Tuesday 25 August 2015

Early Italian Wars Command Base


This is just a quick post to show my first attempt at a round command vignette. One of my reasons for rebasing the collection was that it allows for this kind of little diorama, I am currently working on a couple more. I wanted some figures who could represent commanders for the early part of the Italian Wars from around 1495 to 1515. There are plenty of good Landsknecht and Gendarme command figures but these are generally for a little later. Italian Condottieri Captains are also available but they tend to be more for the late 15th Century, although saying that some may well creep into the collection at some point!
I had a couple of old Wargames Foundry figures, in fact two of my old favourites that led me to collecting Wars of the Roses armies in 25mm years ago. They are in the first set here: http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/medieval/wars-roses/infantry . I thought they were too good not to have a spot in the collection so they have had their heads swapped and the ever useful Perry Tudor heads have replaced them. I do feel the Captain at the front does look like he has a bit of a "no neck" issue and I am not sure why I chose the ugliest possible Perry head for his armoured advisor! Despite these minor points they are great for Spanish, French or Italian Captains of the early Italian Wars. Here they are shown with one of Petes excellent flags representing the banner of Pietro Marquis Bourbon del Monte Sante Maria, which was captured when he fought for the Venetians in 1509 at the Battle of Agnadello, http://thegreatitalianwars.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/battke-of-agnadello-1509.html. The flag is interchangeable with my other banners so they could represent another leader with a simple change of the banner. Behind the old Foundry Men at Arms are three figures from The Assault Group representing the trumpeter, standard bearer and guard.
The dogs are from Simon at Je Lay Emprins, http://je-lay-emprins.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/release-hounds.html. They are fantastic little miniatures and really add to the scene. I only have a few and have been dithering on when to commit them to a base! Stuart at Army Royal also very kindly sent me a couple of these hounds so I have a few yet to use. I think the others will accompany mounted commanders, I just need to find some suitably grand mounted figures!

Command group carrying a Venetian Flag from the Battle of Agnadello 1509

The Trumpeter awaits instructions to send out orders

7 comments:

  1. Nicely done. Dogs have found their way onto several of my own bases; why not, we have 4 at home at the moment!

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  2. Beautiul, dogs are a great addition and paint job is excellent!

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  3. Nice looking group. Excellent first command stand.

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  4. Wonderful early Renaissance command base!

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  5. Very nice Oli, paving the way for many more, they're fun little projects for when you're tired of the lead mountain

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  6. Nice command stand, really like the hounds, nice touch , I'm going back to my rank and file, be a while before I'm doing command stands!
    Iain

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