My Proposed ECW Foot Units

I want to use "real" units, not "imaginary" ones for my Royalist forces . . . but, of course, we really don't what color the uniforms and/or flags were for most of the ECW.

So I searched for units for which both uniform coat and regimental flag are known . . . even though they might be in differing commands or in different years.

What I've provisionally selected to eventually add to my forces can be seen at left.

The "color" above the commander's name is the coat color as found in one source or another.  Some varied by year, but these are what I'm currently looking at using.

I will not, of course, start out with all of these at once.  In fact my forces may never get to a dozen pike & shot units . . . but this (at least currently) is what I hope for.

-- Jeff

What Color Coat Did They Wear in the ECW ???

Do you know what color uniform coat the following Royalist foor regiments wore during at least part of the English Civil Wars?  If so please leave a comment as to which regiment it is and what the coat color was:

(Please note that, as replies come in, I will add a note to those identified)

• Ashley, Colonel
• Aston, Sir Arthur
• Astley, Sir Bernard -- White
• Bagot, Col. Richard -- Dark Blue
• Bellasyse, Col. John -- 1643 Oxford re-issue -- either Blue or Red
• Byerley, Sir Anthony -- 1644 possibly White
• Chaytor, Col. Henry
• Cooke, Col. Francis -- Blue
• Darcy, Col. Conyers -- Blue
• Duke of York -- 1644 possibly White
• Earl Rivers -- Oxford Blue
• Fitton, Sir Edward -- 1643 Oxford re-issue -- either Blue or Red
• Lambton, Sir William
• Lord Byron
• Lord Molyneux -- Burgandy suit
• Lucas, Sir Gervase -- Blue coat, White facings, Yellow breeches
• Marquis of Winchester -- Burgandy suit
• Strading, Sir Edward -- 1643 Oxford re-issue -- either Blue or Red
• Thelwell, Sir Anthony -- 1643 Oxford re-issue -- either Blue or Red
• Vaughan, Sir Henry -- Red suit, Dark Blue facings

 -- Jeff

Some ECW Figures

Well today some sample Perry Miniatures ECW figures that I'd ordered appeared in the mail.

Perry's Pistol-armed Cavalry

I've read a number of places that they mix well with the Warlord plastics (which have not yet arrived -- so I cannot verify whether they do or not).

By the way, the photos on this page are not mine but are from the Perry website.

Perry's Musketeers Loading

And while the photos might make these appear to also be plastic, the figures I received are metal . . . and very well-cast, sharply detailed metal indeed.  They look very nice.

When the Warlord plastics arrive I will let you know just how well (or not) they do mix.

-- Jeff

ECW Rules

 I'm not completely happy with any of the rule sets for the ECW that I've read . . . so I think that I am going to write my own.

And at least I've decided upon a name for my own version of ECW miniature rules . . . and I've taken a clue from Larry Brom's "The Sword and the Flame" Colonial rules by plucking a phrase from a famous English author.

However the phrase did not come from the English Civil War.  In fact it was written before ECW had even occurred . . . that's right, as a man of the Theatre, I pulled something from Shakespeare.

Almost everything title I liked for the ECW has already been used.  The best that I came up with was "King vs Cromwell" but that really didn't do it for me.  Then I recalled a bit of a speech in Act III, scene iii of Shakespeare's "Richard II": 

“But ere the crown he looks for live in peace,

Ten thousand bloody crowns of mothers' sons
Shall ill become the flower of England's face;
Change the complexion of her maid-pale peace
To scarlet indignation , and be-dew
Her pastures' grass with faithful English blood.”

This seemed to me to be a fair assessment of the situation during the ECW (even though it referred to 1399) . . . so I picked the last three words for the title of my ECW rules:

"Faithful English Blood"

Now all I have to do is write the rules, eh?

-- Jeff

Eyes Better & Figures Ordered

First of all, I'm happy to report that the cataract surgery on my right eye has been successful.  I can see things a lot more clearly now.

And, in celebration (at least that's what I'm pleading) and the fact that WARLORD GAMES is offering free worldwide shipping through July 31st, I have finally ordered some 28mm figures to begin work on my long-time desire to game the English Civil War.

I ordered the "Pike & Shotte Starter Battalia" (note: link is to US site).  With it I will get 90 foot and 24 cavalry for $96.

Yes, I know that they are hard plastic rather than metal but I really don't care . . . I will be able to build them with a lot of options so as to get a good "irregular" look to my ECW units . . . and anyway I use 1/4" MDF for basing my figures so that provides sufficient "heft" even with plastics.

I might even order a second set as well since what one gets for under a hundred bucks is quite a lot . . . but if so it will be a separate order in the hope that both will clear Canadian Customs without getting whacked with duties and an "inspection fee" . . . (ah the joys of getting things shipped across borders).

However please do not expect to see them on the table top soon.  There will be a lot of painting and assembly to accomplish first.  And in the meantime I will be keeping an eye on eBay and Bartertown for deals on Warlord and Perry ECW figures (these being apparently a very good mix -- even in the same unit).

-- Jeff

2nd Eye Surgery on Thursday

I am looking forward to my second cataract surgery in a few hours. 

I had the same surgery on my left eye about a month ago and it made a very significant difference . . . and my left eye had always been my "weak eye" . . . but since the surgery I can see much better out of it than I can with my right eye.

So a similar improvement with this second cataract surgery should make things even better.

-- Jeff

Rant on Rulebooks

I just received my OMM (On Military Matters) product update in my email today . . . and, once again it listed a very large rulebook.

Now when I say "large", I'm not kidding.  A hardback book of over 400 pages and weighing about 5 pounds (costing $99 USD plus shipping).

And while they may very well be excellent rules I personally do not want anything that huge (and presumably complex).  As I've aged (I'm now 65) I find that I very much prefer relatively simple rules.  I do not need the large volumes of extensive rules that so many companies seem to have favored over the past decade or so.

For my Colonial gaming I have gone back to using "The Sword and the Flame", which is around 30 years old now . . . but which still provides a good fun exciting skirmish game.

For my recent 16th century gaming, I'm using Clarence Harrison's "Victory Without Quarter" rules, which only take a handful of pages.

And for my 18th century gaming, I use fairly simple rules that I've written myself . . . which can pretty much be played just from the Quick Reference Sheets.

All of these provide me with enjoyable gaming experiences WITHOUT needing hundreds of pages of rulebook . . . so why would I want a rulebook that weighs 5 pounds?

If YOU want these huge rulebooks for your games, that's fine.  I have no objection to your playing (and even enjoying) such extensive rule tomes . . . but they are not for me.

-- Jeff