The Swiss go marching on

Well, I did not make it to Partizan.

You may remember I was planning to go just to have a look at the Dave Andrews et al Burgundian Wars game, but seeing the pictures on the Gewalthaufen blog was almost as good.

What a game that looks! Masses of figures, some good terrain, some lovely vignettes. My personal faves are the Berne scenes with pet bear in attendance (blame the Swiss for keeping captive bears, not me!)

So, are we Wyrley Retinue members still planning to go ahead with our own Burgundian Wars offering?

At the moment, "Yes" is the answer.

The game looked excellent, but we are not competing with that, merely doing our own thing. I will not be able to paint up that many figures in time  for one thing. Our intention is to show our own take on things, perhaps even gaming a historical battle between the protagonists. I know Nephew Paul favours Morat, but I bet he has got nowhere near building the Grunhag...

I suspect we will pick and choose something to cover several bases, as we have done with all our games to date. Some sort of siege activity would be apt, given Charles the Bold's predisposal to being caught whilst besieging! Add to that a flank march from the Swiss (a la Nancy), or perhaps something out of period transposed to the late 15th Century...

The point is, we are still good to go. Consider us "inspired" rather than "demoralised" or worse...

Proof of the pudding, they say, is in the eating, so here are a few shots of my increased Zurich contingent. I painted some Zurich troops for my original WAB Swiss army over a decade ago, but these are brand, spanking new this Summer, mostly Perry plastics with a few extras thrown in.

As ever, your comments are most welcome.

If anyone used/ is using Warlord Games' Pike & Shotte" rules for this era, I would love to know how you grade the two forces, especially the Swiss with their "quirks".

G

Combined Zurich and Zug cantonal pike block. Perry plastics apart from the drummer with blue and white drum who is from Essex. That's Essex Miniatures, NOT Southend-on-Sea Essex...The Zurich standard bearer is also Citadel/ Foundry. They are backed by a unit of halberdiers and flanked by some skirmishing handgunners.

The handgunners are also Perry figures, apart from the standard bearer, who is Citadel/ Foundry. The flag is a sticky label painted then cut to shape and wrapped round a piece of brass rod.

The halberdiers are all Perry figures. This is probably the only weakness in the Perry sets for this period. You have to chop down the pikes supplied and add the halberd heads to suit, which are also supplied. I think this union makes for a weak bond and likely breakages when they see action.

Close up. "Est-ce que vous regardez moi?" Or, "Oi, you with the red saltire. I'm gonna get you!"

A close up of the large Zurich flag. I would normally use calico for some hand painted flags nowadays, but started this collection years sago with Freezywater flags from the Lance and Longbow Society stand. Thus, I have to continue in the same vein now I am building up my original collection, though these two are computer labels. (I don't know why the flash went off. It was a beautiful, sunny day when I took these photos in the conservatory/ man-cave)

Those handgunners again.