Border Artillery and more...

Its been a while since my last Border Ruffian Post, these guys have been floundering on my workbench for a couple of weeks, waiting for me to have the time to complete them.

So what we have in this post are some Foundry Elizabethans I sourced from eBay plus a gun, crew and various foot men I got from Dixon Miniatures to see how compatible they would be both in dress and style as well as size and sculpt with the Foundry guys.

First up is the gun and crew from Dixon Miniatures, from their Flodden Range. Flodden is a little early for the peak Border Reiver era as it was fought in 1513 and as such was fought during the reign of Henry VIII, albeit he was off gallivanting in France at the time.

Light Field Gun with two crew

Business end of the gun!

And a final view of the other side of the gun and crew.

I left the gun carriage as natural wood, with all metal work painted black to avoid rust. The model was washed with a watered down Army Painter Dark Tone wash.

The crew were two very nice models based, separately from the gun but able to be placed upon the gun's base during games. Dress wise, I think these will get away with being placed in the later Elizabethan period, although their leggings might 'age' them somewhat.

Two halbardiers, ready to receive attacking horse.

The two halbardiers, were again nice figures to paint, one with thigh high leather riding boots and a steel helmet whilst the other is bareheaded and in a quilted jacket and knee length boots. Both these figures can be used OK for Elizabethan period, the helmet style is somewhat early but can be argued to be a family hand me down for the later period

Three pike men again ready to receive...

The three pike men are from lower stock, each wearing a nicely moulded leather jack, two with steel helmets and one with a soft cap. Again I think it is the leggings that might be a little suspect in the Elizabethan period but I will take other's views on this.

Final Dixon's figures - two Highlanders

And here are two Dixon Highlanders who are dressed and styled in a manner compatible with other figures of the Elizabethan period.

The big (forgive the pun!) issue with all the Dixon's figures is that whilst fantastic figures in themselves they are sculpted in a very different style to the rest of the collection. Although retailed as 28mm figures, they are, in my opinion re-badged 25mm figures, and are noticeably shorter than other Borderers in my collection.

That and the difference in anatomical style makes the two sets of figures very different, Dixon's figures are much more anatomically proportioned, whilst the Foundry figures are much more chunky. See the picture below...

Left a Foundry Calivar Man, Right Dixon's Highlander

... That said, some figures will fit in better than others.

Two Calivar men

So the two Calivar men were both from Foundry, one from the Garrison range and one from the Sea Dogs range, both painted up nicely.

Four Halbardiers from Foundry and a Warlords Games plastic Pike Bill men 

A selection of Halbadiers plus a Warlords Plastic pike man that has already been converted (since this photo) to a bill man. The Warlords Games figure has a Gripping Beast head from an the Dark Ages archers box added to the basic figure to give it a less Civil War look.

Halibardier & Drummer from Foundry

And finally (really this time) a Sea Dog with a Halibard and a Drummer, both nice foundry models.

Next up on the painting Workbench 7 x Norman Crossbow men and 8 x Fanatics for the Borders - nocturnal raiders armed with the cross, flame and an inappropriate amount of religious bigotry!