A 16thC Distraction

A while back, a loonngg while back, I picked up some Foundry Elizabethan, Swashbuckler and Conquistador figures from sales, eBay and the Lead Adventure Forum. These have languished in a box on the lead pile since then. I was interested in doing something based around the Marian civil war and the Gordon-Forbes Feud, both of which rumbled around in this part of Scotland during the 1560's and 70's. Information is a bit scarce on either and finding a ruleset which covered the skirmishes and small affairs from a few dozen to a few hundred men aside in the late Renaissance wasn't easy either. So in their box they stayed.

Then along came Pikemans Lament. Interest was rekindled. It smouldered a bit.

Next came lockdown and an unplanned career break. Great timing. Thanks.

So, I plundered the lead mountain and up they came. I found a few articles and a mention here and there on forums and I thought why not make this a wee project. So I painted them up.

A unit of pike led by their laird and accompanied by his belligerent priest.

Hackbutters.

Some mounted gentry.

At the moment these have a continental look to them, but they would cover the period from the 1540's to the 1570's without too much issue. I have more pike, command and shot on the way and when I have those painted up I will take a look at TAG, Timeline and Foundry/Castingroom. I shall also need some highland caterans and a few gallowglass types. I have some from Sheltrum which may do. A tower house may also be required, which might be a fun built whilst I'm otherwise unengaged!

From my landsknecht game I thought that pike to shot ratios needed some adjustment so I intend having a ratio of two shot units per pike unit max. The shot will be smaller 6 fig units units and cost 6pts and will not have salvo fire. Now PL is a skirmish game so exact ratios need not matter in a raid. But the Osprey on Scottish Renaissance Armies, and that on the Spanish Tercios which I have handy suggest there were at least twice as much pike to shot. A typical PL company could be 2 pike (8pts), 2 shot (12pts) and a unit of Trotters (4pts), which feels and looks right to me.

It's also easy to put together in terms of both figures and time to paint. I'm most of the way through my first company. 😁