Medieval civilians-part two

Slightly more than 24 hours before Santa's coming. Everything is going to be pretty frantic, without a lot of painting. I have to relax a bit because I have an otitis and the medication is really strong for me (I'm not used to antibiotics). But on a lighter note, my in-laws are here to celebrate so it should be ok.

Un peu moins de 24h avant la venue de Papa Nowel. Je suppose que tout le monde va etre bien occupe, delaissant les pinceaux. De mon cote, je dois me reposer, car j'ai ecope d'une otite et le traitement est brutal pour mon systeme, car je n'ai pas l'habitude des antibios. Heureusement, ma belle-famille est la et devrait passer un bon moment.

[Analogue Hobbies PC] Medieval civilians

Hi everyone. The painting challenge is finally on, and I was surprised to see entries published on the very first day. My goodness, some of you are fast. Some time ago, I had received from BigLee a parcel full of goodies I had won during his giveaway. I had chosen some medieval 28mm from PErry miniatures, carefully planning to use them during this challenge. I think it might pay off.

Salut a tous. Le challenge est enfin commence. J'ai astique mes pinceaux et je suis parti. J'ai ete tres surpris de voir des participants publier des oeuvres des le premier. Rien de dramatique, c'est juste que certains sont vraiment partis fort. Tiendront-ils la route? Il y a quelque temps, j'avais gagne des figs suite au giveaway organise par BigLee. J'avais opte pour des civils Perry, pensant qu'ils me serviraient pour ce challenge. Bien m'en prit.

A drop of medievals

I'm not really motivated to paint at the moment, and to be honest, I haven't really used a brush for the past two weeks... But then, the weather, my studies... Anyway. Today, I present you my latest production to date, a mix of Corvus Belli and Donnington new era: crossbowmen. They're not especially powerful, armed only with their crossbows and their will to fight (erm). They can however be useful to support other units, or even to do some flank attacks. To follow, I don't know yet, I have a lot of stuff to finish basing, but you'll see soon enough.

Tata.

Je vais etre honnete avec vous, je ne suis pas tres motive pour peindre en ce moment, entre le temps et mes etudes ( c'est trop bon le web-design). Je n'ai guere touche un pinceau depuis 2 semaines... Voici toutefois ma derniere production en date, un melange de Corvus Belli et de Donnington new era, des arbaletriers. Bon, ils n'ont queleur arme de tir et leurs yeux pour pleurer, mais ils sont utiles pour supporter les autes unites, voire pour tenter des attaques de flanc. A venir, je ne sais pas encore, j'ai plein de trucs a finir de socler...

A plus

Antoine de Chabannes

Right, another day goes by, and I may have another job opportunity. Still as a tutor, but I think mostly for teaching French in businesses. It could be interesting on my CV. Anyway, back to the minis, and today, you'll have one unit of heavy infantry, under the leader of Antoine de Chabannes, count of Dammartin (1408- 1488)

He was at his first battle at the age of 15 (battle of Cravant), then joined Joan of Arc. Afterwards, he became one of the Ecorcheurs, though he was amongst King Charles VIII's friends. One interesting fact is he despised his son Dauphin Louis, and the feeling was mutual. After Louis became King of France, Antoine was exiled for a time in Rhodes before coming back. He became Grand Maitre de France in 1467.

Les jours passent et j'ai la possibilite de commencer un nouveau job, toujours en tant que tuteur, mais en entreprise cette fois. Ca pourrait etre utile sur mon CV. Si j'en reviens aux figs, c'est pour vous montrer une unite d'infanterie sous les ordres d'Antoine de Chabannes, comte de Dammartin (1408-1488),

Participant a sa premiere bataille a 15 ans ( Cravant), il rejoignit les compagnons de Jeanne d'Arc, avant de devenir un des chefs des Ecorcheurs. Proche du roi Charles VIII, il destestait son fils le dauphin Louis, qui le lui rendait bien. Ce dernier une fois roi l'exila a Rhodes pour un temps. Il finit Grand maitre de France en 1467.

