Italian wars or WOTR

[dragonwagon]

I have been collecting 28mm figures from various companies, mostly GW and Perrys with odds and sods amongst.   I have 16 barded hose, 46 pike, 40 harqbusiers, 30 crossbows 25 swordsmen, 16 twohanders, and various command and musicians.  I guess I'm asking should I go with Italian wars or War of the Roses?  I cant afford to do both, yet I love both!  They each have really cool features about them.  Any ideas or tips or just random thoughts can help immensely. Thanx in advance for any help!!  Also if I do either war; suggestions of additional troop types is totally welcome!!!

[Tym]

Italian wars has more options?  Could you give the units double Command bases one Italian and one WoR?

[Duff]

Italian wars, the cod pieces are more impressive.

[Stuart]

If you want to collect out of the box and have no gaps I'd say WOTR is very well covered, particularly in plastic.

That in itself is a prohibited reason to consider the Italian wars but it is a fantastic period; Whatever army you go for there are limitations in full availability of appropriate figures and you may have to make compromises but to be honest that's why I like it. In a sense you can put your own take on it and really make it your own.

It depends what your other motivations are after expense. I think WOTR is cheaper all round in terms of figures and resources but for my part the Italian wars really gets me thinking and keeps me enthused.

[FierceKitty]

No question, I'd say. Italian wars have far more possibilities, and were more important in their historical effects, as far as one can be sure of these things.

[vcina]

Italian Wars

[Sunjester]

I love both, but if I had to pick one I'd say Italian Wars because of the variety. Or go for Tym's suggestion and duplicate command stands, but then you would need one-and-a-half armies. A lot of figures would be suitable for both but there are quite a few troop types unique to each period. EG for WOTR you need a lot of longbowmen who wouldn't be at home in Italy.

[joroas]

What scenery do you have? That would be an important influence.

[olicana]

WoTR gives a basically medieval battle. The Italian Wars are the first wars following the medieval wars period where one might describe command and control, and to a lesser extent weaponry, as 'modern'.

I sold my WoTR collection, and my ECW collection for that matter, in favour of Italian Wars. I might, one day, revisit ECW / TYW, but I'll not go back to WoTR - I'd rather do Sengoku Jidai for that kind of bastard feudal thing because the troop types are more interesting.

[Leapsnbounds]

I would go with the Italian Wars.

[Captain Blood]

Wars of the Roses for me - but then I'm an English history nut

I'd happily do the Italian Wars as well. Love the colour and panache of that setting. But I do just have a particular love of the Wars of The Roses...

[Corso]

History-wise I prefer WotR, more so because of the plastic kits available from Perry, and I always prefer plastic for the flexibility in making unique models.

However in your collection, since you have gw stuff, the italian wars would be a better option...........

[Metternich]

Italian Wars is one of those transition periods (rise of gunpowder and massed pikes) which I find more interesting.  WoTR (which I do enjoy, i will admit) is essentially medieval, while Italian Wars is Renaissance.

[levied troop]

It might depend on the type of game you want to play.  Both periods are great to get into, from the colour/spectacle/history aspect.

I love the WotR, but big battles tend to end up as blade vs bow (in DBM terms) and get to be rather boring.  Haven't found a set of big battle rules that gives me any excitement.  On the other hand the Sharp Practice WotR variants that have popped up do seem to work and I've been rebasing all my Lancastrians and Yorkists to single bases for large skirmish (100 figures a side) which look to be more fun.

I quite like the Italian Wars and it seems to me that the greater variety of troops would give a better big battle game. I did start down this route but got seduced into 1544 (I blame TAG and Stuart) - it is however colourful and fun to paint and large units would work well on the table.

So do you want large skirmish or big battle?

[blacksoilbill]

For colour and variety of troops I'd say Italian Wars. Not that I have any, mind. But I have been tempted a number of times!