Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Erik on January 20, 2022, 06:56:00 AM
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New year, new wargaming project (surprise!)
In December I visited Venice with my family and was totally sold. It is, in my humble opinion, the most atmospheric medieval/renaissance city ever. Especially with a nice combination of season and covid leaving the city almost to ourselves.
Coming home I was nowhere near finished with Venice. First up: watching Indiana Jones, The Last Crusade, second playing a lot of Age of Empires with the Italian civilization. Sadly not enough, so I reasoned I needed a new Venetian miniature army. Luckily Assault Group was happy to help me with a really good army deal (and some lovely miniatures). I threw in an extra pike unit giving me a total of 72 pike men, 48 arquebuses, 24 elmeti , 12 stradiots, 12 mounted crossbowmen and a little extra. It’s not enough for a complete army but combined with my already quite large renaissance miniature collection it should be plenty to make an army that has a clear Venetian image. Especially with some very nice flags I bought from Pete´s Flags
I will use this tread to track my painting progress and hopefully through in an AAR or two.
First up a picture of the package from Assault Group. 4,5 kg. of lead. That’s a personal record. All packed in blister boxes :o. Cant remenber when I last held so many of them.
(https://i.imgur.com/hITOZTR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/bKLdDFF.jpg?1)
I started work on a group of 24 pikemen and will hopefully have some pictures ready by the end of the week. Stay tuned!
Erik
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Fab stuff. I'm doing Spanish for Cerignola 1503 and Spanish and Italians for Ravenna 1512
It will be great to see your results Erik.
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Wow, that's a lot of lead :) Interesting project, looking forward to continuation!
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If you want to read about some more Venetian action.
There is the book, "Ventian War of 1487 or the war of Rovereto" by Florian Messner and Hagen Seehase. It's in German and English.
And the Christian Cameron Book series Tom Swan and also his Chivalry series. They do spend a lot of time in Venice, Italy, Greece and the al the places in-between.
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While I am very jealous of the amount of lead and your commitment to a project, maybe you should be careful posting your address on a public forum...? :)
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Commissarmoody
Thank you for your recommendation. I will try to get hold of those right away.
JollyBob
I envy your eyesight :o. I thought you count read that. Oh well, friendly minded people will always be welcome for a cup of coffee.
Cheers
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That is a true pile of lead
Regarding the address, its super easy to zoom in on an iPad!
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That is a true pile of lead
Regarding the address, its super easy to zoom in on an iPad!
On a PC screen you don't even need to zoom...
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Commissarmoody
Thank you for your recommendation. I will try to get hold of those right away.
Happy to help,
Cheers!
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First pikeblock finished and based. Assault group sell their infantry unit in groups of 24 and cavalry in groups of 12. I paint my army in these groups to ease the process and planning (and avoid having to paint 72 pikemen in one go). Depending on what ruleset I use, they can always be grouped in larger units.
I had initially decided, that my Venetians would have a very uniformed look with all red and white clothes. After having painted the first 12, I got bored and started experimenting with other color combination. The end result is a unit that is more yellow and red, than red and white. I will see if I have more success with the next unit, though yellow does feature a lot in the Venetian flags.
Speaking of flag. Pete’s flags are beautiful and very high quality. I often find that when I bend the flags or bush then together around the flagpole, they crack and loose color. Not Pete’s flag. They are very sturdy.
(https://i.imgur.com/HHemLig.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/S5BItgJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/R9il6Te.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UusERB0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/92AecDL.jpg)
Next up is a unit of 12 elmeti. Does anyone have an opinion on their uniform or lack of that. Are they individual knight bringing their own individual gear to the fight or are they primarily clothed by their employer?
Cheers
Erik
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WOW!
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They look great. I like it that they are not to uniform looking.
Soon we will have to take a break from Cold War gaming and give these guys some time on the gaming table.
