Sunday 16 December 2012

Aux armes citoyens!


It's official, I've been drawing flags and have had my nose buried in books; My next project will be the French army of Louis XII which was dispatched to deal with Henry's 1513 invasion.

The Tudor army is about 3/4 complete and I'm striving to have it finished for the 500th year anniversary in August 2013. This project began with Henry on the anniversary of his coronation in 2009 so it's all become quite dear to me really.

However, the image is not complete without some French adversaries.

So, with some very much appreciated help from contributors in France I have been able to get the ball rolling, put together an accurate army list and make a good start upon some research.

There are still some rather special Tudor units to come and I'm looking forward to doing them but I thought I'd let you know that this blog is going to roll on and hopefully still turn out some unique and colourful units.

Stuart

22 comments:

  1. Stuart,
    We all look forward to seeing the French. Did I ever send you link to Google books version of my ex-Uni tutors book on French armies? Lots of info appears to be available re the early 16th century army composition etc - maybe useful?
    Cheers Simon.
    http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HbfJX2Y1bBkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

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    1. You did indeed, it may be a last minute entry to the Christmas list!

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  2. Should be excellent, as this is a period i don't really know about

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    1. Well I hope so, I may even rename it as L'armee Royale!

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  3. Look forward to this in due course. Your Tudor Army is really great, but as you say all armies need an opposition and the French army of the period is a favourite interest of mine, so looking forward to see it get the Stuart 'Armee Royale' treatment! Should be good.

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  4. Exellent ! will be very interestingg to follow your work with Frensh army to !

    And in the end we might even see some gaming pictures;)

    Best regards Michhael

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  5. Definitely looking forward to seeing this unfold.

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  6. I look forward to seeing the French very much.

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  7. I very much look forward to this. Everything you do is an inspiration.

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  8. Great stuff. I'm planning on completing a French army of Louis XII just need to decide whether to make it pre or post his fall out with the Swiss so will be looking forward to how this army unfolds.

    cheers Pete

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  9. Stuart you have to do a special conversion for Bayard, he was captured at the Battle of the Spurs in 1513.

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    1. Oui, absolutmont ! I'm mulling over which figures to use for that one, possibly a WF gendarme on a converted Perry plastic with added green stuff armour

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    2. It's the French infantry that is stumping me, I'm really not sure which figures to use, though hopefully when I come to buying some next Summer things may have changed

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    3. Yes the French infantry is a tough one, I have so far gone for converted Perry figures, there are so few contemporary pictures of French infantry in this era. TAG may do some but they take a long time and have a lot to cover!

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  10. this blog : http://rohanturenne.blogspot.co.uk/ is an excellent resource for the army of Louis XII.

    Artizan Swiss with some headswaps would probably make pretty convincing French.

    cheers Pete

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    1. You've hit the nail on the head there Pete, I may do the same with some Foundry Landsknechts and added bits from the mercenaries boxed set. The creator of that blog has helped me quite a bit. I'm raring to go but I've just got to get a few units done first. Perhaps if I could convince my wife and work and take a sabbatical......

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  11. All the best with the French then, btw I have had and idea how you could convert a Tudor man at arms on foot with the latest armour, first saw of a foundry 16thc mounted knight at the wast then take a perry wars of the roses foot knight and saw at the waist. Then take the two halfs and drill and pin them together, after you can put one of those skirt things on to cover the waist down to the knees. I would also suggest putting wide sabatons on his feet.
    Cheers

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    1. That could be the next big conversion, i just need a saw first. But like all tools, if you get it - you've got to use it!

      I shall see

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  12. Hello,
    You could be too use Front Rank miniatures (wars of the roses range) to represent French infantry...(crossbowmen, Old french band, harquebusers)
    Some exemples on my blog....
    http://lesfigurinesdunikko.blogspot.fr/
    Nikko

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    1. Salut Nikko

      What an excellent blog, I really like your gendarmes too. I think I will do my Picard pike something like that, in fact i have been experimenting today with an example so watch this space.

      Stuart

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  13. Hello and thanks,
    I will follow attentively this new army....
    Nikko

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