Counts and Pilgrims- In the Days of the Cid

 

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella is one of the glories of Christendom. It was, and is, a place of pilgrimage. 

Time was if you walked from your home nation to Santiago you got a free billet in the equally glorious Palace of The Catholic Kings. At least you did in my young day. That pilgrimage is known as the Camina.  

Santiago, St. James, was the patron saint of the Re-Conquista. It was from the Rainy West that the Re-Conquista was launched. Green Spain as it is often called. Extra manpower was always welcome.

Crusaders could fight for Christ their vows on the Spanish marches. Sometimes a spell fighting and visiting the shrines of Spain was enough. Those who had done it wore a scallop shell to indicate the achievement. For others a stop off on the way to Outremer was useful.

Currently I have no Crusaders for Spain. Although any Norman figures would do well enough. Instead I was minded for something more exotic. English perhaps or Scandinavians. I settled on Norse Irish meaning the dwellers in the Viking settlements of Ireland. Both they and the native Irish enjoyed going on Pilgrimage. Here they are. 

Essex figures. I think their long robes look nice in a Spanish context. 

You might recall in a previous Cid post we looked at Moorish Emirs. 

Here you see my Christian Counts and a martial Bishop. 

Figures from Donnington.

With that my Spanish Army is game ready.

Valois Soldiery 1513

 

The stars of today’s post are the French Artillery. Back then it enjoyed a fierce reputation. The guns and crews you see above are from Minifigs. Note the fine Master Gunner.  Big bases as you see. Something I learned from Barry Hilton. Guns take up a lot of space.

I’m pleased to tell you I bought them at an impressive discount. Basically I paid the retail price for one for all three. 

Should you be in the market for Valois artillery Khurasan also have a lovely set.

The French liked crossbows. Above are some Gascons. Fast moving skirmishers. Well motivated too. Note the Fortuna flag. Fortuna was something all soldiers understood. Figures from QRF, Donnington New Era and Khurasan.

One of the Commanders next. Berault (Bernard) Stuart. A Franco-Scots nobleman. Note his buckle impressa on the surcoat. His banner is carried by a pal. David at Not by Appointment kindly made it for me. Normally Commanders get a single figure base, not this time. Such fellows seldom rode alone in 1513.

Alas this small scale does not do it full justice. The last figure on the base carries a St. Dennis flag. A free one from Lancashire Games.

Some Franc Archers next. Tax exempt boys. There’s motivation for you. The Franc Archers tended to be effective soldiers. Above a strong unit with above average missilery capability. Massed crossbows worked with the front rank firing and the rear loading. This must have been just the ticket because a similar system was advocated for post pike musketry. The flags indicate the unit was raised in Brittany.

 

You have seen these close combat Franc Archers before. This time they are joined by their crossbow armed comrades. De Crequy raised this unit hence the profusion of yellow and red. I have a halberd, and variants, armed Franc Archer unit to do. 

Speaking of things concussive and slicing. Here are some Swiss Halberdiers.

Mainly Minifigs with a couple of Alternative Armies and some Roundway.  Roundway was a real loss.

 

I intend having 3 units of Archer Cavalry. This is the last one, a work in progress. Another 4 figures and it is done. The Bretons again below. The light was tricky this morning. Hopefully the photo's still work for you.

There is much more to do on this one. I estimate I’m two thirds in. The English are getting some Burgundian Gendarmes. They hired them in being short of quality noble heavy cavalry themselves. No shortage of nobles, not enough really big horses apparently. One unit only but they should look nice. I bought some Pete's Flags for them.

I have now commenced work on the French Gendarmes. Demanding stuff.

The Triple Alliance-The Great Paraguayan War

 

I am waiting for the old FK Paraguayans from the Little Corporal webstore. Time to crack on with the opposing Triple Alliance. I aim for a Brigade for each of the Allies. 

This is possible because, unlike the Paraguayans, the Argentines, Brazilians  and Uruguayans are all easily substituted. More or less anyhow. Broadly ACW troops will do the trick.

Easy enough you might think. It isn't, whatever I used had to size match the anticipated QRF Paraguayans. Luckily I was able to buy 7 Battalions worth of second hand unpainted QRF ACW. A load of spares too. More Brazilians below waiting for their flag.

Also, Warrior Miniatures has re entered the lists and I have ordered  3 Battalions worth and some artillery from them. There's a bit of a wait for them due to lots of orders arriving at once.

My final purchase was from Lancashire Games ACW from their Archive. These are very pleasing and we see them on this page.

A Uruguayan Battalion above and top from Lancashire.

Brazilian Cacadores or, if you like, National Volunteers. QRF ACW to a man save the two Peter Pig "shot" fellows.

Brazilian Line Cavalry from Lancashire Games.

The Zuavos da Bahia here.  The Zuavos were Free Men of Colour making a point of doing military service. 

That's a version with precedents. Including in the American Confederacy where Free Men of Colour offered to raise a battalion. It was declined for ideological reasons. The Confederates felt it would undermine the Slave System. The Brazilians had no such reservations. Former slaves filled the ranks. 

Oft in past times slaves have been freed to join the Army. To face the fighting by owners who needed to provide a substitute. That has precedents too. I'm not sure which version best fits the Zuavos.

I have seen illustrations of the Zuavos with light blue cuffs bordered yellow, green cuffs ditto, and only the yellow border. I went with green. The Brazilians liked green, they still do. Sad to say the Zuavos da Bahia only comprised one battalion nor did the formation last long. Lancashire Games supplied the figures.

Brazilian infantry Battalions might be majority Black. The cavalry and artillery were almost always White. I will try and reflect this with my Brazilians. 

As you see I have avoided the obvious Brazilian joke beloved of Gamers. I nearly succumbed but held out. Another close shave. 

Today's final offering. These may actually be Paraguayans in full uniform. I simply don't know. They look sort of right.

There we go. A second departure from this year's script. That will teach me. These days I rarely read novels. There are 3 dealing with the Great Paraguayan War. I might try one.

Little Corporal have made the FK Great Paraguayan War figures available along with the Maximillian Range. I'm delighted of course. A hefty (triple figures) order has been placed. We will have a look at what I get in due course.

France 1513

 

Today is is very much a bits and pieces post. Roughly around  Henry Tudor's 1513 Campaign in France. We can see how various manufacturers figures fit together. Pretty well so far. 

Most of what you see I have had for years. Although, happily, some Minifigs bargains recently came my way. Including artillery. You may recall Minifigs house style was to imbue added character into command and artillery sets.

Above we have Landsknect from QRF and Alternative Armies. The latter provided the Crossbow men. Not a bad match at all. I'm wondering about asking AA to produce some French soldiers based on Stuart Mulligan's Army Royal work. Sometimes that works.

Minifigs next in the form of Archer Cavalry. Equipped with crossbows this time.

Stradiots from Minifigs above and QRF below giving me 12 in all. 

They fit with each other and can provide 2 units of 6 cavalry using Lion Rampant. Three figure variants thanks to mix and match.  

The Earl of Suffolk, or Sussex? From Essex. You know what I mean. That is one of Pete's Flags. Note the big lad's plumes in Tudor colours. It paid to play safe.

Much more to come on this one for both English and French.