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I have finished the next unit for my Venetian army. As mentioned earlier the first unit of 12 elmeti. I ended giving them different clothing but using somewhat same pattern for the colors. The end result is at unit that is individual but still has an overall uniformed look (in my opinion). I gave them two flags for a various reasons. First of all it looks great with more flags in a unit. Second of all I want to have the possibility to split the unit in smaller units and still have a flag in each unit. Third it gives me an opportunity to use some of the other great looking Italian flags from Pete’s flags. And lastly quite a few of the lances where broken when I got them, so there where not enough for a full lance armed unit.
(https://i.imgur.com/AluRStW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RQlCsIk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ab8Zeno.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/w1WPEkZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Y2FGYh7.jpg)
I will move on to another unit of pike, this time trying to keep them all red and white. Pike and elmeti make up the larger part of my army, so I will concentrate my effort there to begin with.
Till next time
Erik
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Very nice painting, just been sorting my chaps out for a demonstration game next weekend at Bournmouth. Some were a bit mixed up but seeing yours I have a few knights sorted out, the main Venitian flag is ok, just a couple of the others had me flumuxed!
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I do like this project and am very impressed with your painting. I am considering an Italian army for Field of Glory: Renaissance (FoG:R) which I want to be able to use as Venetian and/or Milanese, possibly also morphing into Genoese at some point. Any advice with on-line sources for clothing etc?
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Thank you very much. It’s very nice to hear from a fellow Field of Glory Renaissance enthusiast. I have tried several renaissance rules and so far this one is the one that mostly captures the early renaissance flavor for me. Warlord Pike n Shoot is ok for friendly gettogethers, but Filed of Glory gives a more historically rewarding game.
As to on-line sources. I just googled Elemeti miniatures and TAG Elmeti to see what other people have done. I got hold of a very old Osprey book, but that was of little use. I try to use a lot of red and white, but otherwise paint what I like. It’s the flags that do the real trick.
Cheers
Erik
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Veramente molto belli. :-* Keep on painting!
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Very nice, my Venetians will be at Beachead this weekend allied with the French. Agree on Petes flags!
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Thanks, Erik - much appreciated. My FoG:R armies are mostly ECW and 1690s, but inspired by Stuart Mulligan's "Army Royal" blog and thread on here, I recently visited eBay for some bits and pieces for an Early Henrician (France 1513) army. As is the way with eBay purchases, I ended up with a lot of extra Swiss- and Italian-looking figures and decided a Venetian army would make good use of them.
BvW
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Cracking stuff Erik :-*
Great to see more Italian Wars stuff 8)
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Inspired by the nice commends and a weeks’ vacation, I have bee busy with my Venetians.
As I mentioned earlier my next pike unit would be all red and white. I managed to pull through and paint them all just red and white. It’s the same miniatures as the last one, and with the same flag, they actually don’t look that much different. All the amour also helps break up the overall appearance of the unit, but I still think the next one will be less uniformed. I rarely use the unit in blocks of 24 anyway, so the end result will be mixed colored units.
(https://i.imgur.com/dKPV7xE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BOjYqti.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/i9Y64KW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5ZLxDYo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/d84OEGB.jpg)
My plan is to get all the pike and elmeti done first, and save the arquebuses and light cavalry for last. The stratiots will be one of the last units, as I’ve never painted those before. The reward unit.
Sticking to this plan, I painted up the last elmeti unit. I painted them much the same way as the last ones with a good mix of striped clothing. This way they don’t have to change between work and carnival lol lol. The pictures where takes a different day, so let lighting is somewhat of.
(https://i.imgur.com/abJw0tE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/g1orp9I.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tzhmaHC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NpD94Qx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n0YFwck.jpg)
The last pike unit is already on my painting table. I plan is to do them different from the two before, with different colors and maybe not so many striped pants, but let’s see if I manage or if the urge to paint lots of white at red takes over.
Cheers
Erik
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Excellent brushwork!
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At a slight tangent, is there anywhere on line that lays out the distinctive colours of each of the various Italian city states? Obviously, Venice is red and white, but what of Milan and the others?
