Gonzalo Rides Again

 

Last year I noted that my Italian Wars Game "Gonzalo" was completed two years previous. That's 3 years in all, and counting. Gross neglect, and tardy of me to be sure.

Now my Italian Wars interest is back and so is Gonzalo.

David at Not By Appointment made me some flags for the famous Captains of the day. We are going to see them below, and one from Stuart at Army Royal. The command stands each comprise of two Venexia Gendarmes (Big 15s) and a Blue Moon trumpeter. Let me introduce them to you.

Pierre Terrail, Seigneur de Bayard. Universally acknowledged to be without peer or reproach. Incredibly he paid the peasantry for provisions rather than plundering them. A true paladin and popular with everyone. 

As you can see Venexia and Blue Moon work well enough together.

Louis de Tremouille, top of the page and above. You can see the cross of St. Denis replacing impressa on the French Commanders surcoats.

John La Palais, as above, so below as the Occultists used to say. Stuart Mulligan made the flag.

The last of the French today.

Two pic's of Berault Stuart.

All French so far of course. Well Berault was a Franco-Scot. He was also one of those Stuarts and therefore if I recall right, of Breton descent. So going back far enough, a Dumnonian.

To catch up I have more Spanish Commanders to do.  

The first is Diego Mendoza. His impressa was Fortuna’s Wheel.  The Spanish heavy cavalry could not match the numbers of the French gendarmes. Interestingly they seem to have trained to fight as both impact lancers and skirmishing jinetes. Even de Cordoba might fight as a jinete if he thought it called for.

Note the two versions of Fortuna's Wheel below. Favoured by Louis de Tremouille and the Spanish Commander Diego Mendoza. 

Being a fighting noble was chancy. Capture by a fellow noble mostly meant ransom. No such surety pertained if the commonality got their hands on you. A nod to Fortuna must have seemed a prudent precaution. 

The Spanish Colonela combining targeteers, pikes and shot.

I intend 3 of these. Not all of the same size because that varied.

Note above front a Gladiator Arquebusier wearing a feathered beret matches nicely with the otherwise all Venexia formation.

Next, we have some Imperial Landsknects from Venexia. The flags are from Pete's Flags. In Gonzalo I differentiated the fighting style of these German pikemen from that of the Swiss.

There we go, back with a bang. While we are on the Italian Wars let me commend the Helion series to you. Refreshingly good.

League of Augsburg - Huguenot Horse and Foot

Ian Kay of Irregular Miniatures who supplied nearly all of my League of Augsburg Collection has retired. A great lad all together who has done good service to the hobby. And, let us not forget, ran a very successful business. All in all one of life's good bloke's.

Today's offering comes in the form Huguenots and English Dragoon Guards. Fittingly all figures are from Irregular Miniatures. The flags are from David at Not By Appointment.

Schomberg's Horse above. I intend a second squadron. Note both variants of the flag.

The English Dragoon Guards. Both squadrons and the Flags are from David once more.

Top of the page and below Cambon's Huguenot Regiment of Foot. David freshly researched the flags.

I have modelled the regiment as Pike and Shot in Beneath the Lily Banners speak. Note the Grenadiers on the left of the formation.

Paraguayan Progress in 15mm

 

Back in October '25 I announced that I was waiting for a deliver of Paraguayan Horse, Foot and Guns in 15mm.  These have now begun to arrive in increments. I'm painting by order of arrival. Above you can see a battery of artillery. Much to like here what with kilts, kepis and shakos.  

The guns are Naismith from Keep Wargaming. I'm utterly charmed by these little pieces. I have Parrot's, 12pdr's and Whitworth's, very nice. Let us acknowledge the excellent and speedy service from Keep Wargaming. 

My concept of the Paraguayan Army is very brave but often poorly equipped infantry, courageous cavalry and good artillery. Those Paraguayan fellows liked to pound and charge.

The first  of 2 squadrons of regular cavalry. Note the interesting headwear. Lancers to a man as were almost all Paraguayan cavalry. These are quite detailed to paint. Sticking the paper pennants to their lances can be tricky.

More Paraguayan cavalry note the painted tri colour on the shakos. No cloth needed. Again, 3 squadrons are the goal.

My first unit of Paraguayan infantry. Some units included spear men. One or two were very well armed. All liked to charge home.

All figures from FK 15 a venerable make. I intend 6 battalions of these. As you can tell by the pic's the light was extremely variable this morning. I'm making an attempt at Indian flesh tones above. Oriental Flesh with a wash of Burnt Sienna.

I have much more to come and in future we will see a mixed presentation of units by nationality. Triple Alliance soldiers and Paraguayans depending upon what I have painted.  

If you are waiting for the second part of my Balaclava piece my apologies. I'm checking some source material. Hopefully it will be done next week.