So I'm definitely thinking that this will be my last post for this challenge, and it's getting over the line, just in the nick of time! I'm busy with household jobs tomorrow - so no time for painting...
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| The completed unit: Regiment Monferrato |
I present the Regiment Monferrato, circa 1688 and one of the oldest regiments in the Piedmont Army. Piedmont was one of those European states that were initially allied (some say under duress) to France but later switched sides to join the Grand Alliance and fight against France.
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| From the left side |
I'd found an illustration of the regiment in Helion & Co - Century of the Soldier series - William III's Italian Ally, which centres on the Piedmont army in the War of the League of Augsburg 1683-1697. Having seen eth picture, it inspired me to do a tabletop unit.
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| And from the Right side. Note NCO extreme end of line with Halberd |
As with many armies of the time, the Monferrato Regiment wore grey jackets with blue cuffs, they had red hose and pants and a black hat, trimmed yellow. In 1688 they were issued Flintlock Muskets and still retained their Pikemen, however, these were dropped from their organisation in 1690.
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| And as they were on the evening of Monday, 15th March! |
These figures are probably unrealistically uniform in look, as at the time uniforms were still in development across Europe.
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| Central Pike and Command block |
The flags are basis this unit being part of a second field battalion of the regiment, each Piedmontese regiment carried an Ordinaza Flag - Blue or Red with a white cross - and a Colonel's Flag, which reflected the Colonel's own livery and / or coat of arms. Second or Third Battalions carried two Ordinaza flags, as here. I do not have any firm information on whet the Colonel's flag would have looked like at this time for the Regiment Monferrato.
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| Just the Pikemen, this regiment had brass buttons |
The flags are not glued to the poles, so when I find more information, I can swap one out for the Colonel's Flag and promote this unit to being eth First Battalion!
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| Two Musketeer Stands, note the Light Blue Piedmont ribbons. |
So there are 28 figures in this Regiment, four bases of four Musketeers plus four half bases of two Pikemen each and a Command base of four figures.
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| The other two Musketeer stands, I use Barry Hilton's Beneath the Lilly Banner Rules, but base the figures on 40,40mm stands, just because that was how my collection was based when I started to use them! |
These figures were undercoated in white and then coat, hat and pants colours were blocked in as per my usual method. I opted for a bright blue finish to pikes and pole arms in the unit and officer sashes and unit ribbons reflected the Piedmont army officer preference for sky blue.
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| Close up of the Command Stands |
Figures had a watered down Army Painter Dark Wash applied and when dry were given a coat of matt varnish, before being glued to their bases. Fin sand was added along with electrostatic grass and tufts to taste.
