The Nine Years War in Ireland

[OB]

The Nine Years War is a long term interest for me. With two volumes available from Dr Jim O’Neill and another one promised we are getting the definitive account of the War.

I thought I’d try a project culminating in a set of rules for gaming the conflict. The first post on this is now on my blog. There are some pic’s of the toys too.

If it is of interest here is the link.

https://youdonotknowthenorth.blogspot.com

[SJWi]

Nice. I'm thinking of buying the books you mention so may have this as a future project. Which figures would you recommend?

Thanks

[Severian]

This is excellent news. Will be following with great interest. I've been tinkering with gaming this in 28mm but haven't really settled to a set of rules yet.

[fred]

Great stuff.

Very interesting reading on the blog - I've used Irregular Wars for this period, but I think their lists are probably focused a bit earlier. So your insights on to the different troop types is interesting, and I might try applying this to IW lists.

Also interested in your colour schemes for the Irish - I went with mainly yellows - but see you have a lot of reds in there too.

[OB]

Nice. I'm thinking of buying the books you mention so may have this as a future project. Which figures would you recommend?

Thanks

In 15mm Khurasan are good. You might also look at their ECW Irish Caliver Men to mix in. Ireland was having a bit of a social revolution as well as a military one. The demilitarised classes could volunteer as soldiers. They got arms and training but not the expensive saffron shirts required by the previously relied upon  professional Bonnacht.

QRF have a nice range (Tudor Section) but no pike men or caliver men which is a shame. Still some nice figures there. I used their swordsmen with added morions and shields.

Minifigs offer mailed pike men, caliver men and mailed horse. One pose only.

Essex offer a mailed horseman, one pose, and there is an ok swordsmen in there otherwise poor Kern pack. Conversely Essex has a very nice range for the English.

For Gallowglass you are spoiled for choice.

I think you are in the USA, if so Khurasan for both sides would be my choice. I'm not in the USA and my Irish are mostly Khurasan.

I intend doing a blog post on figures for the period in the meantime anything else please ask. Currently I cannot comment on the bigger scales as I need to research them.

I half think Penraken might have a 10mm range. If so they will be good.

[OB]

This is excellent news. Will be following with great interest. I've been tinkering with gaming this in 28mm but haven't really settled to a set of rules yet.

Thanks Severian. The Nine Years War has a lot to offer.

[OB]

Great stuff.

Very interesting reading on the blog - I've used Irregular Wars for this period, but I think their lists are probably focused a bit earlier. So your insights on to the different troop types is interesting, and I might try applying this to IW lists.

Also interested in your colour schemes for the Irish - I went with mainly yellows - but see you have a lot of reds in there too.

Thanks Fred.  Yeah IW are a little bit earlier. I'm sure you can fit the newer types in with a bit of tinkering.

Yes, there seems to have been a fair bit of red about. My figures above show more than usual as they are Tyrone soldiers. Red was the livery colour of O'Neill and we know it was worn in the field. Also his English trained soldiers got red coats, presumably in the Irish style or maybe an English cassock.

The yellow saffron shirt was transitioning out during the Nine years War. It was a very expensive garment and the Irish armies were expanding rapidly. Also many of the new soldiers were not of the military classes. Their contracts probably didn't entitle them to the annual saffron shirt issue. I suspect that the issue stopped altogether.  The savings being spent on arms and gun powder.

In general Irish clothing was simplifying in this period.

[OB]

Continuing with my interest in the Nine Years war in Ireland I have a post on cavalry on my blog.  There are some pic’s of both sides too.

If it is of interest here is the link.

https://youdonotknowthenorth.blogspot.com

[has.been]

Thanks for posting. This is interesting stuff.
I would like to do this in 28mm.

[OB]

Thanks, I hoped it would be of interest.

It occurs to me that in 28mm some of the Great Italian Wars plastic figures with hose, short coat and an arquebus might be a good basis for conversion to Irish caliver men. They would need a morion and longer hair but otherwise I could see it working.

I'm not very up on what's about in 28mm Irish ranges as I only do 15mm projects. Hopefully someone more familiar with 28mm  can chip in. I'd be interested to know myself.

[Severian]

It occurs to me that in 28mm some of the Great Italian Wars plastic figures with hose, short coat and an arquebus might be a good basis for conversion to Irish caliver men. They would need a morion and longer hair but otherwise I could see it working.

I've been wondering whether something like this might work. The obvious plastic set to try might be the Perry Mercenaries set, although it's really late 15th century; you do get four pairs of arquebus arms per sprue, though one of those has mailed sleeves. Morion heads from the Wargames Atlantic conquistadors could probably be made to fit, with extra hair from greenstuff to taste.

Not sure if any other plastic sets would be much use; there are the Warlord landsknecht missile troops I suppose, but their legs are all much fussier and probably no good.

Not sure if there are any suitable figures for Irish calivers in any current metal ranges tbh; but I'm happy to be proved wrong. For the time being, I've been planning to use my Eureka 16th century Portuguese as proxies (https://eurekaminuk.com/collections/colonial-portuguese-16th-century/products/arquebusier-28mm), mostly because I have some ready and painted.

[OB]

This might help with conversions. Below Irish pikemen.  Note, trews, padded Jack, Gamberson, Cotun, however you'd like to call it, morion, sword.

The second pic' shows more Irish pikemen, look to the side and you can see a caliver man.

[Severian]

Thanks OB, very useful pics. Was at Salute today and got a box of WA conquistadors - they have a good number of arquebus arms that ought to work, as well as plenty of helmets. I have lots of spare Perry WotR bodies so will investigate. I also (finally!) bought the James O'Neill Helion volume.

Looking forward to more as your project develops.

[OB]

Thanks Severian. I think you will enjoy the book.

[clibinarium]

Very nice work. O'Neill's book has resparked my interest in the period.
It may be of interest that Khurasan will be adding Irish targeteers in the next few months.