bar is possibly more common for Germany, you also get some fluted helmets (think they might be known as Zischagge ?) which might be more common further east. Given that the Swedes spent a lot of time on the Polish/Pomeranian borders there should probably be a few of those - but not difficult to acheive in this scale, just take an ordinary helmet figure and add a few lines of fluting.

I'd reccomend a book by Eduard Wagner "European Weapons and Warfare 1618-1648" absolutely shed loads of pictures, mostly derived from original sources. For a siege it's worth looking at the wheelbarrow-portable-searchlight.

[archangel1]

I'd reccomend a book by Eduard Wagner "European Weapons and Warfare 1618-1648" absolutely shed loads of pictures, mostly derived from original sources. For a siege it's worth looking at the wheelbarrow-portable-searchlight.

That book is a goldmine of ideas for dioramas and uniforms and practically anything else you want for the period.  Nearly 300 pages of goodness!When I saw it years ago, it was fairly expensive for the time.  What sold it for me was a page on Polish Winged Hussars, showing the horse equipment by itself, without a rider.  I had been looking for information on the saddle, in the hopes of taking Aurora's old Lone Ranger figure and converting it into a Hussar.  The thought of it with a big pointy lance sticking about 18 inches into the air brought me back to reality! The idea's still tucked away in my head, though! If you have any interest in the period of the Thirty Year's War, or the ECW, for that matter, you won't go wrong if you can pick up this book.

Cheers,
Mike

Just saw the asking price for a used copy...up to $229 US!    And to think I complained about $40 or so!

[Mad Doc Morris]

Thanks for the further insights on TAG's miniatures, Captain. Now I'm wondering if some of these miniatures could be of use in one of my current projects.
But maybe it's worth to start with some TYW action - surprisingly this war is by far not as well known as the ECW among German wargamers. Another sign for the lack of German modern quality accounts on warfare and military history in general. Thus pity...  :cry:

[fastolfrus]

Not sure if Wagner is available in other languages, he has quite a few other books and a lot of them have a heavy east European influence (his medieval one features lots of Bohemian/Hungarian originals).

At least part of his 1618-48 work comes from "Architectura von Festung" by Daniel Specklin (Alsatian military engineer who died in 1590), that's where the wheelbarrow searchlight features.
 

Another one that's worth a look for period feel is the film "The Last Valley", Michael Caine and Omar Sharif in the Thirty Years War.

[DRDHauser]

'European weapons and warfare, 1618-1648'

Damn another $100+ purchase! The wife isn't going to like this one bit, and I was just about to order; The Later Thirty Years War: From the Battle of Wittstock to the Treaty of Westphalia.

[fastolfrus]

But Synflood : Wagner is mostly pictures - surely she can appreciate the artwork ?

:~}

You might find a reprint of Specklin in the US. It was done by "Collegium Graphicum" in a series called Printed Sources of Western Art. Introduction by Theodore Bestermann. Not entirely sure what else is in the series though so might b worth checking into.
Specklin is ok but not as good as Wagner. Wagner is fully (and heavily) illustrated in colour, with a minimal amount of text all in English. Specklin is gothic script German with woodcuts.

Another very decorative one is by Rien Poortvliet, "De Tressor" or "Daily Life in Holland 1566" (both the same book). Available in a variety of languages, De Tressor is the Dutch original. Again packed with colour pictures and lots of details, hats. hairstyles, rude badges, how to use torture equipment, Spanish troops attacking Holland etc.
Slightly earlier that the 30 Years War, but still a useful source book.

[DRDHauser]

But Synflood : Wagner is mostly pictures - surely she can appreciate the artwork ?

:~}

That's it; thanks fastolfrus---I'll call it a coffee table book. Leave it out for friends and neighbors to browse while over for tea.  

Now I gotta get some friends and meet the neighbors; this hobby is soooo demanding!    ::

[fastolfrus]

Hey if that's afternoon tea with scones or cakes (Mr Kipling or otherwise) you'll find plenty of friends here on the forum.

[archangel1]

That's it; thanks fastolfrus---I'll call it a coffee table book. Leave it out for friends and neighbors to browse while over for tea.  

Now I gotta get some friends and meet the neighbors; this hobby is soooo demanding!    ::

Well, it is almost big enough to be a coffee table! An end table, at least!  :wink:

[DRDHauser]

Hey if that's afternoon tea with scones or cakes (Mr Kipling or otherwise) you'll find plenty of friends here on the forum.

So, if I buy the book they (you all) will come?

It's a far way fastolfrus to Maryland in the US of A but you'd be welcome for tea and guided tour of Gettysburg or Antietam, or both!

[fastolfrus]

Tea and a guided tour !
This is getting even better !
Very tempting....

On our behalf, if you get across this side of the pond and find yourself in North Yorkshire, we can show you site of Marston Moor, some fairly decent pubs, and some quite good fish and chips.