Italian Wars- The Italians!

 

Italy was the crucible of military innovation back then. That was where the real experimentation took place. The reasons are not hard to find. Warfare was near constant. It was fought by hired soldiers. Who could, more or less, find endless employ.  If something was militarily worth doing these soldiers did it. They were their own capital and wanted to live to enjoy their wages.

Also we should consider geography. Some Italians did a lot of Turk fighting. Turk fighting was different and no joke. Did it require Horse Barding? What with all those arrows flying? Maybe so. Whatever, the Italians liked it.

Hard lessons were learned, and disseminated. Gun powder was a winner. The composite bow had its fans and the crossbow was everywhere. It was the Italians who reintroduced horse hardened leather barding to the West. As a rule of thumb they had it, the French quickly imitated and Spanish mostly didn't.

Time was we thought the French swept down and pushed the mock fighters of the Duchies, Principalities, Republics and mercenary companies aside. The truth in that lay in two hard charging troop types. Swiss and Gendarmes. Even so neither proved bullet proof. 

The big winners were the Spanish. They learned their trade in Italy. Consider the Spanish Armies pre the Italian Campaign. I must write about that. Light Horse and swordsmen and crossbows. Some Knights of course. Never many. Then consider what Gonzalo made. Very different indeed.

My Italians are intended as the Mercenary Companies. I wanted them to be available to either side in any battle. You see them here. Toys from Alternative Armies (Pike Men) Blue Moon (Trumpeter) and Venexia. I hope you like them. Flags from Pete’s Flags. Note how well those Alternative Armies pike men fit with the Venexia archers. Not all soldiers from those two outfits work as well as that. Where they do, it is well worth exploring.

I’m having a stab at modelling the multi troop type formations the Italians liked to field. I wonder how they do?

Next time with the Italians we will see (Venexia)Arquebusiers mounted and foot and some (Blue Moon) Stradiots. I'm minded to add another base of Gendarmes. I also have some of the new Alternative Armies Florentines. We will have a closer look at them some time subsequent.

Lastly, if you fancy buying some Venexia don't hang back. Lancashire Games will put the prices up in May.

Figure Compatibility for the Italian Wars (15mm)

 

More of my collection for Gonzalo here today. I thought it potentially worthwhile to identify different Manufacturers figures that work well together.  The times being what they are are one firm has already died with its creator. RIP Giuseppe of Legio Heroica.  All "bigger" 15mm should you be unfamiliar with the brands. 

Here and at the top of the page another Swiss formation. Terrors of the Age and can you spot the two Venexia figures amongst the Blue Moon majority?

Next an all Blue Moon Italian formation. Front rank pavisers seconded by Crossbow men. The actual formation showed significant variation. Like this or with swordsmen or halberdiers in the second rank. The whole thing supported by small units of pike men and additional shot.  The Swiss tended to roll over them.

A gun and crew from Venexia.

At the time of writing Venexia are part of Lancashire games Spring Sale. Very good prices for Venexia.

French pole arms (Blue Moon and Venexia) with supporting (Venexia) crossbows.

Mounted Crossbows from Venexia alongside Khurasan French Archer cavalry.

That's it for now. I hope you find it useful if you are considering collecting for the Italian Wars.

Painting Zulus

 

Time was Zulus got painted black because they were (and are) Black People. Except Zulus aren’t very black, Black People. So that won’t do. You can see photos of Zulus and skin colour tends lighter as Black People go.

I’m currently half way through painting a bunch of second hand Zulu figures. The previous owner had undercoated them black. That makes it difficult to see the head ring that denominates the experienced warrior who got to marry. The non head ring lads are younger and perhaps fiercer. The Zulu Nation was quite strict about pre- marital congress. You got to marry after being successful in battle. Call the young fellows incentivized.

The head ring lads are combat veterans who have seen it all before. Maybe a little slower but boy were they steady.  Marriage might do that to a man.

Anyhow, there is a lot of skin to paint with your average Zulu warrior. Getting the skin tone right is a major part of a good result. Here is how I painted mine. I hope it is of some use to anyone interested in painting Zulus.

Black undercoat is good. Sort your head rings from non- head rings first.

Paint loin cloth, monkey tail kilt and whatever, rear of shield and weapons and hair.

Use a mid- brown to pick out muscles, knee caps, elbows, including brow and nose.

Highlight the above with a leather brown. Paint the head ring grey.

When dry apply a wash of undiluted nut brown ink.

Let it dry overnight and varnish the next day.

Now turn to the front of the shield. Any unit with a head ring will have more white in their cow hide shield. The most experienced units might have white shields. The new boys (no head rings) have mainly dark coloured shields albeit with the odd splash of white.

Getting the shields right is demanding because of the laces that run in a line down the centre. It is easier to create a visual impact by using a contrasting colour for the lace.

There we go, Zulus hopefully looking like Zulus. Mine are intended for TMWWBK.

While we are on TMWWBK. It advises us to deploy a token when the unit's Leader becomes a casualty leaving it leaderless. The token indicates the unit is leaderless. Why not just add a non fighting leader figure and remove it when the leader becomes a casualty?

My Zulus are from Lancashire Games and Essex Miniatures. The former tend slender but both are OK together. BTW, Lancashire British do not size well with their Zulus at all.

Luckily, Essex and Minifigs British do size well with my Zulus. See above.

Next time we will see the British and some interesting bits and pieces I picked up via ebay.