samedi 18 novembre 2017

Gall óglaigh and Kern

Hi Everyone!

Commenting my last post related to Templar men-at-arms, "Boss" Paul from Paul's Bods (one of the best 1/72 blogs dedicated to 1/72 minis... all right, everybody already knows :))asked for more Medieval minis, so I promised new pictures for yesterday night... well the night is over (here) and I am a bit late, but I could finish two minis and take pictures.

I wanted to start something new for a small vignette, an original or unusual subject (at least for me), because it's always a good way to discover and learn new things. I searched my plastic stocks and picked a set by Redbox for the war of the Roses: Irish troops, set 72044.

I know very little concerning this period in Irish history, so I opened the online bible (PSR), and read about the two main troop types represented in the box:
  • the galloglass (from from Irish: gall óglaigh meaning foreign warriors - thanks Wikipedia), heavy infantry originated in the Scottish Isles, and using terrible two-hands weapons such as big battleaxes - maybe a remembrance of housecarls, or of their common viking ancestors)

  • the kerns, or light skirmishing infantry, using javelins as their main weapons (by the way, I finally took time to know a little about kerns - a term I read in WRG army lists years ago, without the slightest idea of what they could look like)
You can see below one of the most famous illustrations representing galloglass (left) and kerns (right) in the 16th century by Albrecht Dürer. Though posterior to the medieval period, it gives us an idea of the appearance of these fierce men.




One more thing eventually convinced me to start painting: these men were also known to wear saffron colored coats, and since I can't use my yellow paint everyday, I became very tempted!

And here you are the result, two minis painted yesterday night.  Hope you (including Paul :)) like these medieval men.




15 commentaires:

  1. Très chouette...l'a vraiment l'air lourde cette hache!

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    1. Des fois je me demande pourquoi je peins des trucs comme ça (les figurines militaires en général), que des gens que je n'aimerais pas croiser dans la rue !

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  2. More medievals!!! :-)I do like :-) Very nice re-creation of the saffron. I haven´t yet got the scottish cavalry or any of the Irish medievals from RedBox so I´m behind you on These.
    The heavy infantry in the set look like they might be usefull as Fantasy types (?)
    The game I mentioned with the goblins. I think it may not have been the Hobbit but Dungeon seige, which I played many years ago but my daughter started playing it so I had to "help" occasionally. It´s a very addictive game..I lost over 4 hours playing it in one evening this week!!

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    1. PS..on the subject of Video games I can highly recomend The game mafia I. It has a bit of violence and can be difficult to get through the Levels but the Story (as you go through it) is very well made and the ending a total suprise..with a clever message hidden in it.

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    2. Nice to get your feedback, thanks. I don't know "Dungeon Siege" nor "Mafia", but I will have a look, you made me curious.

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  3. Beautiful irishmen Phil, please make more!
    I agree also with Paul, this set has a lot of potencial for fantasy with those long mail shirts, pointed helmets and fur capes...

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    1. Thank you for encouraging me Sceavus.
      Yes these Irish gallowglass have a lot of potential. One of these days, I should try to sculpt some fur with a lion head on the shoulder of one of these, so that I can get a lion guard from the High Elves faction in WFB.

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    2. Yes it is a good idea!! Maybe I try the same

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  4. Nice work Phil, I have been tempted by these minis for quite a while, seeing these has put them on my Christmas list!.

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    1. Thank you. I think that this set is one of the best among those produced by Redbox.

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