Pardaillec is back!

After the heat from the past few days, a somehow cooler weather is appreciated, and I can go back to my brushes. I finished a simple unit or armoured infantry, all of them coming from Corvus Belli. You will need to prep them, because of the heavy you need to remove, but otherwise, they paint really nicely. I'd say they're slightly easier to paint than their Roman range. Anyway, here they are, under the leadership of one of the most famous French knight: the Knight of Pardaillec.

And for those who don't know him, here is a video about his life ;)

Maintenant que la chaleur des derniers jours est passee, je me sens mieux pour peindre. Du coup, j'en profite pour vous montrer ma nouvelle production, une unite d'infanterie de chez Corvus Belli. Certes il m'a fallu du temps pour tout ebarber, mais j'ai trouve que ces figs etiaent plus agreables a peindre que celles de laeur gamme romaine. Bref, ces gentils soudards sont a la solde de l'un des plus celebres chevaliers francais, le chevalier de Pardaillec ;)

A second volley of bowmen

I was complaining about the dreadful weather last week, with so many showers and so few sun. Now I should probably do the same: complaining about the heat, the mind-numbing heat here in London. I really don't like to paint when I'm too hot. Bah anyway, you fellow readers are lucky because I now managed to finish another unit of bowmen, the usual mix from Donnington and Corvus Belli. The end is near! Hurray!

En bon Francais que je suis, je vais etre raleur. Je l'etais deja la semaine derniere alors qu'on avait un temps de merde, avec averses a repetition et pas l'ombre d'un rayon de soleil. Et voila maintenant qu'il fait trop chaud pour peindre. Puree, ou habiter pour avoir de bonnes conditions:soleil, pas torp chaud, et un peu de pluie?

Bref, j'ai quand meme pu finir une nouvelle unite d'archers, avec l'habituel melange de Donnington et de Corvus Belli. Enjoy.

As Custer would say: Charge!

Hi everyone. I seem to stick to the medieval warfare's cliches. Indeed today the knights are coming. The minis are from Mirliton and are really nice to paint, though a bit thin, and sometimes a bit fragile. But then, they really look good, and inking is quite easy with them. In my army they could be either superior or average, undrilled. So, they're more or less a me-see-me-charge type of unit. He he. I just hope their charge will be unstoppable. In fact I was impressed by the charge from the Serbian knights during our game with Gilles. So I wonder... Maybe... 

And if you want to know, in Art de la guerre, with those guys, you get 4 units of knights. And they're nasty too.

Je reste dans les bons gros cliches medievaux aujourd'hui, puisque voici venir les chevaliers. Ce sont des figs Mirliton que j'ai peintes avec amour, car elles sont vraiment faciles a peinturlurer. Attention toutefois, si elles sont tres belles, elles sont fragiles. Vous etes donc prevenus. A FOG, ils peuvent etre soit superior ou bien average, et ils sont undrilled. Bref, du bon gros chevalier type Francais a Crecy: moi voir, moi taper. Pour tout dire, j'ai ete impressione par les chevaliers serbes lors de ma partie contre Gilles. Donc bon, a voir. Et si je transpose a Art de la guerre, j'obtiens 4 unites de mechants chevaliers lourds. Niark!

Let the sky be darkened! We need the shade

I'm still busy painting this medieval army. And after some "exotic troops", it's time for me to present you an other one, though more common during the late medieval times: some longbows. Here you have either 1 small battlegroup for FOG, or 3 units for Art de la guerre. I just hope they can be deadly and accurate, otherwise, they'll be dead. Minis are mainly from Donnington, with some Corvus Belli. I really prefer CB over Donnington.

Don't be so rude guys

Apres des untes "exotiques" dirons-nous, voici une vision plus commune: des longbows. A base de Donnington et de Corvus Belli, la peinture fut rapide. Je prefere de loin les Corvus, plus faciles a lire et donc a peindre. Nous avons ici soit un petit battlegroup pour FOG ou bien 3 unites pour Art de la guerre. Esperons qu'ils ne me feront pas defaut en tirant a cote ;)

Ready to fire! pffttt...misfire

Right. Needless to say my friend's technique is time effective. I had started this new battlegroup at the same time as the last one, and they're already finished. If this goes on, I should have finished my medieval army in no time. This is a good news, simply because I'm about to enter a FOG-Renaissance competition in our club. Unfortunately, it will based on the English Civil War, and not the 30Years War, but then. 