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To date most of my Italian Wars collection consists of Landsknecht and Gendarmes!
This is great stuff and is inspirational and after seeing this and reading "Mercenaries and their Masters" I'm keen to expand into a few Italian states now- - just wondering around what time these figures are suitable for?
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To date most of my Italian Wars collection consists of Landsknecht and Gendarmes!
This is great stuff and is inspirational and after seeing this and reading "Mercenaries and their Masters" I'm keen to expand into a few Italian states now- - just wondering around what time these figures are suitable for?
The TAG Italians and Spanish are best suited for roughly 1503-1512, so Cerignola and Ravenna respectively. They're pushing it for Cerignola TBH. They could be stretched forward a little IMHO but certainly not backwards. For example, the Perry Miniatures Mercenaries range (both in plastic and metal) is much more suited for Charles VIII's invasion culminating in The Battle of Fornovo 1495.
So, for Fornovo mini's such as these (apologies for posting images on your thread Erik):
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WENA9soQm3A/U00HPb9qybI/AAAAAAAACHo/gNMMc_gepPQ/s1600/Gonzaga+Crossing+the+River+Taro+1i.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SMfLJMbHVWA/U00HQb2ggVI/AAAAAAAACH4/omDhk00W_fc/s1600/Gonzaga+Crossing+the+River+Taro+1j.jpg)
For 1512 then the Spanish on this thread of mine are good (page 15):
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=118962.210 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=118962.210)
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Another double up update for my Venetian painting progress. The last units of pikemen is now done. I tried as hard as I could to something different this time, with less white and red. I also gave them a second flag. Not so much to make them different from the other two units but more because I want to field them in two units of 36, in line with the rest of my renaissance miniatures. Two unit with two flags each.
(https://i.imgur.com/qxIRzOt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rbZxXKr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/k3mxzcj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/locIYUU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AoKnPCc.jpg)
Second unit up is my mounted crossbows. Again, I went for a dominance of red and white, but made small alternatives to cut down on the uniformity. I always struggle with mounted crossbow unit that seem to make it on to every renaissance miniature table. They are not very good fighters or shooters, so why did the different nations keep using them in such great numbers? At least they look great, so that will get them some of the way.
(https://i.imgur.com/qqGHhRz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fbruRfm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AsZ6DeB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RtO3ozm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cEIHin4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/mfsLvwc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QM8C83u.jpg)
Status now, is that since my start Sunday January 2th I have painted 72 pikemen, 24 elmeti and 12 mounted crossbows. For my normal painting pace that is really quick. I hope I can keep it up, and that I do not get distracted and run of in a different direction. A fate that only too often befall wargamers lol lol.
All that remains now are 48 arquebuses and 12 stradiots. First round of arquebuses are already primed and waiting on my painting table.
Ps: Atheling so sweat posting pictures on my thread. I love your model, and might end up copying it for my Venetians.
Cheers
Erik
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Fine work Erik :-*
Funnily enough I'm working on some Italian Mounted Arquebusiers myself at the mo' :)
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Great painting, and really nice to see those large pike blocks. You paint the striped hose very well!
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Looking sharp.
I think mounted Crosbowmen (and mounted archers for that matter) should be thought of as a kind of dragoons. They did not really fight on horseback but are just a highly mobile shooting unit.
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Fantastic work, really tempts me to start yet another project before i finish my current ones at my usual snail pace :)
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Excellent looking units - very crisp and clean.
My thoughts on the mounted crossbows are similiar to. Dr Zombie’s - early dragoons. Probably easy and cheap to raise, also mobile so probably very useful to have around to scout and skirmish pre-battle. Perhaps less useful in the main line of battle, but good to exploit any gaps?
Perhaps it is a bit of rules thing, with heavy units not really suffering extra fatigue or other negative factors that the lighter troops wouldn’t.
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Lovely looking Venetian force,great colour pallet and where would we be without Pete's Flags for this period!
Best Iain
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Lovely force. Looks very cohesive.
