Perry plastic 1450 knights/light cav suitable for 100 Years War?

[grant]

Can I use these? The value factor is so high. I really know very little about this era, and want to do a Hundred Years War project.

But if they're not right ...

[grant]

Found my answer

[Captain Blood]

The Perrys will be producing a HYW plastic mounted knights set at some point - had this direct from Michael at Salute last year. Quite when it will be though, is another matter.
But I've done a fair bit of kitbashing between the HYW and WOTR sets, and you can certainly create perfectly serviceable HYW-looking mounted figures by using characteristic HYW bascinets on the later WOTR era bodies. And swapping in some of the HYW sets arms and weaponry.
Also worth noting that some of the full white / plate armour styles included in the WOTR knights and mounted men at arms sets are of a later period than others. The more ornate harness is closer to 1500 than 1400. The light horse set is much more generic, and lends itself best to adaptation to the earlier period.

[Charlie_]

I'll add to what has already been said that the HYW and the WOTR kits have different sorts of neck joins, if you are thinking about head-swaps across the two ranges. The WOTR ones have ball-and-socket joints, whereas the HYW have flat joints. Notably a lot (most) of the HYW heads and bodies and mail coifs or other hoods, which are on both the shoulders and the actual head components. This means swapping heads between the two sets isn't as easy as first seems, and will require some additional work with putty etc....


HOWEVER.... on the HYW French Infantry frame there are quite a few heads with an interesting lower face plate (bevor?), which hides any mail underneath. These heads will fit easily onto the WOTR bodies,  the only thing which might be needed is to make a 'ball' for the socket joint on the body, either just a ball of putty or lumped up plastic shavings!

[grant]

Thanks for all the additional answers guys!

It's a LONG period to game. I guess the later part is what I'll be aiming for, jumped in with a good sized order from perry this morning. I'll go from there ...

Now, what rules??? I like Hail Caesar but are there other, perhaps more suitable and less broad choices?

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Lion Rampant is a good set of rules for a large skirmish game.

[Charlie_]

Thanks for all the additional answers guys!

It's a LONG period to game. I guess the later part is what I'll be aiming for, jumped in with a good sized order from perry this morning. I'll go from there ...

Now, what rules??? I like Hail Caesar but are there other, perhaps more suitable and less broad choices?

I'm rather interested in the late 100 years war myself.... The arms and armour obviously get much closer to what is generally seen as the 'wars of the roses' era. Also it sees the English losing. Considering much of what we are taught about the 100 years war when growing up (well, those of us who are interested in such things as kids) is how the English famously beat the French against the odds at Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt..... But the English ultimately lost. Those are three battles in over 100 years. The last decades of the war sees the French slowly but surely pushing the English out, though interestingly we didn't hear much about their victories when we were younger.  

As for rules.... what sort of scale are you used to? I.e. massed battle or skirmish, or something in between.

Hail Caesar gets my vote for BIG battles... but only for big battles. It seems really good, but is definitely designed for large games on huge tables (at least 6 feet wide, 10 feet long), with hundreds of models per side, and preferably several players (commanding a division each) and an umpire.

For smaller games, there are probably more suitable choices.

Lion Rampant is very popular for 'large skirmish' games, seems a simple, easy to learn ruleset, geared towards quick and fun games perhaps instead of 'realism'.

For those who used to play WAB back in the day, there are 'successor games' including War And Conquest and Clash Of Empires.

Gripping Beast have just released Swordpoint, which looks very promising. Perhaps another 'WAB successor' game, or perhaps something new - it's not clear yet.

Sword And Spear seems very popular, but perhaps not what I personally am looking for (the unit activation system seems like a complex and unnecessary dice-game-within-a-game, but that's just my opinion, and lots of people here I know will definitely say they prefer this system).

There's also To The Strongest, which I don't know much about except that it uses a grid system rather than measuring in inches.


Though.... I should say.... I haven't actually played any of the above games, so take what I've said with a generous pinch of salt!!!!!


It's true that it is a long period to game, and unfortunately the medieval era seems almost always to be lumped together under 'ancients and medieval', with the emphasis always on the ancient period. There aren't really many specific medieval rulesets, let along any for the late medieval period.
(Though I am actually working on one myself!)

[grant]

So this is what I went with as a starter. I should be able to bash about with this lot

1 x AO1 Henry V, mounted, and command (includes Edward, Duke of York, Thomas, Lord Camoys, Sir Thomas Erpingham and Henry's servant with his shield, plus mounted herald) (2001) = £7.50
1 x AO14 French High command at Agincourt on foot (8 figures-Charles d'Albret, Constable of France and his standard bearer, Boucicault, Marshal of France, Charles, Duke of Orleans, John Duke of Bourbon, Charles, Count of Eu, Guillaume de Martel bearer of the Oriflamme, Lord Rambures, Grand Master of Crossbowmen)
1 x AO33 Jeanne d' Arc, La Hire, 'Bastard of Orleans' (all mounted)
2 x AO 40 English Army 1415-1429 (36 figures)
1 x AO 35 Peasants 1 (2035)
1 x AO 36 Peasants 2 (2036)
2 x AO25 Handgunners ( 3 two-man crews)
2 x WR 40  Mounted Men at Arms 1450-1500 (12 mounted figures)
1 x WR 60 Light Cavalry 1450-1500
1 x RPB 3 Medieval Cottage 1300-1700
2 x AO 60 Agincourt Foot Knights 1415-29
2 x AO 50 Agincourt French Infantry 1415-29


Peasants and the cottage provide a nice start to some terrain.

[aphillathehun]

So this is what I went with as a starter. I should be able to bash about with this lot

1 x AO1 Henry V, mounted, and command (includes Edward, Duke of York, Thomas, Lord Camoys, Sir Thomas Erpingham and Henry's servant with his shield, plus mounted herald) (2001) = £7.50
1 x AO14 French High command at Agincourt on foot (8 figures-Charles d'Albret, Constable of France and his standard bearer, Boucicault, Marshal of France, Charles, Duke of Orleans, John Duke of Bourbon, Charles, Count of Eu, Guillaume de Martel bearer of the Oriflamme, Lord Rambures, Grand Master of Crossbowmen)
1 x AO33 Jeanne d' Arc, La Hire, 'Bastard of Orleans' (all mounted)
2 x AO 40 English Army 1415-1429 (36 figures)
1 x AO 35 Peasants 1 (2035)
1 x AO 36 Peasants 2 (2036)
2 x AO25 Handgunners ( 3 two-man crews)
2 x WR 40  Mounted Men at Arms 1450-1500 (12 mounted figures)
1 x WR 60 Light Cavalry 1450-1500
1 x RPB 3 Medieval Cottage 1300-1700
2 x AO 60 Agincourt Foot Knights 1415-29
2 x AO 50 Agincourt French Infantry 1415-29


Peasants and the cottage provide a nice start to some terrain.

That should keep you busy for the next couple of weeks, but what are you going to do after that?   

I like the English Army box better even than the WotR stuff (which I like a lot).  I think you'll have a great time with these figures!

[grant]

Thanks! Really looking forward to painting so much heraldry and colour. Something totally different from the drab moderns I usually do.