These minis come from Corvus belli. And, with the last battlegroup, it took me about 3h to paint/varnish/base them. Quite interesting wouldn't you say?

La peinture de ces jolis petits joujous aura ete rapide. Environ 3 heures en rajoutant l'unite precedente. Plus rapide que ce que je faisais precedemment, c'est un fait. Donc je me repete, merci Gilles. J'ai pris du plaisir a peindre ces bombardes de chez Corvus belli. Esperons qu'elles seront efficaces. 

Petite note: a ce rythme j'aurai fini rapidement, ce qui me permettra de me remettre a la peinture de mon armee renaissance, car le club va s'organiser un tournoi interne, base sur la guerre civile anglaise. Yay!

Here, bidet bidet...

After the SAGA painting frenzy, I went directly onto my new project. Well, it's not that new since I've already started it: the Ecorcheurs in 1444. You have to remember I need this army to play in the medieval competition. So, better be ready ;)

And today, you're about to see 4 stands of light infantry, the bidets. I admit it's not much, but it's a try with Gilles' technique in 15mm. I find the results quite ok, so I should keep them that way. What do you think?

Voila. Apres la peinture de mes points SAGA, il me faut reprendre le fil du projet abandonne, les Ecorcheurs en 1444. Souvenez-vous, il s'agit de l'armee que je compte jouer pour le tournoi medieval. j'ai ici utilise la technique de Gilles, il est donc normal de voir un petit nombre de troupes, car il s'agissait d'un test, plutot concluant en 15mm. Allez zou, la suite arrive bientot ;)

Phew! You guys need a wash

As I told you last time, I didn't think I could paint last Tuesday, because I would be out tutoring a A-level student. Yup, I was right because I was home at 10PM. But yesterday I managed to get my bowmen unit ready for washing and inking. As you can see, nothing too fancy:

So, two steps to go and they'll be done. Great. I should then think about future plans:

- base the four medieval units

- finish the Roman cavalry (the shields need to be done, and then basing)

- paint some Nappy

- paint the Roman camp and fortifications.

I'll think about the rest next week. Cheers

Comme je vous l'avais dit, faire des cours de soutien le soir, c'est sympa, mais ca empeche de peindre, surtout quand on rentre a 22h. Bref, hier je me suis rattrape et j'ai termine les bases des archers. Il ne reste plus qu'a encrer/washer, puis eclaircir et baser. Pour la suite, petit programme de peinture, a objectifs modestes. On verra si je tiens.

Bows and Thirty Years war... again?

The Mirlitom unit has been varnished and is now almost finished. So I've just finished prepping my new unit. Yes, I know, more longbowmen, but this time, they all come from Corvus Belli. I also did the brown and flesh bases. More on that tomorrow,  if I'm motivated enough because I'll be out gibing a lesson until 9PM...

I also learned that the new copy of the French wargaming magazine, Vae Victis, had an expansion module for Art de la guerre, to play The Thirty Years War. I immediately ordered it and I'll give you a review asap. Cheers.

Tandis que le vernis seche sur mes Mirlitons, j'ai commence la peinture apres preparation d'une nouvelle unite d'archers, Corvus Belli cette fois. J'ai passe le marron et la chair de base. La suite va arriver rapidement si je suis motive car je commence une serie de cours le soir... Et j'ai egalement commande le numero de Vae Victis, car le module guerre de trente ans pour ADG me faisait de l'oeil.

