David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Monday 26 February 2018

Pavise or Pavises?

As you may have seen in an earlier post I started work on a base of crossbow armed infantry from my TAG Papal States Starter Army. As the figures come in both firing and advancing poses I’ve been able to make up two bases by the addition of some figures from various command packs. I wanted to have the firing figures sheltering behind their pavise and the advancing ones carrying theirs on their backs, so I ordered a set of pavise from Perry Miniatures. When they arrived I looked around for suitable transfers for my Papal States’ figures to utilise. Nothing I found was suitable to buy so I started looking for period designs I might use as inspiration for painting my own. I found several really lovely examples, all way beyond my meagre skills with the brush, even if I simplified the design. In fact the designs I’ve chosen come from details on the wonderful Pete’s Flags which I’ve used for inspiration. I understand the pavise in the plastic sets are flat, but the metal ones are in 3D which really stretched my painting skills... Anyway, here are the finished base of figures for you to see for yourself and make up your own mind ~


I’ve started now on the Pontifical Guard, again taking my inspiration from Robby Roddis’ rendition of the unit on his Borgias blog (See link in earlier post). If I can finish those then next up will be a vignette style base for a light gun. We will have to wait and see where we go. Meanwhile, here’s the first of the Pontifical Guard to pique your interest ~

Now it’s off to Burma in 1943 for a Bolt Action 2 WWII game with Phil, unless he’s snowed in of course in Darkest Rawnsley...

15 comments:

  1. Lovely unit of crossbow men, I think the designs work really well, only 50%of the plastic pavisses are flat, the rest are the same design you have. Very nice guardsman I'm looking forward to the rest!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you Iain. Phil put me right today on the plastic pavise situation also. I’ve just finished a second Pontifical Guard and started two more. I was blogging today’s game but Photobucket has some internal issues so I painted instead.

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  2. Saw the mavisses in the flesh today and still say they are damn fine. The Papal guards pose looks like he needs to be excused duty for a little while :~)

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    1. I’m glad you thought the pavise designs decent now you’ve seen them in real life, I find that both encouraging and somewhat surprising. The Pontifical Guard looks better from the front! Promise!

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  3. Looking good David...

    Has Phil painted any of his yet.... ;-)

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly. Phil is progressing his side steadily alongside commercial work, much like your own sculpting I expect. I believe he is on his first pike base at present.

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  4. Brave man with the yellow, but it has turned out perfect. I do love flags and shields, Medici if I am not mistaken for that lovely banner.

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    1. Pete’s Flags of course. As to whose it might be would you be upset if I confessed I neither know, nor care? Toys in a game to me now a days...

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    1. Thanks Jon? How are you since the car incident?

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    2. Fine thanks, apart from still having a very sore knee.

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  6. Working on the yellow shades is difficult for me, so I am really impressed, these figures are wonderful!

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    1. Shall I confess? It’s merely Foundry Yellow shade followed by Yellow Light, I miss out the mid shade, pointless on the table from several feet away isn’t it as no one has noticed?

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