A 15th Century Wargame....

I went with a friend to Carronade ( a wargame show in Falkirk) a few weeks ago - excellent show with a light and airy venue Afterwards we returned to my friend Phil's garden for a wargame al fresco. Everything was set up , the game began and then the sky darkened , thunder rolled and a quick exit was made to the house- the tiles enabling the game to be set up in the lounge! This was the first outing for Charles the Bold against the Swiss. I commanded the Swiss and an exciting game ensued . The Swiss won and Charles the bold met his demise during the game. Figures painted by Phil - who also took the enclosed photos. It was a good day....

Hopefully my Imperialists will take the field against these superb armies one day in the not so distant future! We used DBM rules which really worked well.

The Housebook

Love, war, and chivalry, along with the latest in medieval technology and domestic arts, all meet in the pages of the remarkable manuscript known as The Housebook. This renowned but rarely seen German secular manuscript was probably produced in the middle Rhine region, perhaps near Mainz, between 1475 and 1485. It covers a wide range of subjects, from chivalric love to military technology. The manuscript was named The Housebook in the nineteenth century because parts of it -- especially a section on recipes and remedies -- reminded scholars of medieval household manuals. The manuscript, however, is much broader in scope, with sections on astrology, mining, and other aspects of medieval life. Since the seventeenth century it has belonged to the same noble family in Germany, the Princes of Waldburg-Wolfegg.

Beginnings

The images from what is known as the Medieval House book are so evocative to me . They feature in books showing troops of the period for example the Ian Heath book on armies of the middle ages volume 2. With their extreme pointed shoes, Gothic armour and other fascinating examples of Gothic style they look amazing...

I have had quite a collection of Wargames Foundry figures unpainted under the stairs. They have been dug out of their drawers and I have started to paint. I am certainly not the world's best or fastest painter but I have begun. I hope to post photographs of the first figures quite soon...

Introduction

I was given this book by my wife for Christmas in 1994. It features stunning images of the company of St George- a reenactment group founded by John Howe ( he , of the Tolkien art fame) and Gerry Embleton. The 15th century comes to life before ones eyes and I was hooked on the period..

Fourteen years later , with my regular opponent Phil having raised both a Burgundian and a Swiss army, I am finally launching forth into collecting an Imperialist army of 1474. I had begun a French army of the 1460's but my heart was not in it at all. So I fixed upon an opportunity to model those "High Medieval Gothic" troops I have held in my mind for years. So another Blog begins - do let me know your ideas and keep reading these pages. I hope to celebrate the 15th century in all its colourful glory and spectacle. Enjoy...