What next?

[johngl]

I set myself to assemble a few 25mm armies - starting with Ottomans, as I had many of the figures (ancient Minifigs) already. I've added some arquebus-armed Janissaries and they're ready to go. Next I bought a Warlord Games "Grand Army Deal" - huge numbers of plastic figures. These have produced a nice New Model Army force - about 800 points worth - from only a third of the total figures. Being too impatient to assemble and paint the Royalists, I bought a lot of old Minifigs and some Hinchcliffe on ebay, so the brand new, up-to-date NMA can be opposed by suitably reactionary Cavaliers.

Now, what shall I do with the rest of the Warlord Games figures? They include enough infantry for two more mid-17th century armies, and cavalry which could be any Cavalier or Determined Horse types, but only enough cuirassiers for one heavily-armoured unit. Plenty of guns. I've looked at:

Early TYW Swedish
Later TYW Swedish
Later Imperial Spanish
Dutch
TYW Catholics and Protestants (both of which I have in 15mm)
Early Caroline English
TYW or Early Louis XIV French

Most of these look to play just like the ECW armies. The French and Swedes are a bit different. The Germans and Dutch need more cuirassiers than I have, unless I take some of them as armoured rather than heavily armoured. Any suggestions as to which army/armies I should do?

[hazelbark]

swedes are the most different

I have been considered if i want a 25mm FOGR and that is one I would consider.

[timmy1]

John

I would agree re the Swedes. They do play VERY different to most other armies. On a 25mm table you might get be able to prevent the opponent avoiding the Salvo depending upon size and points.

[list_lurker]

Hi John, if you want a bit of fun what about the colonial English armies? Add a few Indians? You'd probably have enough for both French and English.

Thanks
Simon

[johngl]

The Swedes are a distinct possibility. Not keen on the colonial armies, though... what would I do with all the cavalry figures??

[madaxeman]

I did most of my 25mm units with extra pike/officer/standard bases so I can swap out one base and field them as either ECW or TYW Germans. You could also add extrashotte and pike and turn them into Later Tercios too.

Armoured Cuirassier are not so good, so doing some basic surgery on the arms of the Horsemen and the spare arms and weapons from the foote (especially the arms from the firelocks) can give you some carbine armed horse.. And then you get to lots of different-playing armies quite soon

[johngl]

Good ideas, especially the carbine-armed horse. I have plenty of firelock arms. The New Model Army foot are all in red coats, of course, so they can't be anything else (well, perhaps one or two regiments could). The old Minifigs can have duplicate command bases and be almost anything, though. You'll sneer at my foot, Tim, because they're only three figures per base.

The rest of the Warlord figures are going to be Swedish, I think. Haven't decided whether to be Gustavus or Torstensson/Bernard - the latter are like the NMA but with plenty of commanded shot and regimental guns.

Thanks for the advice, chaps - and I know all of you, personally and/or on line.

[madaxeman]

Early TYW Swedish
Later TYW Swedish
Later Imperial Spanish
Dutch
TYW Catholics and Protestants (both of which I have in 15mm)
Early Caroline English
TYW or Early Louis XIV French

Most of these look to play just like the ECW armies.

I'd also suggest that they don't play that similarly - the Swedes with salvo are totally different, and for the TYW the presence of different numbers of commanded shotte and batallion guns plus different ratios of types of horse makes a difference, and more superiors (or in the case of the Spanish, Elites) is a big change, and also a big difference is the Impact foot musket* in the French.

Actually, all it sounds like is that you are missing 2 more packs of Cuirassiers and then you can make any army in the whole book !

[johngl]

Sure, the Swedes (especially Gustavus's) and French have different types of infantry. The armies with "standard six-pack" infantry, though, have only minor variations from the ECW ones. Anyway, I've decided on Swedes and have just ordered two Osprey books and some flags.

Currently sorting out and rebasing the Minifigs Royalists, bought on ebay. Most of the musketeers can have four per base by including an officer or drummer on each base - looks quite good, allowing for the 1970s painting. They include 8 guns, whereas the Royalists are allowed only 2, so I can use some as Swedish battalion guns. Maybe a bit big, but each gun and 2 crew will fit on a cavalry-sized base - better than cotton-wool, anyway.

[madaxeman]

Currently sorting out and rebasing the Minifigs Royalists, bought on ebay. .... - looks quite good, allowing for the 1970s painting.

I've been refurbishing a lot of my own older Renaissance stuff with the dark Army Painter Quickshade and a coat of matt varnish - its improved a lot of 15mm minifigs beyond all comprehension, might be worth a try !