just talkin' Billhooks

[Wilgut Spleens]

Never Mind the Billhooks has been around for about two years now and with the imminent release of Billhooks Deluxe or Bill'ooks Dillux as it is commonly known I thought it might be agood time to consider some aspects of the game

EDITED 21st October to include thoughts on Billhooks Deluxe

https://wilgut.blogspot.com/2022/09/just-talkin-billhooks.html

[Atheling]

Just had a read through and it all looks spanking. Nice to see the brushwork of others too 

I'm still deciding on what to put together for an army. I meant to put one together when WI first released the rules but for reasons that you know about there was little enough impetus to do so for me given that Billhooks is very much a fun/"got to play" type of game.

I'm thinking Burgundians, Swiss maybe? Or maybe I ought to start with the Wars of the Roses like everyone else!

I have the miniatures (mainly Perry's) but I'm thinking Front Rank being a little larger might be a better choice for a skirmish type game as they're larger and well, will be easier to get the liveries and heraldic badges etc painted on!

EDIT: Maybe even start with Shrewsbury as that is when all the "trouble" seemed to start! 

[MaleGriffin]

Thank you for all the tips! I'm still assembling my armies and plan to play the new NMTBH Deluxe when it comes out but I think a lot of your advice will still hold true. Lovely troops by the way!

[Atheling]

Thank you for all the tips! I'm still assembling my armies and plan to play the new NMTBH Deluxe when it comes out but I think a lot of your advice will still hold true. Lovely troops by the way!

Any idea what you're going to go for army wise? I seem to have all sorts of (financially unhealthy!) ideas bobbing around in my head!

[Wilgut Spleens]

Thank you for all the tips! I'm still assembling my armies and plan to play the new NMTBH Deluxe when it comes out but I think a lot of your advice will still hold true. Lovely troops by the way!
[/quote
Thank you! I think most of this will still apply to billux dillux, Andy Callan called it a tactics masterclass so I must have got done if it right!

[Wilgut Spleens]

Just had a read through and it all looks spanking. Nice to see the brushwork of others too 

I'm still deciding on what to put together for an army. I meant to put one together when WI first released the rules but for reasons that you know about there was little enough impetus to do so for me given that Billhooks is very much a fun/"got to play" type of game.

I'm thinking Burgundians, Swiss maybe? Or maybe I ought to start with the Wars of the Roses like everyone else!

I have the miniatures (mainly Perry's) but I'm thinking Front Rank being a little larger might be a better choice for a skirmish type game as they're larger and well, will be easier to get the liveries and heraldic badges etc painted on!

EDIT: Maybe even start with Shrewsbury as that is when all the "trouble" seemed to start! 

You will always have opponents with Wars of Roses! I don't know myself which way to go next. My aim has been to build both sides from Tewkesbury and play a campaign based around it with local lords. We are aiming to "do" Tewkesbury next year at BIG. To that end I have half a dozen more companies to build , some Great Gonnes and several personalities. However, I am very tempted by Burgundians,so colourful, Italian wars because I think they would be fun to play and Reivers because they will look great too! Him...the lot of thewargamer

[Atheling]

You will always have opponents with Wars of Roses! I don't know myself which way to go next. My aim has been to build both sides from Tewkesbury and play a campaign based around it with local lords. We are aiming to "do" Tewkesbury next year at BIG. To that end I have half a dozen more companies to build , some Great Gonnes and several personalities. However, I am very tempted by Burgundians,so colourful, Italian wars because I think they would be fun to play and Reivers because they will look great too! Him...the lot of thewargamer

If I painted up some Spanish Pike and rebases some of my Trastamara Spanish I could have an army based around that of Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba super quick!





But the thought of rebasing, a thing I promised myself I would never do again, fills me with dread.

So, it's going to have to be something new.....

Maybe pre-Italian Wars Italian City States like Florence, Venice of Milan 

[Wilgut Spleens]

I can understand that fear! Cordoba is the dogs nadgers. Great looking figures too! Those bases don't look too far off Billhooks sizes,I am sure they would work

[Atheling]

I can understand that fear! Cordoba is the dogs nadgers. Great looking figures too! Those bases don't look too far off Billhooks sizes,I am sure they would work

They are 40mm x 40mm but with only three mini's per base.

[Wilgut Spleens]

So three of them side by side is exactly the size for Billhooks, you just need a way of recording casualties!

[Atheling]

So three of them side by side is exactly the size for Billhooks, you just need a way of recording casualties!

I need a new project so I'm probably going to go with something Italian. Not sure quite what yet though

[MaleGriffin]

Atheling,

Primarily I'm interested in the Wars of the Roses. I'm collecting almost exclusively Perry figures with metal command and a lot of plastic troops. About 800 of them at this point. I've acquired Citadel Six decals for badges and Pete's flags for standards and banners for two dozen of the nobles involved. Mostly I picked nobles who were involved in at least three battles. I also based my decisions on esthetics. A nice mix of heraldry and livery. I also plan for generic troops that can have multiple command stands to provide variety. If you'd like a list of the nobles I've chosen, I'd be happy to post it.

Cheers!

[Wilgut Spleens]

That's a massive force! I have about 180 figures in my collection so far and I am aiming for a total of about 300-350 which will be enough to fight Tewkesbury and my 1471 campaign. I mostly use local lords with afew big wigs. Researching the local lords has been the fun but. I try and pick those opportunistic types that fought for either side and always to their own advantage/ advancement. That makes them very adaptable. I paint less then half my troops in livery which I think is historically accurate and again lends flexibility to my army. I would love to see your list of nobles.