Strelets 005 - Army of Joan D'Arc

 (Para a versão em português, clique aqui)

This is one of my favorites (if not my favorite) sets from Strelets. I got 5 copies of this one (1 bought individually and 4 [almost complete sets] as a lot at an ebay auction).

The guys from PSR gave it a rating of only 6 for the sculpting, 7 for Historical Accuracy, 7 for Pose Quality and 8 for the Mould. The only 10 this set scored at the PSR website was for the pose number (which is indeed very good, since all 36 poses are unique). 

In my honest opinion, I'd have given a 9 or even a 10 for the sculpting and a 9 for the pose quality. 8 for the mould was kind of fair, due to the flash in a few places. 

As a fan of Strelets' work in general and an avid hobbyst colector of medieval miniatures, I thought the sculpting on this set was very good precisely because it has that "Strelets look" which is unique for this manufacturer. 

I personaly don't like "hyper-realistic" figures and I genuinely think that Strelets delivers in their sets a very nice balance between the "realistic look" and the "toy-ish look". Hence why I hesitate to buy those "perfect and ultra-realistic" 3d-printed minis that are popping up in ebay and other market places (mostly 28mm rpg minis, but still...) 

That being said, let me start with what I like about this set:

- this is a very nice looking set with the aforementioned "Strelets look". It is indeed very "Streletsy".

- This set provides a nice arrange of heavy infantry (or dismounted knights, or armored infantry if we use the Chainmail rules and jargon) which may be employed in any medieval european wargame army. 

- Also, the variety of armours is great too. You get a decent number of different helmets and armour styles in this set.

- There is also a good number of crossbowmen poses: 4 in total. A guy crouched, reloading his crossbow, another one with it rested in his shoulder (a good pose for a tower or wall sentinel, for example, or even to represent a marching crossbowman), one holding the crossbow as if waiting, and finally one shooting.

- I really like the short glaiveman (or perhaps they are Billmen?) with the very large shield. A group of these could work as "man-handled pavises", as in the picture below:

- A very useful piece is the king, which can be used as thus in any european medieval army (and also medieval fantasy armies)

 

- Another very useful piece in this set is the Herald figure, which is great to  compose a command group, for example. Also I think it is always nice when manufacturers provide civilian miniatures (specially priests, heralds and peasants) so that our games and dioramas have a greater variety of miniatures and thus more flavour. There should be more medieval civilian sets in 1/72. I'd buy, for sure!

- The horses are very beautiful on this set, specially the armoured ones. All the horse poses provided in this set are great.

Now the bad side:

- Since the French were known for their paladins / heavy knights, a higher number of such mounted figures could've been provided, and not only 6 mounted poses - and of those 6, 2 are mounted archers, 1 is Joan D'Arc herself and 1 is the King of France. Only 2 of the mounted poses in this set represent the famous french heavy cavalry, one with a sword and the other wielding a battle axe. The old Accurate / Revell "French Knights" set does it better by providing more knight poses. The French Warriors set from Italeri also does a good job. Obviously, all these sets may be used together to create a large French Army for the 100 years war.

- Some flash, specially in the edges of the small details (such as the herald's fleur-de-lis baton), which makes it more difficult to trim.

Overall, this is a very good set whether you are a wargamer and/or a collector of medieval niniatures. Even though this kit represents french soldiers and knights, I think these minis might be recruited by almost any other medieval european army, even those who have the fleur-de-lis design on their shields.

I really liked this dismounted knight! Perfect to represent a general or an officer!

Building a tower

A couple months ago, using a chocolate powder can (which is tall and slender - very fitting for a tower) I made this medieval tower model. 

The materials I used were:

- The tin can

- Mask tape (to cover the metal surface of the can)

- Clay (to make the tiles. The clay sticks to the mask tape easily)

- Glue (plastic glue, so that the tiles are better fixed, and to add a thin transparent coat on them, just to keep them in place)

- toothpicks (to help make the top of the tower and its battlements)

- metal wire (to shape the round top of the tower)

- popsicle sticks (to make the floor on the top of the tower)

The tower almost finished, with the clay bricks already sculpted. I used a hobby knife to trace the brick outlines on the clay surface (in the background another "tower" I made using the same process but using a towel paper roll. It will become a mill or something like that)

The round top of the tower. The floor is made of popsicle sticks glued together then sawed in a round shape. I then drilled roles with a small hand drill and placed toothpicks around. Then I wraped wire and glued paper to make a round "wall" were the battlements would be placed.

The top of the tower completed with clay, the bricks and battlements already sculpted.

Another view of the top of the tower. The Archers are just for reference. The tuna can in the background was used to help shaping the round wooden floor!

The tower set, with 3 landsknecths arquebusiers already on watch!

Now all that is left to do  is to decide if I will paint the tower or not (I kinda liked this  "earthy" clay tone), and which collor will it it be.

I also need to make a door and a few windows (probably out of cardboard paper).

So far this tower has been sitting on my bookshelf for a few months, waiting a game and/or to be finished.

The County of Australusia

(Para e versão em português, clique aqui)

Australusia is an "imagi-nation", a ficticious small County located in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula during the middle ages. Its firts ruler was Count Isidro, a noble knight who conquered his share of land and power during the Reconquista wars. 

In his time, Isidro fought many wars against the moors and even a few battles against some christian kingdoms, such as Aragon and León, in order to keep his domains.

Count Isidro divided his county in a few baronies (ruled by Barons) and municipalities (ruled by Alcaids), and gave them to the officers and sargents who fought under his command, thus creating a body of nobles loyal to him and bound to him by law.  Each baron and alcaid was expected to pay tribute to the Count either on goods, gold or silver, and to send men to fight for him, should the need rises.

Isidro was granted permission to issue gold and silver coins in his County. Isidro stablished a mint in his capital, Campo D'Ouro ("Golden Field"), where gold Escudos and silver Cruzados were struck. 

The Land

Australusia is a small, rather flat county with green hills and lusty woods. The soil is specially propicious to cultivate grapes, and, by the time of the 200th aniversary of the County,  Australusian wine was famously appreciated in the whole western Europe.

Its lusty forests also produced good wood, specially to the making of furniture, ships and musical instruments. Thus, the Australusian beech trees became a very sought-after wood in the rest of Europe. Many rival kingdoms tried to steal its seeds and saplings - a crime punishable by death if the thief was caught. Many Frenchmen, Aragonese and even Englishmen and Normans were hanged this way.

In future posts I'll publish the Australusian timeline, flag, coat of arms, map, etc.

(In this humble blog of mine I will publish each text in Portuguese and in English, as separate posts).