Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Jiron on 04 May 2015, 03:32:23 PM
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Hey,
I have been thinking about some fantasy settings that I like, and how to produce those on a tabletop. Then my mind led me to a strange topic. Glen Cook's Black Company. If I remember correctly, there is nothing in the books that would suggest how the dressing, equipment and armor went in the setting. All the organisation and surroundings makes me feel like early renesaince settings but... you never know.
What models would you use to represent this bunch of... "heroes"?
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Didier Graffet illustrated the cover of the french version of the Black Company (La compagnie noire).
I kinda like his representation :
(http://www.l-atalante.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/8a2d74ac1d098e412da634b0c51f1126.jpg)
(http://www.l-atalante.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/1998b1083809fd3eff134c943064e959.jpg)
(http://www.l-atalante.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/0f3b60e0cb4ee8fd550f2b72b8d8a0bd.jpg)
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I reckon historicals would be best, given the gritty feel of the books (I confess I've only read the first one). The various (https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_62&products_id=2490&osCsid=5b3mp5rg4tsto60qpb2hlngh74) Perry (https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_62&products_id=3217&osCsid=5b3mp5rg4tsto60qpb2hlngh74) plastic (https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_62&products_id=2471&osCsid=5b3mp5rg4tsto60qpb2hlngh74) medievals (https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_62&products_id=3148&osCsid=5b3mp5rg4tsto60qpb2hlngh74) would give you a lot of scope. And of course you could supplement them with appropriate fantasy one-offs for the Taken, were-panthers and so on.
As I remember it, the Black Company has polearm-men, crossbowmen and longbowmen, so those late-medieval options should pretty much cover them. And of course the Perrys do lots of mounted medievals too.
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At one point in the first book Croaker describes them as Heavy Infantry. Most of the armor descriptions I remember involve plate armor. In the first chapter of the first book the ground tactics of the Black Company sound reminiscent of Roman formations.
The Taken Soulcatcher wears a visored Morion, whatever that is.
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The Taken Soulcatcher wears a visored Morion, whatever that is.
Maybe he means some kind of burgonet?
That might look a bit like a morion with a visor
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That's the way I always pictured it, as a Burgonet with a falling buffe.
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Right... it's quite a long time since I read it. I will maybe go for Perrys or take a look at my friends WHFB Empire...
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I always pictured them as having a conquistador look, myself, so I would probably use that era of historicals...
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I think Tercio Creativo would be a good choice:
(http://www.terciocreativo.com/tienda/images/Quinto_Morados_Viejos.jpg)
(http://www.terciocreativo.com/tienda/images/Guillermo_Flamberga_Mercenarios.jpg)
And then you have Pirazzo's Lost Legion (popping up in eBay):
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKUoSSUaMtw/Tbv5kmj-O-I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/swg1oYbAwrw/s1600/m1251909_99110214031_ColWHPirazzoBoxMain_873x627.jpg)
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http://www.gamezoneminiatures.com/tienda/en/empire/78-piqueros-iii.html
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At times, Croaker talks about pulling on his chain mail. Leather is mentioned often also. I don't believe there is a "set" of armor the typical recruit wears, rather a miss mass of what ever strikes their fancy. Goblin and One Eye would probably look more like rogues/thief characters. Silent would do with a plain set of clothes, almost look like a civilian
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I had trouble picturing the exact type of kit, but it's definitely the usual sort of medieval/fantasy stuff, with morions featuring. That artwork up there is perfect, I reckon! Croaker probably wears a bit less armour than some of the others given his main job is to patch everyone up.
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They have sort of Warhammer Empire vibe to them. I think you could use any of the renaissance style figures from their old metal lines (probably including Witchfinders. Conquistadors would also be a good bet.
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Gamezone Empire for all your Conquistador needs
http://www.gamezoneminiatures.com/tienda/es/45-imperio
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First one has to be extremely wary of book covers : just like comics they most often than not totally betray the texts they are supposed to illustrate.
I'llcomment on the 1st, eponymous book because it's the one I like most and the only one I re - read quite recently.
