TYW update

 I've been working hard on my French TYW units for Rocroi. 

Firstly, the Picardie Infantry battalion (1898 minituras)

La Claviere cavalry regiment (Warlord)

La Marine Infantry battalion (A mixture of 1898, 1st Corps, Bloody Miniatures and a couple of others)

Gardes de Duc Curaissiers (TAG)

Casualties (Bloody Miniatures, 1st Corps)

Piedmont, Cavalry de Sully, Light Gun and another Commander

 More forces for my TYW French Army

First, the Piedmont Infantry Regiment. 

Next, the Cavalry Regiment de Sully. Lovely 1898 Minituras figures. Great animation.

A light cannon, from Empress. I like the limber being included as well.

And the third of my commanders for Rocroi. I'll use him as Baron de Sirot, commander of the Reserve at Rocroi.

Le Grande Condé

 Here is the main commander for the French at Rocroi, Louis de Bourbon, Duke d'Enghien, known as "The Grande Conde"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis,_Grand_Cond%C3%A9

The figure is from Warlord Games. The banner is home made.

TYW Cuirassiers and Commander

 Some more photos for your delectation - TYW Cuirassiers and a Commander.

TYW Harquebusiers

 Another unit for my late war French TYW army for Rocroi.

This is a Weimarian unit, as the troops of Bernard de Saxe-Weimar went over to the French after his death.

A unit of Harquebusiers.

See them in action here, at our recent club refight of Lutzen 1632.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963604529147216&type=3

More TYW French

 I've finished another unit for my TYW French army.

This unit is 'flagged' to be the Duplessis Joigny Regiment. You may be aware that this regiment didn't actually fight at Rocroi, however this will instead stand as the somewhat vaguley titled 'Mixed Infantry Regiment' instead - but they still needed a flag! The Duplessis Joigny regiment will mean it can of course represent that regiment in other engagements.

The mixed regiment at Rocroi consisted of a mix of the d'Harcourt, d'Aubetetter and de Gesvres regiments (source: Helion's "The Battle of Rocroi 1643).

The figures are a mixture of Warlord with some Redoubt thrown in. I've also replaced a couple of heads on the Warlord figs to give it a little more variety.

The base in the background is so I can take a few bases and use them in a friend's game using the 'Twilight of the Divine Right' rules. I have based them so they can be used for either Pike and Shotte or Impetus.

You may notice there are fewer pikes in this unit - the previous two units were - I think - slightly larger than most, so this number of pikes will be more likely to be the size of future units.

However - next up in TYW land will be a unit of Harquebusiers. These will be German in nature as the French army incorporated Bernard of Saxe-Weimar's forces later in the war.

Saker gun

 A quick addition to my TYW project - a Saker gun, classed as a Medium gun in Pike and Shotte.

I’ve put this together because yes it is part of my army list for Rocroi, but also as a friend is putting on Lutzen soon and asked if had/could get a Medium cannon for it to supplement what he needed. Happy to oblige!

New Project: Thirty Years' War French!

Just before the move and all that related shenanigans, I began a project at the end of 2022 to collect a French army for the latter period of the Thirty Years' War, particularly to refight the battle of Rocroi1643.

Using the scenario from the Pike and Shotte supplement 'The Devil's Playground' the units I require are:

Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conde

Right Wing - 3 Units of Gendarme Cuirassiers, 1 Unit of Harquebusiers, 1 Unit of Croat Cavalry

Main Body - 8 Regiments (1 unit of Pikes and 2 of Muskets each), 3 Light Cannon, 2 Medium Cannon

Left Wing - 3 Units of Gendarme Cuirassiers, 1 Unit of Cavalry

Reserve - 1 Unit of Guard Gendarme, 1 Guard Regiment, 1 Infantry Regiment.

Here are my units so far! Mostly Warlord plastics, some Warlord metals, and some Perry and Redoubt. I've currently approached the foreign units in French service, as although 1898 Miniatures have recently released a range, French miniatures are quite rare. 

Thus, the first unit is the unit of Croat Cavalry, de Raab's unit:

Next, the Guard unit - the Guardes Ecossais

A couple of light guns:

And, one of a couple of Swiss regiments in French service - hence more armoured - the Von Roll Regiment:

Next, I am working on a simple Infantry Regiment to join the Guardes Ecossais in the reserve, which was a mixed regiment comprised of 3 other regiments, and after that probably some German Harquebusiers to represent the Weimarian troops left in French service after the death of Bernard of Saxe-Weimar in 1639. By that time I will then begin the French units. I also have the Warlord figure of the Prince of Conde but I want some extra bits for a little diorama for him. Only right for him!