Friday 30 January 2009

The fighting Franks. Painting finished. Roll Call!


My Frankish fighting units for the Crusades are finished. I still have three units of baggage to do - but these are last on my to do list. So the 'fighting' army is made up of 97 mounted and 298 foot figures - here they are.

Six command stands (18 mounted and 3 foot figures) including the King of Jerusalem, the True Cross, Hospitaller command and three other command stands.


The Cavalry. My knights usually deploy as small two stand units; as such there are six including one of Hospitallers (54 mounted figures). They are deployed below as two full and two small units. There are also two units of Turcopoles (24 mounted figures)



The Infantry. The bulk of the fighting men is made up of five units of foot sergeants (150 foot figures). Two are 'mixed' spear and simple bow units; three are 'mixed' spear and crossbow units.

There are two units of sailors (41 foot figures). One represents 'Italians' with crossbows; the other Norse and English with plenty of two handed axes! Both of these units can represent foot sergeants in loose order for 'special missions'.


Finally we come to the dross (104 foot and 1 mounted figures). Two units of levy - one with missile weapons (simple bows and slings) and one with spears. Both of these units can be broken up and mixed with the three units of pilgrims. When I do my baggage elements I now intend to base them on 60mm x 120mm bases. As I only allow my pilgrims to form up in mass or march column this will allow me to mix them in with the pilgrim stands and double my pilgrim units for the first Crusade or whenever the need arises.

I now only have five fighting units to do to complete my Saracen army and Armenian contingent. Then five units of baggage. Deadline 4th April 09 - Triples Sheffield. See you there.

6 comments:

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Hello James,

Your Franks look lovely!

Best Regards,

Stokes Schwartz

BigRedBat said...

Another lovely army! Great to see them all consistently painted and based.

Brent said...

Very nice. The crusades was perhaps my "first love" as a wargamer, and remains a favorite of mine.

It would be great fun to play with your fine armies!

Painted Soldier said...

Inspirationally glorious

painterman said...

Hi,
That is a fantastic army - have been looking at the lovely Perry castings for this range for sometime - this is the inspiration to do something about it!
Can i ask if there are some non-Perry figures that have sneaked in with the Pilgrims? They seem to fit well too. I notice some conversions too - what about pilgrims carrying palm leaves?
Regards
Simon.

JAMES ROACH said...

Hi Simon,

Thank you for your kind words.

Yes, in among the Pilgrims, there are some 'foreigners'. Mainly Gripping Beast (which do fit rather well) dark age peasants, the odd Foundry 'Arthurian' figure (short guys in comparison), plus some others of forgotten manufacture. I pretty much used every odd and sod I had in my 'melt down bucket' who could 'pass in the mass'.