Starting an ECW Army (added Bards' Foote 26/07/12)

[Melnibonean]

Hi Folks, recently I've been concentrating on getting a battalia ready for some ECW action. I'm using Warlord plastics which I bought secondhand. About half of these were (badly) painted so I've been repainting them and putting them together into some semblance of order.

Here are my first few units:

[white knight]

That's an impressive start! 

[Captain Blood]

I'm not a fan of the Warlord ECW plastics I must admit (some of the metals are rather good though). But you've made a great job of painting them and assembling them into convincing bases of figures.

[Hobbit]

Nice painting but...not intended as knitpicking but...buff coats were actually extremely rare in ECW infantry as they were VERY expensive, far more expensive than a metal back & breast plate. The only foot known to have used them were the London Trained Band regiments. Unfortunately a lot of reference material over 20 years old states that they were widely used but lack any evidence to support this.

[Quendil]

Looking really good.  I have a Dixon army I bought years ago that I must paint at some point

[Melnibonean]

Nice painting but...not intended as knitpicking but...buff coats were actually extremely rare in ECW infantry as they were VERY expensive, far more expensive than a metal back & breast plate. The only foot known to have used them were the London Trained Band regiments. Unfortunately a lot of reference material over 20 years old states that they were widely used but lack any evidence to support this.

I didn't know that. Thanks.
I (as you've mentioned) was under the impression via reference material that buff coats were common in the foot regiments. Well I can finish the troops I'm currently doing in the same fashion and rectify things for future regiments. As far as I'm concerned it will make painting easier.

Cheers
IanKH

[Hobbit]

Hi, I was worried that you wouldn't take my comments well!!!

The Ospreys from the early 90s are actually quite good sources on the ECW. The Brassey's book is good but potentially expensive. The Phillip Haythornthwait book is full of really nice plates, but probably over half of them have quite serious errors (according to modern research anyway - things moved on very quickly just after that book was published), but the text is generally sound.

Of course it is totally up to the individual what they want to do/paint.

[Big Martin]

Yes - various friends of mine were very active in recent stuff on ECW clothing.

Good looking paint jobs, however.

[General Lee]

very very nice. makes me want to paint mine! 

[Gazjones]

They look very nice. Some sources mention that short leather jerkins were worn as protection by some infantry soldiers, I don't mean the trained bands with buff coats.
Much is unknown about uniforms during the period so go with what you think looks right, cos chances are, it will be.

[Melnibonean]

Here are are some pics of my newest unit: Bards' Regiment of Foote.
As a started painting these chaps with buff coats I've continued with the same shceme and I can adjust this issue with my next unit.

[Gazjones]

As i mentioned above, they can represent leather jerkins, not buff coats. They look fabulous so stay with that theme