Really good to see the TAG minis painted up too. They're some of my favourites.
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Thank you for all your compliments.
First unit of 24 arquebuses are ready to join the fight against the enemies of Venice. I always base my shooters with four miniatures pr. base to distinguish them from the HtH combat units. Later I might go for some bases with just three miniatures pr. base to represent light, skirmishing shooter units. The unit deals from TAG come with full command, so I think they represent firepower that is more concentrated than skirmishers. I will order some more arquebuses from TAG without command to represent the skirmishers later.
(https://i.imgur.com/Q7uUsZF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/df8oRhW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/TbIEiLx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/y4IEygT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NiOk82w.jpg)
Dr. Zombie and I have plans for our first game. We are going to try out the Furioso ruleset out. Hopefully we will remember to take some photos. I am also looking at Renatio et Morten at the moment. They also have a dedicated Italian Wars supplement.
Cheers
Erik
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these look great
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My Venitian have had their first taste of battle. In true “new-painted miniature” style they not only lost the battle but also every single combat they committed to. Nice to know that something’s never change lol lol.
It doesn’t matter though as the real treat was seeing my army on the table for the first time. They still miss their stratiote but where supplemented by a Perry pike block and a unit of Perry light lancer cavalry.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZmhyPXr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ALPloEW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ere8v8D.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1bl51oh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Kaca7k7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tBZYjNE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zYzQ1vY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1rzAZPY.jpg)
We used the furioso rules. They are fun and fast. I’m not sure what I think of them though. The initiative rules mean you have very little control of your troops. On the other hand, your troops are very quickly committed and conclusion is achieved almost as quickly. I still have my fingers crossed for the new “To the Strongest” renaissance version from Simon Miller. We used smaller armies than recommended, but this was a learning game, and also one where priority was on my newly painted Venetians.
The last stratioti unit is already well on the way. After that I need a few (just a few extra miniatures from TAG) and then I will turn my attention the building some nice Italien looking terrain. Hopefully with lots of help from the new 3D printer I bought together with Dr. Zombie.
Cheers
Eriks
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Well, they might have lost but they sure look damn fine doing it !
Excellent looking armies.
Glad you liked Furiouso rules, we tried them but we did not find them fast. After one game we realized we could never take that rules set to a convention where games need to be finished in usually four hours. We used big armies though, probably too many units.
Really enjoying your work and this thread, thanks!
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Very nice collection
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Well, they might have lost but they sure look damn fine doing it !
Excellent looking armies.
Glad you liked Furiouso rules, we tried them but we did not find them fast. After one game we realized we could never take that rules set to a convention where games need to be finished in usually four hours. We used big armies though, probably too many units.
Really enjoying your work and this thread, thanks!
Truce be told you might have a point about Furioso not being the fastest game around. In our game the one pike engagement was over quite quickly as my poor Venetian where charged in the flank but vile landsknechts. I could however see these engagements going on for quite some time, as loses are not that high and the moral roll not that evil. However, your armies do break very fast, so a few decisive engagement can make for a very quick game.
As I said earlier, I have my hopes for Simon Miller. I really like TtS and hope the renaissance supplement will be just as good.
Cheers
Erik
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tremendous looking units.
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Some great battle shots. Thanks
"Very pretty...too bad they can't fight" ;)
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I have not posted for a while, but that doesn’t mean I have not been painting. I have just not found time for photo and LAF posting. The last unit, the stradioti, is done. So now, all that remains are the two command units. Actually, I have already almost finished them, so hopefully they will be up in the following week.
The stradioti are a really cool unit, and I look forward to using them. They are a nasty combination of light and close combat cavalry. Plus they look awesome.
Cheers
Eriks
(https://i.imgur.com/35gIyeO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OyPqqVH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/t9tFhcJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3GNdp6v.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FZIHiIg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lcltfAy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LzD4vHW.jpg)
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Superb work - I have a small Venexia army in 15 mm which is still waiting for paint; I am very relieved I had gone for a later period, as that means no stripy lances! Seriously though, superb and very inspiring work there, those stripes are fantastic - as is everything else.
