As a result of the Great Rebasing sundry soldiers of my League of Augsburg collection were rendered unitless I knew I’d get round to doing something with them eventually. Their time has now come. A squadron of the Dutch Gardes du Corps above.
A Squadron of Oxford’s Horse from Essex above. The Friesland Garde below.
One of the things I enjoy about Beneath the Lily Banners (BLB) is that period detail abounds throughout the rules.
Here we have a Master Gunner ready to improve artillery performance.
When assaulting works or buildings attaching a unit of
pioneers to your storming party improves the chance of success. They can break the perimeter. Otherwise, you can get them to make gabions. BLB allows a unit of pioneers per 2 brigades
I’m currently painting units of Dragoons mounted and foot. Handily, some of them will also serve as the sort of local levies you might find in the various upheavals from 1688 onwards.
Speaking of which I'm just finishing of a couple of cavalry units. Local gentry and their better off tenants the like of which rose for Monmouth or James or William. Their flags are suitably non specific. You will see them all shortly.
Here is a unit of Scythe Men, could be Monmouth's men or indeed Jacobites.
I intend to give all of these Scythe units fairly plain flags so they can represent a wide range of newly raised bodies of men.
As a youth I mowed with a scythe. Scythes are terrifying things, heavy and very sharp. Once moving they have there own momentum. Controlling that requires muscle. A moving scythe blade can cut through flesh and bone with ease. That is why in my young day experienced mowers often wore thick leather gaiters. Such a blade mounted on a straight shaft would be a deadly weapon.
Nice looking units
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil. I've got some interesting ones coming next.
DeleteMore great additions to your Lilly Banners collection OB. I did a small solo run through of the rules using 28mm figures over the weekend...I probably got lots wrong and missed bits out but it seemed to work ok. I will post a report later today, once the inconvenient interruption of work is past!
ReplyDeleteI don't think there are many people who could say they used a scythe in their youth 🤔
Thanks Keith. I'll drop in for a look.
DeleteFifty years ago and not that common even then. As you can tell it left a lasting impression.
Yeah, well I am sixty, and outside of maybe trips to historical sites where they let you give old style farming techniques a go, I don't think I have ever seen scythes being used....and I do remember chimney sweeps with actual brushes ( no six year old boys though!) and have witnessed thatched roofs being repaired etc....
DeleteIt's a grand decade!
DeleteI don't think it would be safe to let novices loose with a scythe. I've cut with a hand sycle too. Much safer but much slower. Hence scythes I guess.
I recall after a days work and a drink I would sleep dreaming of sycling and wake exhausted. Hard on the back. If you weren't used to it your hand would blister and bleed.
The old lads would laugh and offer advice. They had done it all in their time. Another world really.
Excellent figures and brushwork OB.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ray. It was your blog that led me to BLB and the LOA period. Never looked back.
DeleteWow, look at you Ray, a trend setter! Maybe you will inspire a bunch of people to give 2mm figures a go, with your latest project ?!
DeleteYou'll be ordering some 2mm before you know it Keith.
DeleteLovely paint work.
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard. I find these figures very relaxing to paint.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff! It has been a long time, but I've briefly used a scythe as well (on grass), and wouldn't want one anywhere near *my* flesh!
ReplyDeleteI have some Old Glory Peasants to paint (as rabble for use from the Medieval period to the ECW), and many of them are armed with fearsome looking scythes as well!