When it comes to 'renaissance' what is the best sub period, and why?

[olicana]

It's a straw poll and will not tell us much, but what is your favourite renaissance period, and why?

My own, having done ECW, TYW and, if it qualifies by more than just by date, late medieval, is the Great Italian Wars 1495 -1530ish (the wars go on longer but my interest wanes after that). I like it because the weaponry and tactics are at there most diverse and because pike and shot are still very much different entities operating separately (no pike and shot units / sub units or ratios to speak of much). I might also have a thing for the costume (being a very colourful period) and the fact that most troops can be used for every nation and state, thus making collecting fruitful.

That's my choice, others will differ for other reasons.

[has.been]

ECW.
Because:=
a)I can quite easily go to most of the battlefields (Edgehill & Naseby are less than 20 miles from me)
b)Army sizes are much smaller than 30 years War.
c)For the first part it was bumbling amateurs in charge (At Cheriton both side chose 'God is with us' as their 'pass word' .
d)It is part of my country's heritage (and part of the development of democracy, see the Putney debates)
e)Wide variety of troop types (Pike, shot, firelocks, clubmen, Dragoons, Horse, Cuirassiers, Moss troopers, Irish etc.)
f)Wide variety of scenarios, not just the big battles (Naseby, Marston Moor etc.) but small fights (English Civil War Notes & Queries used to have a series entitled 'Terribly obscure battles' with often just a few understrength units) Cavalry raids on the other side's wagons/supplies. Fights for fortified manor houses.  man hunt (Charlie Two and the Royal Oak at Boscobel house, which has its own priest holes). Last stands, such as the Royalists around the pulpit at Alton church. Far too many to list.
g) the bad old days of poor figures have long gone (Mini-Figs Muskets with cavalry helmets as well as Pikemans' breastplate,backplate & tassets.) we now have the likes of Empress Miniatures.

[Lowtardog]

Age of conquest, aztecs, inca, south american indians fighting conquistadors, the clash of civilisations old and new, proper swashbuckling stuff

[OSHIROmodels]

Even though I don't game it at the moment I'd have to say ECW.

The smaller scale actions really have an appeal especially an attack on a fortified manorhouse.

(lovely table by the way  )

cheers

James

[Kommando_J]

Thirty years War for me, wide variety of forces and settings plus everything is within the realms of possibility from gran armies to small mercenary raiding bands.

And as an added bonus a lot of the miniatures can be reused for ECW!

[FierceKitty]

I'll go for the Italian wars for two main reasons: firstly, they're a Hell of a lot of fun, with very distinctive armies and lots of variety; and secondly, because for once the word "renaissance" means something in this connexion, whereas it drives me crazy to hear it misapplied to Covenanters, Zaporozhians, Moghuls, Ming, or Sengoku!

[Stuart]

Henry VIII's 1513 invasion of France, because my masochistic idiosyncrasy won't let me do anything else and it's so specifically obscure that I've had to practically create my own figures and opposing forces.

Did I mention that I rarely game too.

It's akin to searching for a new type of gravel - but I wouldn't have it any other way 

[Malamute]

Even though I don't game it at the moment I'd have to say ECW.

The smaller scale actions really have an appeal especially an attack on a fortified manorhouse.

(lovely table by the way  )

cheers

James

Very tempting, especially having seen the recent Empress mounted/dismounted dragoons. I was imagining a skirmish set in a grey, drab, dirty wet village... uost resisit!

[AWu]

I should say eastern warfare, especially East-European between Poland Russia and Turkey with extra swedish crumpets added but I have problems with calling it Reneissaince..


So I have to chose Italian Wars too. My most memorable Renaissance games were in Italy, and My Italian Army will be finished earlier than Both Polish and Mughal conquest.

Apart from those two I want to do XXX Years War gaming in the future.

Really cant catch much interest in anything ECW - it has to be English + empire influenced parts of the world stuff.. :>
I get the heritage and battlefields, and museums and even cinema and TV.. but for me its just poor man TYW.

[caveadsum1471]

Great Italian wars for me, I'm a sucker for the costumes but I also like ECW or the War of the three kingdoms to use the less anglocentric name that I Scottish historians have started using for it, I blame the Airfix guide I picked up in WH Smith as a kid!
Best Iain

[Elk101]

I'm sure I read (in a book I've still got but can't find the reference!)  that the Three Kingdoms reference was used in the latter half of the 17th century to refer to the conflicts that covered the various stages of the wars including the Irish and Scottish elements. I'd go for the ECW too, it's a much more interesting period than people give it credit for, with options for big battles down to tiny skirmishes. It also offers local flavour for many areas of Britain.

[OSHIROmodels]

Very tempting, especially having seen the recent Empress mounted/dismounted dragoons. I was imagining a skirmish set in a grey, drab, dirty wet village... uost resisit!

Well then, there you go, that's the post Salute project taken care of 

cheers

James

[Elk101]

Well then, there you go, that's the post Salute project taken care of 

cheers

James

One of our group is an ECW nut. He has hundreds of Renegade and Warlord figures but now wishes he had Empress. They weren't out when he started collecting but he was sorely tempted to start again. ECW looks like it would fit in very well with a lot of the Dorset terrain and buildings.

[OSHIROmodels]

One of our group is an ECW nut. He has hundreds of Renegade and Warlord figures but now wishes he had Empress. They weren't out when he started collecting but he was sorely tempted to start again. ECW looks like it would fit in very well with a lot of the Dorset terrain and buildings.

It would at that 

Plenty of stately homes to fortify and castles to make 

cheers

James

[Elk101]

Plenty of stately homes to fortify and castles to make 

cheers

James

Ooh, that could be spectacular!