The penultimate English foot unit

Now, those who have been keeping count (!!??!!??) may well be of the opinion that I have done just three English foot units, because that is all that have featured on the blog so far (I think).

But, no!!! I am just as tardy with a camera as I am with basing and varnishing, so some have not yet featured - Gloucester's archers, Hereford's archers, etc.

Anyway, for this penultimate depiction of English manliness, I decided I wanted some meat. No more Northern city militia, grass-chewing Norfolk men or Welshmen with bendy sticks. This unit was going to be a bunch of "ornery critters" (if you'll pardon the "Dead Man's Hand" speak, but "Unforgiven" was on TV last night).

So, hopefully for your delight, I present the, ahem......Royal Spearmen (Feudal Heavy Infantry in "Hail Caesar" terms - see their Plantagenet English list).

The figures are the Fireforge Teutonic infantry box I bemoaned the value of a short while back, not because of the quality, but mainly the cost (I paid £20 for 24 plastic figures - my choice, I know) and shortage of weapon options. Some are converted, because of said dearth of weapon options (spears to be precise). The flags are the usual calico on brass wire affairs. I was a little stuck by which heraldry to give them, but settled on a single lion passant guardant - very similar to my Gascon crossbows, but no blue claws and tongue this time out.

Head on clash with a schiltron anyone???

G

The bad boys in full flow. When I say "Bad boys", I obviously mean before I have rolled any combat dice.....

As you may note, I distressed the shields and have been liberal with dirt around lower limbs and clothing, just to "up the ante" on the "Bad Boys" theme.

One of the good points of the Teutonic Infantry box is the different parts it contains compared with the usual Foot Sergeants I used before, hence leader figure with two-hander.

How nice of Edward and Henry to look to the camera rather than at the enemy......

8x3 as per Hail Caesar spear unit basing "requirements". The rules do allow flex on this, however, but I like this layout.

A clear view of both flags and a view those Scots will not get - the backs of the English! (Ever the optimist, I know....) The nearer standard bearer is one of the conversions mentioned above. To mount his shield on his back, I needed to make a suitable strap. I did so by bending a sword from the kit into shape around his body, spliced with another for length. This was dead easy to do as the plastic is soft yet strong enough to take the punishment. The result is that I get a unique figure for minimal effort!