Amidst the recent battle reports I have had time to finish two more bases for my Mid 16th Century Collection. In fact with the completion of these command bases, the guns, the Steel Fist Gendarmes and the 1540s Landsknecht block this collection is really starting to come together. A full array of the 1540s army should be on its way soon. Of course I still want to add more, particularly some of The Assault Group mounted and dismounted border horse so that gaming the 1540s "Rough Wooing" becomes an option but for now this can wait.
The two bases are both made up of the excellent Valois and Tudor figures from The Assault Group, all be it with a few minor conversions. The dog on the mounted command base is from Steel Fist Miniatures. The flags are from Pete's excellent range of renaissance flags. The figures have a really great mid century feel about them. On the base of infantry I have given the main commander a simple baton and one of the guards (or is he possibly a noble volunteer?) a sword and buckler. This helps to add to the "ancient" style that much of the arms and armour seems to be harking back to in the 1530s-1560s. While the late 15th Century onwards is often labelled as the start of the Renaissance, with regard to the style of the arms and armour, it seems the Mid 16th Century was perhaps the time when the greatest attempt was made to echo the Greeks and Romans of Classical antiquity.
As always I have a few larger projects lined up but before diving into one of them I am going to take the time to sort out a few bits and pieces. More command and casualty bases, using figures that I always mean to paint but never get round to and maybe some more livestock and artillery.
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| Mid 16th Century Commander and Standard Bearer under a Hapsburg banner. |
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| 1540s Commander, the two riders are from The Assault Group while the dog is from Steel Fist Miniatures. |
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| 1540s commander and entourage. |
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| Mid 16th Century Commander with baton under a Hapsburg banner. |
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| The command group from the side, note the sword and buckler armed member of the retinue. |
lovely painted miniatures and the basing look great - well done!
ReplyDeletecheers,
Thank you Phil
DeleteLovely. Pete's flags really add to the great painting, well done.
ReplyDeleteCheers, yes Pete's flags really add something to the minis
DeleteGorgeous brushwork, Oli! Pete's flags are the best.
ReplyDeleteCheers Jonathan
DeleteGreat looking command stands! Lovely basing and super flags!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Cheers Iain
DeleteThose look terrific. Not a period I've read much on or gamed. What's a good place to start?
ReplyDeleteIt depends if by period you mean the 16th Century in general or specifically the 1540s and 1550s.
DeleteFor 16th Century warfare Turnbull's book is a decent intro: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Renaissance-Warfare-Constantinople-Thirty/dp/1526713756/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=turnbull+art+of+renaissance&qid=1557690306&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr
For the Italian Wars Mallett and Shaw is a must: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Italian-Wars-1494-1559-Society-Perspective/dp/0582057582/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mallett+and+shaw&qid=1557690356&s=books&sr=1-1-spell
If you mean the mid 16th century in particular then Gervase Phillips Anlgo Scots Wars is superb for the fighting in Scotland in the 1540s: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anglo-Scots-Wars-1513-1550-Military-History/dp/0851157467/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Gervase+Phillips&qid=1557690476&s=books&sr=1-1
and Simon Peppers book is really good for a look at the Italian Wars during the Mid 16th Century focusing on sieges and the Siege of Sienna but covering the whole conflict at that time: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Firearms-Fortifications-Military-Architecture-Sixteenth/dp/0226655342/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?keywords=siege+of+sienna+pepper&qid=1557690516&s=books&sr=1-2-fkmr0
I would also recommend anything by John R Hale, he was a great writer who covered lots of aspects of 16th Century Warfare in his work. He wrote some good intros to the 16th Century in general and the wars of the period.
Great command bases Oli, know what you mean about gearing oneself up for taking on larger projects. I always need to break things up with a couple of bits and pieces terrain, commands, civilians etc before tackling large units and things.
ReplyDeleteCheers Tom, its also just a case of getting round to things I mean to do but just get caught up in bigger projects and also using up spare figures from other projects.
DeleteGreat looking bases and flags, Oli.
ReplyDeleteI found your list of references interesting. I wasn't aware of Turnbull, and his book seems worthwhile as does Mallet, who I have other books by. Hale has a great reputation for his scholarship, but I have to say that I found his "Warfare and Society in Renaissance Europe" just about the dullest, most difficult to read book I have ever read. I got useful things out of it, but I wouldn't read it again ever under any circumstances!
Although it certainly has its limitations, chiefly due to its age, Sir Charles Oman's "The Art of War in the 16th century" is certainly the book I would start a wargamer on for this era (NOT the first edition, though). Contrasts Oman's prose with Hale's - not even in the same league! :-)
I'd love to see a historian who is fluent in Spanish do a modern, English language biography of my screen-namesake, Gonzalo de Cordoba. His life would make a darn good film as well. :-)
Cheers Gonsalvo.
DeleteIt must just be a matter of taste I guess, I think Hale was one of my favourite writers on the period. I love his prose and have read pretty much everything he published including his epic "The Civilization of Europe in the Renaissance" which is over 600 pages. I find his style fantastic and a joy to read!
Conversely I have read Oman's Art of War in the 16th Century and don't like it for a host of reasons - he misses out the importance of Landsknechts in early campaigns and dismisses the Tudor Warfare of the era when there are much much better studies to read now. I agree if you are really digging deep into the era it is a place to start and it does cover a lot but I wouldnt recommend it otherwise. I have also read his two volumes on the middle ages - again they are good for the historiography but not the history.
I totally agree with you on El Gran Capitan, I have read a couple of books on him in English, but they were pretty dated. I even made a pilgrimage to his grave when I was in Granada as I think you did.
Different strokes, and all that! :-)
DeleteI have another of Hale's books on Renaissance costume, mostly for the pictures. I haven't tried reading much of the text after the first book, but I suspect it may read better.
We just need to sign up a big name Hispanic actor to play Gonzalo.That reminds me that one of my friends teaches Latin, and I meant to send him the epitaph on his tomb for translation.
Give Hale another try Peter, I really love his writing!
DeleteViggo Mortensen made a good Alatriste, I am sure he could play a mean Gonzalo.
Superb work Oli. Brilliant brushwork and the bases' arrangement really conveys the character of the period.
DeleteCheers Curt, I have a few more command bases, for slightly earlier on the 16th Century, on the painting table at the moment.
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