Dress and even weaponry of mercenaries evolve with time. Even when - as it's the case when the Company is hired by Soulcatcher - their employer doesn't provide them with a full new uniform and kit mercenaries are to renew theie equipment from local resources. Clothes have to be replaced or completed first - the Company was not dressed in icy Meystrikt than in hot Beryl, and clothes wear out. But even armour and weapons may have to be replaced, and no mercenary worthy of his name will let pass an opportunity to impove his protection and armament, from fallen foes and as inheritance from a fallen comrade. So after a few years a mercenary looks like a 'local' fighter, whatever his origin may be. For the entire first book the Company will basically look like when the reader first meets it at Beryl, with the clothes adapted to the current weather.
Like many fantasy writers Cook is not a specialist of Ancient - Medieval military history and the use of technical vocabulary is not always reliable. Besides Cook's descriptions are few and far between and generally cursory and imprecise. And sometimes appears to be contardictory : when the Company chases the forvalaka in the Paper Tower it uses halberds and crossbows, weapons never mentioned againin the book ; well, let's suppose the Company is very versatile and uses what is most adapted to the current situation ;)
The most detailed description is that of the helmet when the Company punishes the Mole Tavern in Beryl very early in the book : helmets have face guards with gaps allowing to see the expression of the face. Can the face guard be raised ? I suspect so but don't remember for sure. This from 'Legend of the Seeker' (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/DCform2/After%20the%20Power/Legend%20of%20Seeker/Ep%201x20/John%20L/legendseeker-1x20-jl7.jpg) looks quite adequate but a little too closed?
Otherwise the only armor mentioned is mail in the form of a mail shirt (no chausses &c. as far as I remember); length unknown, the same for sleeves if any, probably huge iondividual variation. Though I remember Croaker mentioning to be wearing 'only' mail, suggesting that another, heavier form of armor can be worn by some individuals (officers, veterans ? And 'elite' units outside the Company); I'm endvisaging an additional protection worn above the mail shirt (some kind of coat of arms / gambeson / brigandin / cuirass of scale armour / breast & back plates....) but it's pure guesswork.
The Company uses shields, size and shape unknown. Phil Barker in Hott classed the Company as Blades, which suggests shields larger than light infantry bucklers, but on the other hand certainly not very huge : the Company fights well in broken and difficult terrain (LHI in WRG 6th ed. parlance ?). May be variable with individuals specially when the Company is campaigning and moving over a very large area (i.e. in the Empire) since lost or broken shields have to be replaced with local resources and the Empire is huge and diverse, encompassing various cultures. In Beryl being stationed there for 10 years the shield patterns would probably be quite uniform.
For offensive weapons the bow is often mentioned. No pike nor long spears mentioned but some form of javelin / light spear would be common equipement: it's only in (bad) comics and movies that Ancient - Medieval warriors are armed with only a one-hand weapon.
As for the general "look" and fashion, both in clothes and armament, the story begins in Beryl, a city-state harbor on the southern shore of the Sea of Torment. With the Empire North of that same sea, and according to general hints in the 'Books of the South' the Sea of Torment seems very similar to our Mediterranean Sea. And Beryl with its political factions named by colors reminds me of Byzantium with the political factions associated with hippodrome teams named by colors (the Blues, the Reds, the Greens, and the Whites, re the Nika riots). Thus I "see" the Company at the unset of the story looking quite Byzantine (with unhistorical peculiarities such as the helmet with face mask). Of course 'Byzantium' encompasses several centuries, but to be consistent with the average technological military level I suggest no later than the 4th Crusade.
As for models I'm rather ignorant of current Ancient - Medieval ranges but Dark Age Britain (for some types in the North), 'historical' Vikings (some have helmets with faceguard or 'spectacles') as well as Early Russia (for Beryl and the initial "look" of the Company) may be contemplated in addition to Byzantine (South, Southern shore of the Northern empire) and 'Medieval' from Normans at Hastings to Crusaders and including possible unhistorical 'Sherif of Nottingham's retinue' and 'Age of Prince Valiant'(for the North).
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That was exhausting. Thank you. I will probably convert some of my coming Anglo-Saxon army...
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Very nice summation abdul666lw
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Seems that Warlord games have released some Wars of Religion minis that match the artwork in the original post,may be of interest :)