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What a beautiful and inspiring army :-* thank you for sharing :)
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/thumb/d/dd/Wappen_Endingen_am_Kaiserstuhl.svg/560px-Wappen_Endingen_am_Kaiserstuhl.svg.png?20111209130840
is this the flag of one of the Landsknechts Block ?
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Da da da da da da
My “Venetian spur of the moment army” is finished. 120 foot, 48 mounted and two command bases in under for month! First of all that is a personal speed painting record but second, and more important, it’s the first time I’ve managed to hold on to a project all the way through.
The last models are the two command bases that came with the army deal. I´ve given them personal banners all well as the lion of Saint Mark for the general. I know I´ve said it before but the point is good enough for a second round. Pete’s flag are GREAT!!.
(https://i.imgur.com/SejNiHn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vV4U0J4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fJqonPw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ILKdA02.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zAEwQQV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UAZDAsm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aIkAERW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VTtGh41.jpg)
Where to now? Sadly, TAGS miniatures doesn’t mix with other, newer miniatures. I was hoping to supplement them from my large collection of Perrys, but they look silly together. The Perry miniatures look like orc trying to mix in with men. So I need more TAGs. I would like some more pikemen and a few bases of swordsmen. The plan is to have 14 bases of pike and two bases of swordmen. That will give me a 16 base unit of pike which is my preferred unit size for pike in Field of Glory Renaissance. I would also like to expand my arquebuses a little and lastly I need a third unit of Elmeti. With that, I will have a playable Venetian army for Field of Glory Renaissance, which at the moment, still is my preferred renaissance ruleset on the market. Other suggestions are welcome. From the post above you can see that we also play Furioso. I would like to give Warlords Pike n´ shot a go as well, using some of the many adjustment found online. I have bought Renatio et Morten rules set, but haven’t found time to read them yet.
I have also promised myself to make some Italian terrain, which will probably be my fist project now. I am looking for 3D files for pillars, window and doors. Again suggestion are very welcome.
Cheers
Erik
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Quite the spendiferous project Erik :-* :-* :-*
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Ah, what a lovely army! Great paint job, and - I second the comment re. Pete's flags!
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Erik, brilliant job. I too am "speed painting" a Caesarian Roman army and have managed 94 infantry and 13 cavalry in three weeks.
As regards buildings I would recommend you look at the "Empires at War" MdF kits. They produce a 28mm range of Spanish/Italian buildings which come pre-coloured and ready to assemble. You could probably add further detailing if you want.
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Fab job throughout the collection mate, well done!! 👍
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Thank for the compliments. It means a lot, when you finish a project like this.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/thumb/d/dd/Wappen_Endingen_am_Kaiserstuhl.svg/560px-Wappen_Endingen_am_Kaiserstuhl.svg.png?20111209130840
is this the flag of one of the Landsknechts Block ?
It looks like it, but mine is suppose to repressent the noble line Ahlefelt from souther Denmark. Most of my renaissance units, except for a few from when I thought I would collect a WOTR army, are flying Danish or Holstein banners. I have used this page for inspiration:
http://www.danbbs.dk/~stst/slaegt_adelsvaaben/0_adelsvaaben.htm
Cheers
Erik
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Ah Ok.....i thougt this will represent mens from the Breisgau area
de.wikipedia.org › wiki › Üsenberger
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If you're a true wargamer, no project is ever finished. Ever!
If you're into 2nd mortgages, child-bartering, divorce and self-flagellation, Eureka UK has just reduced the price on its "More Gensdarmes Than You'll Ever Need" deal from £10,000 to just over £8,070. In return though, you do get 2,048 mounted figures, capable of providing every possible combination of horse, rider and weaponry that the range allows.
https://www.eurekaminuk.com/products/the-crazy-i-want-it-all-gendarme-deal-28mm?_pos=4&_sid=e5ac3dc54&_ss=r
Go on, you know you want to..... lol
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lol lol lol lol lol
If you're a true wargamer, no project is ever finished. Ever!
