Sir William Pennyman's Regiment of Foote

Another very satisfying moment when I can announce the completion of another 40-strong regiment.  I completed the musketeers a few weeks ago, but I needed more pikemen which I picked up from Colours at Newbury in September.  During the wait for that show I managed to bring some other units up to strength.

The figures are all Bicorne Miniatures from their 28mm range. Flags are by GMB. Bases are MDF and the texturing on the bases are a mixture of all sorts including twigs and cat litter rocks (which I am running short of now after all these years, I may need to buy another bag just for the miniatures to use!).

I think my discovery of the year has been the flora by MiniNatur. This stuff is just wonderful and the small shrubs and flowers add such detail to a figure base.  I wish I could remember which blogger I first spotted using this and I had to ask the question as to whom it was made by. The model was an ACW signalling tower if I recall and it was amazing, and with such great plant-life beneath the tower.

I have focussed on the musketeers of this regiment before, so here is the pike block.  The poses of these pikemen are some of my favourite.  They look like they are marching with a 16 foot long piece of ashwood rather than a helium stick!  They have the air of a unit on campaign.  Armour is minimised to just a helmet for the men.  Tassets (if ever issued), would have been 'lost' on the first march.  The first full summer of marching and counter marching around the Thames Valley, midlands, west, south and back to the Thames Valley might have resulted in the back and breast plates going the same way.

A close up (or making 28mm figures look like 12" 'Action Man' figures! Do I really want to expose my painting to that much scrutiny!) :-)  Unfortunately the flash has given the blue coats a purple hue, but I hope this doesn't spoil the overall detail effect.

A side view of the pike block.  Moving these guys as one stand instead of several should speed up the game time considerably.

A view of the unit from the rear.  I really do like the little details these figures have, like the patches on their clothing and also the leather packs, which must have been carried on campaign.  I just can't imagine any soldier wanting to keep his plunder on the baggage cart!

By strange co-incidence, when I was painting this regiment I discovered that the regimental commander, Sir William Pennyman was actually buried no further than 300 yards away from where I work!  Having an office with a balcony which looks at the King's old Headquarters of Christchurch College and Cathedral  really does inspire me to paint and delve deeper into this fascinating period of history more and more.