Scottish arrows and Spanish hallberds

I have to be honest with you. I have some hard time finding enough mojo to keep me busy painting at a steady pace. My new job can be quite exhausting and I prefer reading a good book instead of painting. I still managed to finish painting my first longbow unit, which will be full of Scots. But more about them later, when I'll have them varnished. At the same time, I've prepped an other heavy weapon unit, this time from Mirliton, in their Condotta range. The minis are just great. More info on them when I'll have them painted. This unit will be under command of a Spanish Noble, well, at least Spanish from his origins.

Je vous confierai volontiers qu'en ce moment, ma motivation n'est pas au beau fixe pour la peinture. Mon boulot est quand meme fatiguant, et j'avoue preferer lire un bon bouquin. Il n'empeche que j'ai reussi a terminer la peinture de ma deuxieme unite, qui represente des archers ecossais. Plus d'infos a  leur sujet quand tout sera termine et vernis. Dans le meme temps, j'ai prepare une troisieme unite, des hallebardiers de chez Mirliton, qui representeront des troupes venues du Sud de la France, et dirigees par un noble d'origine espagnole.

Homs 1281, a mega-battle

Hi folks. Yesterday evening I was at the club, not knowing what I could play. As soon as I arrived, Gordon asked me if I could join them in a refight of the battle of Oms, in 1281, between the Mongols (and allies) and the Mamluks. More info there. I gladly joined them, and took charge of the Mongols'right, full of Seljuk, Armenian and Georgian allies... Yup, it's a mess to command, but I had some good troops. Facing me, Tamsin had some mounted units and volunteers. My units were slightly better than hers. I managed to break through her lines, but some of their troops were flanking me, so I'd say we were even, though I had an advantage, with a second line coming up. Meanwhile, the Mongols' left flank and center had to manage against some lancers (not good), and so they were starting to break. We called it after three hours, with what could be considered as a marginal Mamluk victory, with historical results. Thanks Gordon for the game. Now time for the pics:

Hier soir, j'etais donc au club, ne sachant pas encore a quoi j'allais jouer. Gordon me propose de se joindre a la partie de FOG qui allait demarrer, proposant de rejouer la bataille d'Oms de 1281, entre Mongols et Mamelouk. J'ai bien sur accepte et j'ai pris en charge le flanc droit des Mongols, bourre d'allies armeniens, georgiens et turcs... Bonjour le bordel. Face a moi, Tamsin et l'aile la plus faible des Mamelouk... Bref, j'ai reussi a enfoncer sa ligne, mais elle avait commence a me deborder sur l'extreme flanc, Au centre et sur notre flanc gauche, les choses etaient moins roses, avec nos pauvres gars a cheval devant affronter des lanciers a cheval. Aie. Bref, apres 3h de jeu, nous avons conclu sur une victoire marginale des Mamelouks, avec des resultats historiques concernant le comportement des troupes. bravo Gordon pour cette belle partie.

Poton de Xaintrailles

I just finished painting the figures for my first unit. They're varnished, but not yet based because I'm waiting for my bases and the banner from Vexillia. In the meantime, I'll be nice and give some pics:

my feeble attempt at hand painted heraldry, poor Poton.
ma tentative d'heraldique pour Poton

Jean Poton de Xaintrailles was a French knight and commander who has joined Joan of Arc, and fought efficiently. But when the fight ended after the truce, he found himself unemployed, along with his troups. So he became an "ecorcheur", a free company, terrorizing the North East of France.

 Because he was still alive in 1444, I decided to include him in one of my veteran unit, full of tough guys. Most of them are generic, but some wear the white cross from the House of Armagnac. So now I can use them either as Free company, French army, or whatever.

J'ai donc termine de peindre les figs de ma premiere unite d'ecorcheurs. J'attends encore mes bases et mes bannieres. Pour vous faire patienter, ce groupe comprend notamment Jean Poton de Xaintrailles, ancien capitaine de Jeanne d'Arc. Tres bon combattant, il se retrouva neanmoins sans boulot au moment de la treve et commenca donc a ravarger le Nord Est de la France avec une bande d'ecorcheurs. Etant toujours en vie en 1444, j'ai suppose qu'il avait repondu a l'appel du roi et avait rejoint les rangs. Il figure ici parmi une unite de purs veterans, des brutes. A part lui, quelques autres portent la croix blanche des Armagnacs. Le reste est suffisamment generique pour me permettre de faire d'autres armees.