If you're into 2nd mortgages, child-bartering, divorce and self-flagellation, Eureka UK has just reduced the price on its "More Gensdarmes Than You'll Ever Need" deal from £10,000 to just over £8,070. In return though, you do get 2,048 mounted figures, capable of providing every possible combination of horse, rider and weaponry that the range allows.
https://www.eurekaminuk.com/products/the-crazy-i-want-it-all-gendarme-deal-28mm?_pos=4&_sid=e5ac3dc54&_ss=r
Go on, you know you want to..... lol
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Really nice finished army, well done!
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Even though I finished my original painting project back in April, I am by no means done with my Venetians. Just distracted by other things, mainly our new 3D printer.
The latest addition to my force is another command base. The miniatures are from the Perry knight box. With this command base done, I have three which is what I usually need for games of Pike ’n shoot, Field of Glory and Furioso.
(https://i.imgur.com/ufeDZe8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PC32jef.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/h5oz5qO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6H2dkDJ.jpg)
Cheers
Erik
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Smashing work Erik! :-*
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After a few months painting Berbers fresh out of our new 3D printer, I have returned to my Venetian army. I was inspired after reading The Italian Was vol. 1 from Helion. The book describes how much mixed infantry the pike blocks actually contained. I wanted to try to simulate this by including poleaxe-armed men along with the pikemen. At the same time, I wanted to use the pavises that are included in the Perry mercenary boxset. As far as I know, no one makes Italian transfers for these, so I tried gluing on paper motives. I am very pleased with the result. It is only on the close-up pictures that you can see that they are pieces of paper clued to the pavises.
My plan is to have the first rank of bases with mixed infantry and pavise. The second rank of bases with pike and pavise and them two more random ranks of pikearmed infantry. However at the moment I have run out of pikemen, so I am waiting for a new shipment.
(https://i.imgur.com/WNdo1V6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Okkpqtp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2bIJftP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/E5XDjnz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fxIIkYd.jpg)
Cheers
Erik
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Excellent work Erik.
I love decor on the pavises 8)
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:They look great
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Lovely army beautifully painted!
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I have completed a second rank for my pavise armed Venetian pikemen. I figured the poleaxe armed infantry would only be represented in the first rank, so second rank is pure pike. I do not have planes at the moment to do any more, as I have run out of pike (the mercenary box only contains 18 pikes, and at the moment I don’t have any use for all the left over crossbowmen and handgunners). Instead I will switch the flags on some of my older, more generic looking pikemen and place them in the last two ranks.
(https://i.imgur.com/WWiOt6A.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/g9otKkU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n6METge.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nBtMHbX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ORHfBNE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9cbxN0y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Tm5jUoD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KM0M6ci.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RqU9Qq1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3PavWlN.jpg)
Cheers
Erik
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Excellent work! The unit looks amazing all ranked together!
Really nice work on the pavises themselves as well!
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:-*
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Absolutely lovely work!
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Great looking pike block. Love the shields.
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It’s been a while since my last post but the project is by no means dead. I just haven’t posted for reason I can’t remember. So to make up here’s a large bunch of pictures of my work this fall and winter.
My plan was to expand my pike to 16 bases and to include some swordsmen as well as painting more arquebuses and a third unit of elmeti.
For swordsmen I first went for TAGs Italians. They look really cool and with some homemade transfers the Venetian look is secured. The new Wargames Atlantic conquistadors inspired me to make some more swordsmen using these guys and the Perry mercs. They will combine with my pavise armed pikemen as they are too large for the TAB Italians (or rather the TABs are too small).
(https://i.imgur.com/fievH0J.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5udSSHh.jpg)
This summer our family went too Avignon. All those Papal banners and crossed key motives started an itch. First obvious solution of course was to paint a second army. However that would be silly (wouldn’t it?). Instead I bought a sheet of papal banners from Pete’s Flag and painted up some command stand with Papal banners (looking at the pictures I realised that red and yellow banner need some paint on the edges but rest assured it’s already taken care of). The basic pikeman and arquebusier can just as easily go as a Venetian as a Papal and with the new command stands the army would be able to double as both or more likely represent one of the many alliances of the wars.
