Just got into 28mm Medieval(HYW)need some advice

[Captain Gideon]

Hello all recently I acquired a nice 28mm French HYW Medieval Army of around 200 figures and also an English Army of 120 figures but I need some help/advice from you good people.

First to the Armies now my French has the following:

48-Foot Knights/Men at Arms(this includes Command figures like the Duke du Orleans,Marshal of France etc)
22-Mounted Knights/Men at Arms(includes 3 named leaders as well)
89-Foot troops like Crossbowmen,some men at Arms and other types of Foot troops
4-teams of Handgunner's(2 per team plus some extra)
32-Mercenaries on sprue
8-Knights on sprue
12-Lt Cavalry on sprue

With the exception of the figures on sprue and a couple of the Handgunners everything else is painted.

As for my English Army I have the following:

30-Knights/Men at Arms and Command
25-Billmen
36-Archers
8-Irish Archers
16-other Combat Troops
6-bases of stakes with 4 Archers
Henry V

All the English are painted.

So these figures I'll be using for the Agincourt period which is what I wanted them for.

All of the French are on single round bases and the English are based(with a few exceptions)on single square bases and they are nicely painted and flocked.

In addition I have 3 sets of rules which I acquired before I got these figures as I was thinking of using them with my 1/72nd plastic figures and they are:

Lion Ramphant
Revenge
Might in Arms

So now the help/advice what do I need to add to each army with regards to other figures etc?

As for basing I might leave them on single bases as I don't want to ruin the bases and then group them on movement trays your thoughts on that.

And anything else you can think of that'll be of help to me as well.

One other thing I'm getting a Castle from Warlord Games so that'll mean that I would like to get some Siege Weapons as well so any help on this as well.

So I thank you all in advance.

Thanks
Michael

[Charlie_]

Ah I saw your thread on this subject over at TMP, let's see if you can get some advice here!

Do you have any pics?

Are these Perry Miniatures? From your descriptions it looks like they might be.
Their Agincourt To Orleans range covers the 1415-1429 period of the Hundred Years War. Does it look familiar? https://www.perry-miniatures.com/index.php?cPath=23_36&osCsid=qau0m83loquhkdgab48hve0jh3
The mercenaries, knights and light cavalry on sprues you mention sound like they are from their Wars Of The Roses range, which covers a later period (roughly 1450-1500) and has noticeably different styles of weapons and armour.
So it sounds to me like you have two armies for the Agincourt period (french and english) plus some unassembled WOTR kits.

If you are new to medieval gaming, what periods do you already play, and what sort of scale game (mass battle or skirmish)?

Lion Rampant is apparently a popular ruleset for fast-paced, light-hearted games. You have more than enough models for it.
If you want a bigger battle experience, you should consider looking at Hail Caesar, or maybe To The Strongest. You will obviously want to get movement trays to group the individual bases on for these games.

As has been said, actual 'siege' games would be a rather dull affair, but smaller skirmishes and such as part of a larger siege campaign would be great. Assaulting a breach in the walls, sallying forth to surprise the besiegers, ambushing reinforcements on the road, trying to capture the siege engines (which in this period would be large 'bombard' cannons)...

Anyway, looks like you've got too good sized armies there. If you wanted to expand them, it never hurts to give the English more longbowmen.

[Captain Gideon]

Charlie I can provide pictures please email me at yamamoto87@hotmnail.com and I can do so.

The figures for the most part are indeed Perry both the French and English although there might be some non-Perry figures in the mix as well but then again if they blend in then that's fine.

You're correct about the figures on sprues but if I can mix then in with the other figures it might not make that much of a difference in the overall forces.

As for rules some of these will be hit and miss but I figure I can try a few small games with Lion Rampant and see how it goes and then move on and movement trays for both the round bases and the square bases are being worked out soon.

And with the Castle and Siege Weapons then I'll see how it goes but I have high hopes right now.

Lastly regarding more English Longbowmen the fellow who I got my English from has decided to part with some more figures including 52 more Archers and if I do get these then I'll have 88-Archers so it looks like expanding will be sooner than later.

[Dez]

As has been said, actual 'siege' games would be a rather dull affair...

Why?
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=77640.msg949781#msg949781

[Charlie_]

Charlie I can provide pictures please email me at yamamoto87@hotmnail.com and I can do so.

Do you not want to post them here? I'm sure others will be keen to see what you've got!

[Captain Gideon]

I can do that Charlie and it won't be a problem but I want to wait until I take some new pictures and also I'll wait until I get the other English figures as well.

[Emir of Askaristan]

On basing -

 I bought a wonderful Macedonian army which was very nicely painted and based but that didn't fit in with my preferred rules. Rather than re base I got Warbases to make up movement trays with 20x20 slots in them. These are essentially 2 of their mdf bases stuck together, one with holes cut, so slightly thicker but no real issue when you have both armies.

The figures are not fixed in permanently - I've used pritt stick to hold them in place. That means if I ever need to I can easily prise them off the movement tray without damage but they are held firmly in place for gaming and transport.

Warbases will cut any shape or size for you.