Command figures - Great Italian Wars

 

 

I needed command figures for my Gonzalo Great Italian Wars rules.  Somehow, I forgot to do them in my earlier painting sessions.  The rules won't work without them.  I had to crack on and get a few done.  The Swiss were straight forward enough.  Not so the various kings, princes and nobility.   They needed flags, specific ones and no one made most of them. Some people can make brilliant flags pretty much at will.  Alas, I lack the skill set. My progress was slower and basic and I have more to do.

That said progress has been made.  Here are my French Commanders.

The King of France in the colours of the Kings of Jerusalem.  The King of France had bought the title from the last claimant.  Wearing them in the Great Italian Wars was probably a bit of visual propaganda.  I'm not sure who made the flag which shows St. Denis and the porcupine impressa.

Berault Stuart one time Marshall of France. The lion rampant is a clue to where his family originated.

Du Crequy, on the basis that his banner was easily accomplished. 

Three Swiss Commanders, each with their attendant/body guard.  

That's one Commander for each division of the Swiss Pike. 

Gonzalo De Cordoba himself for the Spanish. The heraldic elements are all ones he could claim.  I cannot say they ever appeared before in this form.  I've two more Spanish command bases to do, one mounted, one foot, and then I will be ready for a first game of Gonzalo.

The Great Italian Wars- A 15mm Project

 

I had one of those flashes of inspiration, sadly infrequent, and suddenly realised I could write a set of rules for the Great Italian Wars . 

 

It arose from reading volume 2 of Massimo Predonzani and Vincenzo Alberici’s “The Italian Wars”.  

 

 

The ideas pretty much all arrived at once and I had to quickly take notes. Now, draft 1 is done.  There will need to be test games and much painting.  I’ll report back here as I progress.

 

Anyhow, I thought I’d better start to assemble the troops.  I have an A4 box file full of unpainted Venexia 15mm from Lancashire Games.  Also, I had managed to paint a couple of units a few years ago so I was off to a good start.

Pleasingly, I discovered that Alternative Armies, Museum, Blue Moon, Venexia and Legio Heroica figures all work nicely together.  I have some Khurasan on order too and hope they fit with the mix.

Here is the front half of a French pike block. A mix of Alternative Armies, Museum and QRF miniatures.

The face of the future- a Spanish Colunella all from Venexia, save the Museum drummer.

As for the rules they will be card activated with a card for each unit, mostly.  I've gone for casualty removal and units of variable size.  I'll cover the whole thing in a series of themed posts starting with the light cavalry.  My aim is to have French, Spanish and Italian armies. More on this project soon.