The Spanish Kingdoms

A large proportion of my Imperial Army is composed of Spanish troops. These were some of the first I painted when I started this army. It was the release of The Assault Groups Spanish range that made me finally decide to start collecting this period. I like the fact that most of the figures are for the very early 16th century as it helps show the transition from medieval and means a few medieval figures don't look out of place.

Although these figures are part of a larger army the forces can easily stand alone as an early 16th Century Spanish force, perhaps El Gran Capitan himself would be able to lead them, although I have never seen his coat of arms anywhere so can't paint up a banner to represent Gonsalvo at the moment!

I moved my table around for these photos to get some better light and I think it worked. I think previously stuff was looking a bit too dark.

Early 16th Century Spanish

Early 16th Century Spanish

Spanish Light Artillery

Veterans defending the Castile and Leon banner

Spanish Lancers

Pike supported by Rodeleros

Below are some Spanish Cavalry, to represent them as lighter cavalry than the French, Burgundians and Germans I have used Gendarmes on unbarded horses supported by the Eureka Miniatures Mounted Archers (basically lighter armed Gendarmes). I think the figures fit well together and like the fact Eureka did some of the horsemen in more dated sallets.

Spanish Gendarmes and Support

Spanish Crossbows and Arquebusiers

Light Artillery

Spanish Horse

Spanish Command

With different lighting

The pike block

Spanish light artillery

Spanish light artillery

One of the Light Cavalry Commanders

Spanish Horse

The picture below is of one of the figures from The Assualt Groups Italian command groups. At the moment the Italians are pitching in with the Spanish (who also double as French Infantry with a simple flag change). Hopefully Eureka will produce some Italians and I can add a whole contingent. I also need to work on some more Italian banners for the Colonna and maybe some of the other smaller states.

Italian Commander

Pike Block

The final couple of pictures have a North African theme. An often forgotten conflict is the Spanish attacks on the North African coast (and the raids of Corsairs on Spanish and Italian Coasts). I collected a few Redoubt and Old Glory Corsair figures and converted some Moors into more corsairs but to honest I am not sure how accurate they really are. I may post some more detailed pictures of them at a later date.

Spanish assault a North African Settlement

Spanish Assault a North African Settlement

The Host Arrayed

The below pictures were taken at Christmas at the end of last year when I got a chance to assemble the collection so far. I did a couple of different set ups, one with the army as French and the other as Imperialist. Its just a matter of changing the standard bearers and a few of the troop types, thats what I love about this era, most of the troops were not uniformed and fought for the various different sides.

It was also a chance for me to add my Eureka Gendarmes to the collection and I was really please with how they truned out and fitted in with the Foundry ones I already had.

I wasn't too happy with the light, the photos seemed to come out very dark. Its something I wil try and sort out.

Imperialist Gendarmes

Imperial Gendarmes

Landsknecht Artillery

 Below are some TAG figures being used as Italian Arquebusiers, the site I took the flag designs from described the long flag on the left as Genoese in French Service and the one on the right as troops from Northern Italy; Lombardy or Piedmonte.

Italians in French Service

Italians in French Service with French Infantry behind

Landsknechts in French Service

Genoese Arquebusiers



Landsknecht Arquebusiers



Genoese Arquebusiers

Below is a picture of the French host arrayed. I took the French Infantry flag designs from George Gushes notes http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_armies_french.html. They were all pretty simple to hand paint so I did quite a few of the variations described. Flags are still a bit of a weakness of mine and I am slowly attempting to get better at them. For command of the French force I have painted the standard of Jacques de la Palice, a veteran of the Italian wars killed at Pavia, although he never seems to have achieved anything particularly notable as a commander, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_de_la_Palice.

French Host

Imperial Host

Spanish Rodeleros

Imperialist Landsknechts

Sicilian Arquebusiers

Imperial Host

Below is a picture of the Imperial Host arrayed. The Italian Villa is from Hovels Spanish Napoleonic range, as is the church. The corn fields are from this site http://www.productsforwargamers.com/terrain/wallsfenceshedges.html .



Imperial Host



Spanish Wives

Spanish skirmishing in the corn fields

French Infantry

The final pic is a selection of the artillery I have amassed whilst I have been collecting and  painting Late Medieval/ Early Renaissance figures. The guns are from all sorts of manufacturers, Redoubt Enterprises, Foundry, Old Glory, Games Workshop, Dixon and Grenadier. I don't have enough crews for them all at the moment, although to be honest I think you would only need this many in a siege.

The Guns