Friday 10 March 2023

15mm Medieval German Crossbow, Bow and Foot

While I have been enjoying significant progress on my ECW project, the arrival of a recently placed order with Khurasan meant I had to return to the Medieval Germans to complete that project. I knew that if I didn't, then it would be left hanging indefinitely and I do want to be able to field the Germans at some point over the coming months. 

Strictly speaking, I didn't really need the additional troops as I had already completed the core and most options for the DBMM army list, but more detailed reading meant I had to have these particular options, just in case. All part of the obsessive nature which I am sure many wargamers identify with, and my storage boxes are full of "options" which have never again seen the light of day.

First off, twelve elements of mercenary crossbowmen:












Lovely figures and I really hadn't intended to paint any more crossbowmen after having painted so many for the Spanish and French, but thought the Germans deserved their own contingent:





















There are four different poses which is, as usual from Khurasan, perfect for four figure bases:











There is an option in the DBMM army list for some light bowmen. The nice thing about these is that they can stand behind certain other troops and add a +1 to dice rolls. Given that they only cost 2 points an element, in a typical 400 point army list they should provide a useful option:





















Not the nicest figures in the Khurasan range I have to say, and perhaps some of their earlier sculpts as there was a fair but of flash, but they are functional enough:





















Next, on to the foot. These are more of the same figures which I completed at the end of January, although the latter were based as 'knight-killers' whereas these troops will unfortunately be rated as 'Inferior' if and when they make the table:






















I painted the shield designs the same as the earlier knight-killers as most troops were raised from the same cantons:


 



















While I was in the clearing-up frame of mind, I also managed to complete two medieval organ guns from Essex miniatures:











I had actually completed the crew a few months earlier and they had been languishing in my 'completed, but yet-to-find-a-home' pile, so it was nice to at last complete the artillery piece they deserve:











Last, but not least, I recently found myself short three early Carthaginian chariots in our 'Biblical' games. I placed an order for three more to bring the total complement to eleven, and completed them last week as a C-in-C, sub-general and ordinary chariot:


 



















This little segue reminded me how much I enjoy painting Xyston figures. And how bad I am with lighting when taking pictures:











That's about it for now. The above notwithstanding (a word not used enough, in my opinion), I have a few more German medieval figures to do, before returning to the Royalist ECW regiments.

23 comments:

  1. Stunning brushwork, Lawrence. I especially like your Carthaginian chariots. Marvelous!

    When a new order arrives, it is tempting to put everything aside and push at least one unit of the new troops straight into the painting queue. Well, for me at least!

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    1. Thanks Jonathan. I am very much the same with new orders, but try to remind myself that I have to finish existing projects. My Napoleonic French however are proving to be very drawn out.

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  2. All up to your normal very high standard. So hard to choose a favourite... so I'll enjoy them all.

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    1. Thanks Richard, there was a bit of variety in there which has kept me going as I mop up the last of this project.

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  3. Excellent painting Lawrence. I really like Khurasan figures, shame they're so expensive to buy from the UK now.

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    1. Cheers Ray. I have found that postage is the real killer.

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  4. Some great work- especially digging the chariots.

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    1. The four-horse chariots really are nice little models. I have eleven of them in the army and am looking forward to getting them all on the table in a game today.

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  5. Lovely units...and splendid chariots!!

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    1. Cheers Phil. The reins are always a little fiddly, but I think worth the effort.

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  6. Very prolific painting across many fronts. Nice job on everything. 😀

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    1. Thanks Stew. It was a bit of a push, but another army just about completed.

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  7. The fact that the additional crossbowmen were not really required notwithstanding Lawrence , they are still very nicely done, as are the other "tidying up" bits n pieces!

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    1. Thanks Keith. Yes, definitely tying up a few loose end here, I am hoping the Germans will get a game this year, but as we are in the middle of a chariot-era campaign it may be a while.

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  8. Great work Lawrence and a LOT of figures getting painted 👍

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    1. Thanks Matt. This is the most productive start to a year I think I have ever had. Hopefully it will continue.

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  9. Nice work Lawrence. I can certainly relate to the armies that are painted and never see the light of day…Swedish Napoleonic, WWII 1940 Bolt Action, Dark Ages, Aztec…there are more that have only seen the table once or twice.

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    1. Thanks Mark. I know that if I ever sold any I would almost immediately regret it though. Much better to have them there on the off-chance I'll ever bump into someone with the same interests, or pull them out for a solo game whenever I finally take over one of the spare bedrooms as a gaming space.

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  10. My good ness, Lawrence, your paintbrushes have been moving at warp speed! Are you sure you don't have a clone in the spare bedroom doing the painting for you (or going to work in your stead, etc.)?
    Notwithstanding that :-), ALL of these are so beautifully painted. Stunning in numbers and quality, really!

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    1. Thanks Peter. I have been putting in quite a bit of time before work each day, and of course not having any more study to do has also helped free up even more time.

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  11. Lovely work on your German medievals, I totally understand about your level of completeness, having at one point collected all the Osprey Men at arms and Elite in print at one time!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain. I have always found a sense of satisfaction in completing projects and get frustrated when they drag on too long. That must have been quite a collection of Ospreys. I have around sixty and thought that was doing well,

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