Les Ecorcheurs

I've made my choice for the medieval army I intend to paint. While looking for something interesting on the net, I stumbled upon this project, a WAB Free company. What could be interesting? Well, we're in 1444, just after the truce of Tours. The kingdom of France is now ravaged by unemployed veteran soldiers, the "ecorcheurs". Some of their leaders are former Joan of Arc lieutenants. In 1444, King Charles VII decided to regroup them and send them in a military expedition against the Swiss... What is funny? This 30000 strong army is under the command of the Dauphin and some of the King's generals. Ha ha, interesting. It's a Free company but it's also a French army. on August 28th, they meet the Swiss and after a bloody day, the Swiss are all but dead. What? The Swiss have lost? Well, they were outnumbered 10 to 1...  It's definitely the army I want to paint. So, after picking things on my lead hill, I prepped a dismounted men-at-arms unit, full of veteran heavily armoured bastards.

J'ai finalement fait mon choix d'armee pour le tournoi interne du club. Apres avoir regarde sur internet, je suis tombe sur ce projet WAB. Il s'agit d'une grande compagnie un peu particuliere, ayant existe en 1444. Cette annee-la, la treve de Tours a pour consequence de jeter sur les routes des milliers de veterans desormais sans emploi. Le roi Charles VII decide donc de les regrouper et de les envoyer en expedition contre les Suisses. Nous avons avons donc une armee disparate, dirigee par les generaux du roi. J'adore le concept. Le 28 aout, ils rencontrent et battent les Suisses, qui y restent tous. Il faut dire que nos amis suisses etaient a 1 contre 10. Alors forcement... Du coup, voila mon projet, avec un historique a peu pres etabli.

Grandson 1476, a test game

Last week, I gamed the test-demo for Salute, about the battle of Grandson, opposing Charles the Bold against the Swiss. We used Hail Caesar and try to figure out the mechanisms, for the game to be smooth enough for the 21st.


La semaine derniere, j'ai participe au test de la bataille de Grandson, entre Charles le Temeraire et l'armee suisse, avec les regles d'Hail Ceasar.

Charles' army, beautifully arrayed for battle
L'armee de Charles, prete a la bataille

The Swiss in the fog
Les Suisses dans le brouillard

My command: gendarmes and crossbowmen
Mes troupes: des gendarmes et arbaletriers

The Swiss start slowly...
Un depart a la Suisse...

We deploy peacefully
un deploiement paisible comme un bourguignon

Oh dear, the Swiss are now on the fast lane...
Aie, les Suisses ont accelere

Pikey...

Pikey...

Pikey...

Can you see my clever plan?
Voyez-vous mon plan genial se dessiner?

Wait...

Charggggeeeee!

Impressive results, but my flank attack didn't break the pike block
Tres joli score de ma part, mais je n'ai pu briser le bloc de piques...

Meanwhile, the Swiss are dangerously near our lines...
Et les Suisses qui se rapprochent dangereusement...

Still not broken, but we have some reinforcements.
Meme avec des renforts, on ne les brise pas.

Ouch?

Are my gendarmes going to die?
Mes gendarmes vont-ils y passer?

He he, no kebab, but another flank attack
he he, non, car je charge a nouveau sur le flanc!

and another one!
Et une autre charge a l'oppose du chanp de bataille

The mighty hand of God, aka George...
La main de Dieu, cad de George

Well, as yo can see, the Swiss were soundly beaten. Thanks to our gendarmes and some tweaking still to do, the Pike were unable to withstand the flank attacks. But then, the rules are not meant for this period...

Comme vous pouvez le voir, les Suisses ont ete massacres. Aucune chance face aux attaques de flanc des gendarmes. Il va falloir revoir les stats des unites. Autre probleme, les regles ne retranscrivent pas vraiment les specificites de la fin du Moyen-Age.