Irish Targeteers in 15mm- Conversions

If you are doing the Nine Years War in 15mm you are going to need some Irish targeteers and you are going to have to convert your own.  This post is about how to do so.  If you are working in larger scales I hope the following is still of use to you.

First you are going to need some Irish figures holding a sword they can look like this.

Or they can look like this.

QRF will do you for the first with lots of variants. 

Essex do a figure based on the second. If you ask nicely, they’ll do you a pack.  I mixed both together above.

We have, so far as I know, only one image of Irish targeteers.  They appear on the picture-map of the Battle of The Yellow Ford where they are about to cut up Sir Richard Percy's disorganised regiment. 

The figures, bottom centre above, are small but we can see that they wear morions, carry shields and all are sword in hand.  Further detail eludes us.

Now, and this is crucial, you need some figures wearing a morion that will fit exactly with your Irish figures. I used Miniature Figurines Tudor English pike men.  Subsequently I discovered Peter Pig make heads wearing morions and cabasset helmets - I've sent off for some.

Yes, we are talking head swops.  There is something about decapitating figures that gives you pause when you have the Nine Years War in mind.

With a sharp blade carefully remove all the heads.  Then mix some green stuff, a little sticky this time.  Apply a minute ball of it to each neck with the bulk to the rear.

Gently press your heads onto the necks.  The surplus green stuff will rise at the back giving you long Irish hair beneath rear of the morion.  Incise this with the edge of a blade.

Set aside and let it dry overnight.

Next you need to add the targets.  These are not small shields. Think Spanish Rondelos rather than Highlanders.  I bought some medium round shields from Essex which are right enough.  I stuck them on with green stuff but you could glue them.  You will notice a  Spanish adarga shield in the mix.  There was an awful lot of Armada salvage to be found in the Irish Army and I couldn't resist it.

There you have it Irish targeteers in 15mm and just the lads to terrify shaken pike men.  I should add that targeteers were an important part of the new Irish Army.  Following Mountjoy's restructuring they became an important part of the English Army too.