Early HYW Miniatures

[Mr.J]

Can anyone suggest any 28mm figure ranges that represent the early phases of the HYW?

Obviously there's Perry but they are designed for the later phases, particularly the knights and those wearing armour.
Would Claymore Casting existing figures work? How about King Maker sold through First Corps?

Thanks for your help

[Atheling]

Can anyone suggest any 28mm figure ranges that represent the early phases of the HYW?

Obviously there's Perry but they are designed for the later phases, particularly the knights and those wearing armour.
Would Claymore Casting existing figures work? How about King Maker sold through First Corps?

Thanks for your help

All depends on how fussy you are. I'm going to assume you're like me and very anal about Late Medieval Warfare! 

You would be able to use the Claymore Castings range, which is superb BTW, from Crecy onwards- I'm thinking particularly of the Crossbowmen as that's what Matt designed them for. Also, the newer Mounted miniatures. The earlier Claymore stuff is good for Poitiers onward, through to Otterburn and even up tto Agincourt as some armours would have been hand me downs.

If you wait a wee while I'll copy the pics from David and Andrew's site and talk a bit about when they would be useful for(?). Just let me know. 

Darrell.

[Atheling]

I should have added, as an alternative there's Old Glory do a range that is perfect but some of the mini's do look a bit, well, dated.

There are very few pics on the UK sire so here's a link to the Crecy War stuff on the OG USA site:

http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/products.asp?cat=182

They are one of OG's better ranges IMHO.

Also, the Curtey's have been working on a range too:

http://curteysminiatures.co.uk/product-category/medieval-europe/feudal-medieval-western-europe/unit-packs-feudal-medieval-western-europe/

Note, not all the mini's are suitable for the HYW but some packs are.

Darrell.

[nevermore]

Black tree miniatuures are good and you get discounts if you become a member.

[Atheling]

Black tree miniatuures are good and you get discounts if you become a member.

Their range is very early war, so good for Sluys (if you have a lot of 28mm Cogs!) and the Crecy campaign.

Darrell.

[westwaller]

I think that some of the Crusader HYW, and some of the Foundry packs too might be suitable for Early HYW. You might want someone else to confirm that though.

[Mr.J]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I can be a bit anal when it comes to stuff like this but as long as it isn't glaringly off then I can overlook it.

I have a few Old Glory figures from this range and I have found them to be too small and a bit too dated. Most of the figures tbf are really nice sculpts but I want 28s not 25s so they fit in with other bits an pieces I have. I have also looked at Curteys and the new Crusader Medievals but whilst all being nice none float my boat (or way are out of period).

I really like the knights and men at arms from Black Tree but I find the infantry to be a bit bog standard but I will take another look. However as no one else seems to do a range of knights from this period, if I could find suitable infantry and rank and file I could use these to supplement them.

If you wait a wee while I'll copy the pics from David and Andrew's site and talk a bit about when they would be useful for(?). Just let me know.  Smiley

I absolutely love the Claymore Castings miniatures and I am a big fan of the Perrys so any info that you could provide would be very welcome. It also helps that I think my brother might be persuaded if it means buying Claymore figures so I could have an opponent too.

[3 fingers]

Front rank ?
http://www.frontrank.com/product-category/medieval/hundred-years-war/hyw-infantry/

[le bon roi rene]

This is a period that I have a great interest in and have avidly collected for close to 20 years. I'll qualify my recommendations as well.

Every range will have a stray anachronism and an army for 1337 will not have the same styling across the board as an army for Roosebeck or Otterburn but with that disclaimer....

I've tried almost everything out there: OG, Foundry, Front Rank etc..., however, the best ranges available for Early HYW (roughly 1337 to say... Otterburn) is the Perry sculpted range for Foundry and Claymore Castings.

Honestly nothing else comes close (well the 1989-91 Bretonnians that the Perry's did is actually the pinnacle but only a real collector (ask me maybe I'll let go of some  ) will have enough for an army.

Cheers,
Fred

[Mr.J]

So how well do the Perry Foundry sculpts size up with modern Perry or Claymore etc.?

[rampantlion]

You can always mix in a few Essex figures as well.  They have been around a while, but still hold up size-wise and have some great figures.

[Atheling]

Front rank ?
http://www.frontrank.com/product-category/medieval/hundred-years-war/hyw-infantry/

Front rank do mini's for the Early stages of the war and the Later stages so you'd have to know your stuff before ordering.

Darrell.

[le bon roi rene]

So how well do the Perry Foundry sculpts size up with modern Perry or Claymore etc.?

Well, currently, Perrys haven't issued anything new for Early HYW in a couple of decades, but if you're asking, the Foundry HYW range matches up favorably with the "Agincourt to Orleans" metal range from Perry Miniatures. (Claymore too).

Not to dismiss FR.(they have some nice models), but as Darrell mentioned you have to choose wisely as their range is a hodgepodge. Several sculpts have cyclas style surcoats while others have full white harness. (They are considerably more chunky in sculpting style.This is fine if you're mixing with Essex which is also chunky but mixes less well with more delicately sculpted Foundry/Perry, and not at all with OG)

[Atheling]

Well, currently, Perrys haven't issued anything new for Early HYW in a couple of decades, but if you're asking, the Foundry HYW range matches up favorably with the "Agincourt to Orleans" metal range from Perry Miniatures. (Claymore too).

Not to dismiss FR.(they have some nice models), but as Darrell mentioned you have to choose wisely as their range is a hodgepodge. Several sculpts have cyclas style surcoats while others have full white harness. (They are considerably more chunky in sculpting style.This is fine if you're mixing with Essex which is also chunky but mixes less well with more delicately sculpted Foundry/Perry, and not at all with OG)

I concur. One thing worth adding whilst we're on the subjct of the bulkiness of Front Rank, they have large areas to paint and partly due to that and partly the uncomplicated (great for some, not to all) sculpting style on Alex's part they do paint up very well indeed. one might almost say that they are a lot easier to paint up than say the Perry stuff (though my personal preference lies heavily with the Perry's).

Darrell.

[Druzhina]

To see what they should look like, here are selected pictures with early 14th century knights, men-at-arms and infantry from the Grandes Chroniques de France. It was produced in Paris and illustrated by Mahiet, Master of the Cambrai Missal, c.1332-50.:

Battle of Etampes
Burning of Argentan; battle of Val-es-Dunes & the surrender of a castle
The Abbey of Vezelay being attacked by crossbowmen
Foot soldiers and cavalry
Louis IX setting out on the Seventh Crusade, 1248
Battle-scene & deaths from pestilence


MIRROR SITE
The Grandes Chroniques de France. British Library, Royal MS 16 G VI

Druzhina
14th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers