The Eighty Years War

Why do I start this project with an inbox review? Because there doesn’t exist one yet! I looked for a review of this box on the internet before buying it and couldn’t find one anywhere. So here it is: the worlds very first review of the War of Religion Infantry Regiment from Warlord Games:

One of the miniatures is an ensign who carries a flag. Warlord Games provided these seven flags:

• France: white flag with yellow fleurs de lis
• Burgundy cross (also: ragged cross, Saint Andrews cross): the flag of Spain. Also used by the Holy Roman Empire (= Germany). This is the flag I will use for my Spaniards.
• Flag of Malta with Saint Elena. Perfect if you want to replay the siege of Malta.
• House of Sforza: The dukes of Milan. I had never heard of them. ?
• Cross of Saint George: the English flag.
• The double headed Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire.
• The same eagle with a crown.

Let’s move on to the miniatures. There are 24 in the box:

• 12 pikemen
• 8 arquebusiers
• 1 officer
• 1 ensign
• 1 drummer
• 1 flutist

No bases? No, my box came without any bases. The box and the website say they are supposed to be in the box. Someone forgot, I suppose. Ah well, I was planning to put them all on different bases anyway. I’ll use round 25mm bases for this project.

Style and historical accuracy

The overall look of the miniatures captures the time period well (1570-1600). Some pikemen still remind of landsknechts, who were disappearing in that period but not entirely gone yet. The miniatures are nicely sculpted.

If we are very critical: I miss feathers. Soldiers used to put feathers on their hats or helmets in the colour of the army in which they served. In this set only the officer and the flutist have a feather on their headgear. Almost all miniatures wear a sash: only officers and non commissioned officers whore those. In this box only the officer and ensign (also an officer) should have a sash. Admittedly, these are details in wat is a very nice set of miniatures.

The pikes

At first I didn’t know how to put the pikes in the hands of the pikemen. Are you supposed to cut them in two? Then glue both halves to the hand? This won’t result in a straight pike. And there will be very little surface to glue the pike halfes to the hand.

No, that’s not how to do it. You drill a whole through the fist of the pikeman. I drilled a tiny whole first with my finest drill. This very fine whole then guides the bigger drill. This is the result:

Conclusion

This is a very nice set of miniatures. Recommend.