David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Monday 25 August 2014

Following on from last week

When I posted a thematic Blog entry focusing on my ACW collection and encouraged by the many positive comments it elucidated, I decided to reorganise the photos I had stored on Photobucket of my 28mm English Civil War collection and make a second thematic Blog entry.
Actually, its the third collection I have owned over the years, starting in the 1980's with a small Minifigs army, for Parliament of course, and then a 28mm scale Covenanter army made up of figures from manufacturers such as Essex, the long gone Sussex Miniatures {I really liked their pikemen}, and even some Lamming figures with the separate heads! The present collection I began when I retired from teaching in 2001 and comprises mainly Wargames Foundry and Perry Miniatures figures with a few from Warlord Games, notably the personality figures Matt sculpted for them.

We play now a days with my own rules,
"A Crowning Mercy", available from Caliver Books




















My allegiance in the Civil War has always been to Parliament, I'm a republican to the very core of my being, detesting the monarchy, its fawning advocates, and the aristocracy in general. The end of the Commonwealth in 1660 signalled the end of any chance of true meritocracy developing in our country. So, "Death to Kings! Even 28mm ones!" will be our small scale battle cry! Our forces are lead by ~
Oliver Cromwell by Warlord Games
























The Earl of Essex by Warlord Games


Obadiah Bykleigh, our local Parliamentary Hero, by Wargames Foundry








































Of course, I've had to put my strong feelings to one side and paint figures for a Royalist Army as well as for Parliament. They are commanded by that staunch monarchist, Sir Marmaduke Gaylord Robinson, later Lord Rawnsley and by Lord Walton of Stafford ~
Sir Marmaduke Rawnsley by Warlord Games
























Of course we have historical personalities too in the form of the Kynge {'God bless His Majesty!'} and that arch Royalist, Prince Rupert of the Rhine ~
Prince Rupert by Warlord Games
























We mainly game a series of imaginary battles in a semi campaign format ranging over South Staffordshire, where Phil, Jon and I live ~
Obadiah Bykleigh and his 'Council of Warre' plan their next move





























In recent years for this period I've moved away from 40 x 40mm bases and the like to larger bases for ease of storage and movement on the tabletop battlefield. The favoured size for the ECW armies has evolved to be 80 x 50mm. This enables a Regiment of Foote to have three bases, one of pike and two of shotte. I've also added a circular command base, an idea I lifted from Dave Imries's ECW armies on his blog ~
Essex's Tawney Coated Regiment of Foote

























Sir Marmaduke Robinson's Regiment of Foote


























A Troop pf Horse or Dragoons can be represented by a similar 80 x 50 base, usually with three mounted figures on it ~
Parliamentary Horse advancing to the fight!





















I've added a few of the ephemera of battle over the last few years as well as a number of guns of various manufacturers and calibre ~
By Perry Miniatures































Baggage ~ an essential element of the ECW army
























On a table 6'6", or 7', by 4' large scale battles in my preferred choice of 28mm figures are not always feasible. But, even on a smaller table the visual impact can be pleasing I think ~
A clash of horse on the army's flank


























Or a push of pike in the centre ~ figures by Perry Miniatures





































There's a good reason to collect those ephemera figures in the visual appeal of any game ~
The Rev Jeremiah Bykleigh invokes the Lord's blessing
on slaughtering those Godless Papists fighting for the King!




















While Solomon Drinkswelle takes a more laid back approach



















To finish then, some shots of the other units which have graced our games ~
Prince Rupert's Regiment of Foote




























The Oxford Foote


















Some action scenes from our battles ~








































































A shameless plug for my rules to finish off this second thematic post ~



























I shall be interested to see what, if any, feedback and comment this Blog post produces. If it is mainly encouraging and folk would like to see more then I shall persevere with the reorganisation of my photos and post a third Thematic Blog entry, probably of one of my Colonial Collections...

15 comments:

  1. Enjoyable post and great looking game.
    I have quite a few Sussex ECW Scots which I am fond of too.They made good figures.
    Alan

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    1. Thanks Alan, nice to meet a fellow Sussex enthusiast. I wonder who has the moulds now?

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  2. Another most excellent post, nice to see the Kinge'f army in all itf glory, Parliamentf leff fo. A pox on them fay I.
    Bring on the colonial Jonnies.

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    1. Thanks, Phil! The Heat! The Flies! Coming soonish I think! See you in 1914 later this morning!!

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  3. "I'm a republican to the very core of my being"; as a (retired) teacher I'd be amazed if you weren't! :o)

    What an excellent little post - I am harbouring thoughts of the English Civil war as my next project - and as I like your rules (I use your Colonial ones) I'm hot footing it off to Caliver even as we speak!

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    1. Hi Steve! I'm sure you'll enjoy the ECW games in your next project, even if you use another rule set from time to time. On the subject of teachers, I worked with a good few monarchists sadly.

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  4. I very nice looking collection. I always like viewing photos of ECW games and figures but I've never really gamed the period or been that interested in it has a period. Like you if I ever did decide to take to the field of battle it would be for Parliament. Bring on the Colonials!

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    1. Thanks Mark, glad you enjoyed looking at my ECW stuff, even if its not your period. I hope to post some Colonial stuff in a few days time.

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  5. So pleased to have found your blog. I have started gathering 28mm Warlord armies for both King and Parliament, about 400+ so far. Have just received some Covenanters and Montrose Irish, to expand further. I would really be interested to know, from where did you get that excellent baggage train with its carts etc.

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    1. Glad you made it Didger! Sounds like you have a good few ECW figures there too. The baggage carts will all be from foundry except the one with the pike load. I got that in a runnage box at Partizan and have no idea who made it. Possibly Hinchliffe?

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    2. Thank you for taking the time to reply David. I will be adding a baggage train to my army very shortly. Dodger

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    3. I just noticed that Warlord seem to do a version of the pike laden baggage waggon now, so can source that one if you want.

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    4. Thanks David, I have managed to get four white metal wagon kits, a powder wagon and three general purpose plus the horse leaders who walk with them and a couple sat on the carthorses which I have also ordered. I just hope I can make them look half as good as yours...Ian

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  6. David, would you consider producing a variant of these for the armies of the time in South East Asia

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  7. David, would you consider producing a variant of these for the armies of the time in South East Asia

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