I have enough 25mm Minifigs for a game set in the 16th Century. A small game but one that really suits my table size. Some of it I collected myself and the rest (well over half) was formerly owned by Eric Knowles. I haven’t done much with it as I lacked a focus and scenario to tie it too. I didn’t fancy more imaginations so was looking around for inspiration when I recalled the battlefield at Carberry Hill in 1567. Years ago I went to conferences at Carberry Towers and I probably heard of the battle through that. So an online search and I found more information, including an excellent battlefield painting. The wars between Mary Queen of Scots and her Lords are full interesting anecdotes including one commander challenging his opposite number to one to one combat ( shades of wrg 6th edition) and why it didn’t take place. Anyway I was able to zoom in the on the painting and saw flag detail I could copy. So this morning I painted some flags and added them to my figures. Here’s photos of the painting and of the flags I made. Old school flags to match the figures
I like those flags! Is that one at the back a swastika? I know they had a long and ancient history. I think they crop up in 16th century architectural decoration.
ReplyDeleteWhat rules are you planning to use?
I know what you mean from the photo. It is the black and yellow ( horizontal and vertical lines) flag in the photo that is next to the black Y on a purple background. I have taken the photo at a strange angle. My thoughts on rules are to have a look at Ross McF Rough Wooing or make up some very simple Featherstonesque d6 ones as simple as possible.
DeleteGreat work on the flags and a very interesting project, must go and swot up on Carberry Hill myself!
ReplyDeleteLangside is a very interesting battle too. There are Highlanders it it as well. There is a splendid Caliver books volume on the Battle of Linlithgow too which is a slightly earlier period as well as a great Osprey on Scottish Renaissance Armies. I like the fun of taking the flags from original sources and doing my own albeit in a basic old school style.
DeleteVery interesting painting and great old school figures.
ReplyDeleteExcellent flags - it's what attracted me as a teenager to the ECW period (Peter Laing 15mm figures featured here): https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/13/unboxing-the-blue-box-of-1980s-gaming-figures-time-capsule-parts-1-to-3/
P.S. I too sort of saw a Swastika!
I see it too Mark, never noticed it in the photos I took. The flags are fun( a couple more today) and it was a relaxing thing to do. Being an old school chap frees me up from comparing my stuff to the exquisitely produced stuff of today by computer ( although some Tradgardland flags I did on the girls paint package on our old pc. ) or by hand and links back to the 70/80s vibe. I enjoyed your Blue Box article and flags. I recall pouring over a Military Modelling issue when it first came out with a full colour ecw flag page in it. The 17th Century is full of fascinating flags. I do like units like the ecw Kings Guard with loads of different flags in the same unit.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good setting for "what if" or just plain made up battles in an historic setting. Good choice!
ReplyDeleteThe Macfarlanes were a British (or Pictish) rather than a Gaelic clan and owed allegiance to the Earl of Lennox. They arrived late at Langside and are given the credit, by some accounts, of tipping the tide of battle by charging Mary's troops from the flank or rear. They are described in the olde accounts as wearing mail and being armed with bows and 2 handed swords. I of course built such a unit in my youth and still field some though I now suspect that what the chroniclers probably meant was that some had bows and some hauberks and two handed swords and the like.
I am painting up a unit of Highlanders as we speak and will of course be Macfarlanes. Mine are less mail clad but do have bows as they are Minifigs ecw. They will arrive a turn or two into a battle as a homage to the lateness.
DeleteWhat figures did you use Ross?
Well I painted a unit of the chubby minifig ECW Scots pike in kilts in the 70s which joined my Flooden Scots by Heritage but also had a bunch in 15mm. In 40mm they are mostly homecast and various conversions.
ReplyDeleteYou should pop up a picture on your blog , it would be good to see them.
ReplyDelete