(https://i.imgur.com/2U63bbL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3G14Wj9.jpg)
I also bought a third elmeti unit and painted then with crossed key symbols on their coats and two Pete’s flags to go. With three elmeti units their numbers should make up for lack of quality.
(https://i.imgur.com/KGyiXiO.jpg)
One thing I always knew I would paint is a unit of Italian militia with spear. I mixed the Perry 100 year war French with the Perry merc to make late medieval spearmen. I again gave them all pavises to be able to but lots of homemade transfers on. Initially the plan was to use mostly red and white with a few yellows and blues but somewhere along the way this plan ran out of control and I ended up with a harlequin looking unit. Inspired by this I threw in a lot of colourful banners to make them even more, well, colourful. I mixed in polearmed infantry as well as some crossbowmen and handguns. All in all one of my favourite units. It’s just a shame that they will always be of very poor quality and probably always get run over by better quality infantry. However that will only make it ever greater should they ever win a straight up fight. They will however probably spent their career guarding artillery or defending the camp.
(https://i.imgur.com/cPErXzy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rzCKAcp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fd6KWyD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YvRs19O.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n41Znav.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Y5ca8df.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JgxpO8P.jpg)
I know an army is never truely finished, but at the moment I dont have any more Italian plans. Any further reinforcement would come in more generic form like landsknechts.
Cheers
Erik
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I'd not seen this thread before. Great work! :)
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I'd not seen this thread before. Great work! :)
Same here, I just went through this thread. A really great looking project, congratulations!
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WOW! More fantastic figures!
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Love the new Spear Block and, swordmen.
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Yup, these are rather nice….and I agree…Pete’s flags are the dogs!
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Fantastic and very inspiring thread!
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I've not caught this thread before, but I have to say your army is superb.
I see you commented on needing to make some Venetian buildings. I'd like to see what you come up with, as that's a particular itch I'm starting to scratch for a project I'm working on.
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Fantastic looking force, well done
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The banners and force are excellent. Well done
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Fantastic looking army, quite inspirational :-*
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I've not caught this thread before, but I have to say your army is superb.
I see you commented on needing to make some Venetian buildings. I'd like to see what you come up with, as that's a particular itch I'm starting to scratch for a project I'm working on.
First of all thank you for all the nice commends. Second, I am afraid I have not gotten around to making any buildings yet. We have been completely preoccupied with modern wargaming the last six month, making African building instead.
I will of course post on this thread when I get around to making them.
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After having been distracted by other project I am finally back with my Venetians and renaissance in general. I have painted up some camp followers as many rule systems require the deployment of camps in one way or the other. I was tempted to mount them all on one base to make a diorama like camp, as the miniatures are all very characterful. In the end however I went for single based models as this gives me more freedom. The models are from a landsknecht Kickstarter from a few years back.
I have also finished a unit of landsknechts from Steelfist Miniatures. They make some beautiful models that were a joy to paint. Its always a bit tricky how you want to use the dobbeltsöldners but this time I included them in the pike block. It is my understanding that these guys charged out in front of the pike block and tried to breakup the enemy pikeblock. I think this gives a good impression with the dobbeltsöldners charging out under the pikes.
(https://i.imgur.com/8QHj2rt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n9NN5iV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/taC1rpV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ac9CZHG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/liJWOR0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/u2CeGgk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9J19RO9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3vRB3GU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XsRjqrM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1t9EvA5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/l6ooSrB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SMlpmzv.jpg)
Cheers
Erik
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Impressive looking pike block.
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Lovely stuff Erik :-*
Vignettes always bring the table to life 8)
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Great stuff. The dobbeltsöldners really look the part.
