Italian wars or WOTR

[Dr. Zombie]

I would go for Italian/European wars. As that gives you a wider range both modeling and painting wise.

While I also really like the War of the roses it is essentially two identical forces fighting each other with only the colour of the Rose to seperate one from another. (Put to a very sharp point and oversimplificating it , I know - sorry to all the English history boffs).


I have often though about doing a medieval army and keeping most of the infantry fairly generic and then have various interchangeable banners, so a unit that one day is Genoese spearmen can the next day be Lancaster spearmen or German mercenaries depending on the banner they are given. I think that would fork for most of the rank and file in an army.

[Hu Rhu]

I have a large WotR force made up mostly of Perry's plastic with a few of their and other manufacturors metals.  I have separate command stands to convert them from one lord to another (and sometimes from one side to another).  However if I was to start again I would plump for the Italian Wars.  There is so much variety in nations, troops, colours and better (or at least prettier) terrain to fight over.

[olicana]

The Italian Wars just looks so good


Including forces led by mad Cardinals (this one was called Schinner).

[Metternich]

Olicana, those pictures are just glorious.  And the neat thing about the Italian Wars is the greater variation in troop types.  As previously noted, the WOTR give you basically mirrored armies.

[dragonwagon]

Thanx chaps!!!  Looks like I'm pretty much gonna do the Italian wars as I only do plastics and Perry figures can be used for very early Italian wars figures.  I figure to cast up some morians and replace some of the more Germanic (British) style helmets for giggles.  Landesknechts are gonna be the only bugger unless I can source more GW cheap (ha ha ha. I know I dream!!)  Thanks again for all of your input!  I figure I can skirmish Wotr as well!!

[dragonwagon]

As for terrain I have a green mat and some felt roads.

[Il Lord]

Speacking of which: any news of warlord games former pro gloria plastic landsknecht?

[huevans]

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?

I have always been intrigued by the Perfect Captain's series of rules for WoTR which look a little more complex and interesting.

[Hu Rhu]

I second the Perfect Captain's WotR rules they capture the feel very well and no fight is identical not least beacuse they introduce charcaters who are trecherous, tardy or just plain bloodthirsty.  They also have a good, simple campaign game for those who prefer to fight linked battles or those with a bit of background.