I was lucky enough to be at the fabulous Tactica show in Hamburg last weekend, where the Perrys were showing their new forthcoming Wars of the Roses / European Armies lighter cavalry set.
Michael kindly offered me the chance to take away the test sprue they had on display once the show was over – which naturally, I did. Very pleased to get the chance to get my mitts on these two months ahead of their official launch at Salute
Obviously I couldn’t wait to get home and start building – which I have.
Painting will follow in due course...
First, a few reflections on the set:
1. It’s brilliant. Yet another exponential increase in the permutations available by intermixing all 5 late medieval sets, plus the Agincourt to Orleans set. There are lots of useful new components included here, including spare longbows and crossbows in their carrying cases, some very nice new swords, and of course, lots of new arms and heads, as well as the four new bodies which form the centre of the set.
2. There are 12 all-new late medieval heads, and although some are reminiscent of heads in earlier sets, they are all different, and include several real crackers.
To my eye, half of the heads look kinda European, and the rest quite English, so a good mix overall. Michael was reflecting that having now made 70-odd different heads for these WOTR era sets, it’s becoming quite hard to keep coming up with new versions of sallets! (But he’s done darned well).
3. The four bodies are all beautifully done as well. They all have some bits and pieces of armour, three of them wear coats, open or closed, one has a brigandine. Some have long boots turned up or down, one has short boots and hose. The reins arms are separate this time which I think is a great improvement over the mounted men-at-arms set, where they were cast onto the bodies. It gives a great deal of extra flexibility. And makes them useful for kitbashing. There are a wide range of right arms with light lances in various position, as well as bows, crossbows and open-handed 'at ease' arms.
4. The horse sprue, it should be said, is identical to the horse sprue in the MMAA set – so 6 body halves (3 left, 3 right) and four different heads. I honestly don’t see this as a problem, because I think Johan calculated there was some astronomical range of possible permutations from these 10 components. So that you never need to make the same horse twice, and that's even before you start converting…
Onto the figures:
Number one is a mercenary crossbowman. His crossbow is covered and slung on one side of his saddle, his bolts and winder on the other. He wears a soft hat and carries his sallet in his hand – a spare empty helmet, another very useful component this. He wears the brigandine body with long boots turned down. I gave him arms in half mail though, rather than the matching brigandine arms. Note the new model sword in its scabbard – one of the best so far methinks.
Number two is a scurrer riding down some unfortunate fugitive. This is the body with long boots to the thigh, and an open coat over a breastplate. I’ve given him brigandine arms and light lance. I love this helmet – an enclosed kettle hat with eye slits and a cloth coronet. I think he’ll do as an Englishman for my Yorkists, although he could be a mercenary.
Number three is another scurrer. This body has the short boots and a closed coat with short scalloped skirt. I’ve given him armoured arms with coat ‘shoulders’. Another brilliant helmet here – the onion shaped kettle hat with eye slits.
Well, I was a very good boy and stuck to only the components in the box for the first three... But I couldn’t quite resist for number four – a mounted longbowman...
His body is, again, in a closed coat. This time with armoured legs and turned down bucket boots. The body is leaning slightly to the right, which is why I’ve given him a pair of shooting longbow arms from the WOTR infantry set. Shooting to his left. Much debate to be had about whether you can actually shoot a longbow from horseback – personally I think it unlikely, but who cares: It makes for a nice figure.
His helmet is an open sallet from the new set – great gormless face on this one too. Also note the useful arrow bag hanging from his saddle. Open and closed versions of these are included on the frame.
And finally… I also used a few more components from the new frame to mash-up some infantry types.
Number five is a longbowman, using the shouldered bow and arrows pack from the new set, plus another new head in an open (nicely pointy) sallet. It’s a standard infantry body. His left arm is a longbow arm with longbow cut off, and a hand axe from the Agincourt to Orleans set substituted. He’s obviously looking for a defensive stake to sharpen.
Number six is a mercenary. He’ll be joining my Milanese. This is my favourite head from the new frame – look at those feathers! Plus a new ‘crossbow held down at ease’ right arm. His left arm is another longbow arm, this time with a hand swap – he’s a mercenary, so he has his hand out for payment. It’s a standard infantry body. He’s got a pack of bolts and his winder on his left hip.
Last up, I also concocted another lighter cavalry type myself, finally using the bare ‘Richard III’ head from the Foot Knights set, with some Green Stuff long boots. I think he should fit in with the others well enough.
That’s all for now, although I have also been making up several more longbowmen, combining the various WOTR sets with the A-O set.
They will follow in a day or two…
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 29, 2024, 03:58:26 PM
June 06, 2010, 07:04:55 PM