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Fantastic keep up the great work, loving the hospital
Cheers
Matt
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Back when the Perry Boys launched their WOTR plastic set I was super stocked and started painting minis without really having a plan. At some point, I realized that I was never going to paint up to full armies to game with but by that time I had already painted up well over a hundred WOTR miniatures. These bills and bows have never seen action as my attention turned to European conflicts of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance instead.
Reading about Italian armies of the Renaissance I notice that they deployed many militia units with crossbows, handguns, and polearms. Crossbows and handguns I have many, pikemen I have hundreds of but polearms I have none. That’s when I remembered my old WOTR miniatures and I decided to try and Italian-them-up to see if they could consider changing sides.
First up were brand new flags, from Pete’s Flags of course (never leave home without them). Second was some 3D printed shield that someone kindly lent me. After this rather simple makeover, the British boys were suddenly ready to take the field for Venice in a very convincing style. Actually, the flags alone did much of the work but the shields really nailed it in my opinion.
I have a BIG battle planned using all my late medieval and renaissance miniatures in one go and all these old WOTR billmen will take the field for the first time under the flags of Venice. It will be glorious!!
(https://i.imgur.com/aeMBMMX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Or7Ro7Z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qdelZQ4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xYPBFKg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MTYMC8Z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rzQhk8c.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0gQZTPI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hQCkz1D.jpg)
Cheers
Erik
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Last night we played our annual Christmas wargame. This year’s game was set in Italy during the late 15th century. Over the years I have collected and painted many late medieval and early renaissance miniatures. With my Venetian army, my collections host over 1000 miniatures, mostly Italians and landsknechts. I thought it would be fun to get them all on the table for a big clash. We use Pike and shotte or Hail Caesar for games like this. The main objective was just to get as many miniatures on the table as possible and have fun, so we didn’t bother finding a suitable historic battle but instead decided that to rival Italian cities were battling for control over an important river and that they were backed respectably by Venice and the Holy Roman Empire.
The Venetians had around 700 miniatures and the Germans around 500. However the quality of the Venetian soldiers was substantially poorer than the Germans, with lower stats and special rules such as militia and brittle.
Some pictures before before the battle started
(https://i.imgur.com/5SNf5rH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/bha9nDC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IYMQn4D.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/98k6rMX.jpg)
The battle opened in classic style with me ordering the elmeti cavalry forward, rolling low and catapulting them forward, ending the entire Italian cavalry, alone and right in front of the German army. Luckily some of the pike and militia soon reached them and the battle commenced on a broader front. Unfortunately this did not help the elmeti much and even though they outnumbered the German knight they could not break their lines. On the far right along the river Italian militia fared better against the German landsknechts and even though they lost many men they ended up breaking the landsknecht battalia. On the other side of the battlefield however the milita battalia refused to move and the Italian Romangol ended up fighting landsknechts and light cavalry alone. Even though they fought hard they could not hold out alone and were broken. When the elmeti battalia also broke the German knight were free to roll up the already battered militia battalia and this left only the reluctant militia battalia to try and save the day. At this point we decided to stop, as the time was late and the chances of Italian success seem very slim, even though the militia had finally moved forward to lend a hand with their crossbows.
(https://i.imgur.com/6zs9ruV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5uNKYgF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OmeaKxj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IRgHgzA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kshOn0b.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5LTTNXm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qzJZtRZ.jpg)
Everyone agreed that it had been a great battle and even though the Italians lost only the German knights were fresh to continue fighting at this point.
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Wow, what a battle!
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wow, fantastic looking battle and miniatures
Brian
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What a splendid looking battle!
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Fantastic! Always awesome seeing a massed battle on tabletop.
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It was a great battle and a glorious victory to the noble forces of the Holy Roman Empire over the Italian rif raf.
It is always an impressive sight with so many miniatures on the table at once.
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Huge battle especially considering how difficult it is to paint up all those mulitcolored variety of figs. I know as I have a painted 15mm collection for the Great Italian Wars. What a fight, looks amazing!