Redshank 15mm Conversions for the Nine Years War in Ireland

I recently purchased a few packs of QRF Feudal Highlanders.  They come in two packs one wielding big swords and one loosing or loading their bows.  As is the QRF way there are (two) variants in each pack. This is a good thing.  

The archers have their great swords scabbarded and tied across their backs.  This is ahistorical but we must live with it as it seems the concept is embedded in the DNA of 99% of figure designers.

I liked the style of these figures but the lack of an aketon or leíne beneath the short mail shirt didn't work for me.

The obvious thing to do was to paint their legs as trews.  This is fine and historically attested. But, and it’s a big one, Redshanks got their nickname from their weather reddened bare legs so mostly they didn’t wear trews.

They did wear an unbelted leíne and often an aketon under their mail.  I mixed up some green stuff.

You can see here how it all worked out. The whole unit comprises of QRF, Minifigs and Essex.   I'm glad I took the trouble because the QRF figures do add a certain style to the unit.  

My next units of converted Redshanks will feature a lot of morions. There were a lot of them about at the time.  They were purchased from Old English merchants, salvaged from the Armada and of course picked up on the battlefield.  

I've made a start, above and below, here with Peter Pig heads on Essex and Minifigs bodies.  I'm rather pleased with the result.  Note Matchlock Miniatures cannions wearing hero on the left and Roundway's modified one on the right.

I was torn on which flags to use for these units.  Mostly between using a McDonnell one for James or Randall McSorley or, and this might suprise, a Crawford one. The Crawford family have preserved a story that men of their name provided 80% of the body guard of the formidable Iníon Dubh.  They fought for O' Donnell throughout the Nine Years War.

They were said to have been the biggest men available in the West of Scotland.  The Dark Daughter personally selected every one of them.  She was of course mother to the O'Donnell and she and they had a key role in his ascent to the position. That suggests the O'Donnell banner.

So far I've gone for two McDonnell variants. With three new units to be done I might add a Campbell black galley flag to one of them.  If the flags shown here are of use to anyone reading do let me know and I'll post them so they can be copied and used.