17th Century boxes Polish Foot
A long time ago, I set up the page for my eastern Europe collection, and then got distracted (shocked, I know you are.) with other things.
So get ready for another set of boxes as I start with my Polish foot and artillery. I will repeat most of this verbiage on 17th Century page the to save future onlookers to have to find this post.
Most of the figures are Old Glory, from either the Eastern European 17th Century range or the ECW range. I had an excess of chair rail molding at the time, hence the thick stands.
The basing reflects the beginning of playing games where you need not worry about the exact number of castings on a stand, but counted either the stand or the whole unit. So the 6 pike or the 5, 4, or 3 on a stand of other weapon types was a personal choice. The pikes are steel wire, nearly indestructible and without pike heads, such a detail I can overlook.
That being said, the units work well in the Anchor of Faith rules by Piquet, which I stubbornly prefer for the period. With adjustments, of course.
In the heady days of the early naughts (most figures are painted 2004 to 2005) there was little information on banners carried aside from those shown in the book by Mr. Gush. I did find a website which showed flags of cities and regions which I happily used for my unit flags.
The flags are bright and definitely colorful, they give the commander an easily id'd unit on the field. That is why I chose them. When I update the East Euro 17th century page I will denote the regions the flags are attributed.
If you enlarge the photos, you will notice that some units are wholly in western style dress, some entirely in Eastern European dress, and some in a mix. The clothing chaos represents the lack of a central force for the kingdom, something shared with other states at the time. I did make a decision to keep a uniform color in a unit. If I had to do it over, I might be more diverse within a unit for coat color.
So, fresh from boxes marked 17thC Polish Foot & Artillery.
Comments
Jonathan...I think it's correct. It was almost 20 years ago.
In the early 2020s there is still little definitive information about Polish-Lithuanian flags of the period. Mixtures of red (which I prefer to interpret as crimson), blue, yellow. Plenty of eagles, lots of checks and stripes. The world is your oyster, using the few extant remnants as inspiration and information.
So many attractive units in the army and basically can be used from 'The Deluge' to the Great Northern War. 'European' infantry in western-style garb and also in more traditional Polish dress is one of the attractions. You have done them beautifully.
I'm right into 'things Polish' at the moment—explains the long comment! As you know, Davies' "God's Playground"/getting out my Great Northern War figures, then finding out about the "With Fire and Sword" rules/scenario book got me on this track. I'm yet to get to Sienkiewicz's books. I have just finished reading a new Helion publication "We Came, We Saw, God Conquered” by Michael Paradowski (I'll post a review once I have some figures brought to ultimate completion to help to 'decorate it').
Regards, James
Thank you for the kind words, especially pointing out the dearth of readily found flag information! I have a few foot figures left in my 'box of shame' in this era. I will undoubtedly purchase some more as time goes on. I eagerly your review of the Paradowski book, and again recommend the trilogy by Sienkiewicz. Only after the trilogy will you understand my 'Zagloba ' references.
Regards,Joe
You might enjoy the posts on the artillery and mounted units coming.