MacColla's Lifeguard ready to take the field

Managed to get some time to complete the flags and basing so MacColla's chosen men are ready for battle. Didn't get time to set up a proper photo shoot on the table with scenery (maybe later), which is a shame as last week I also painted up 3 new houses for the village of Auldearn that would have made a great back drop.

I have included MacColla in the unit accompanied by a trusty bodyguard armed with lochaber axe. He is based separately so can be removed if he is not with his lifeguard. I am also preparing a separate MacColla command base for 'Pike and Shotte', using my other MacColla model so he can also make an appearance in his more typical role as brigade commander.

The lifeguard is made up of a mix of highland and Irish shot, representing MacColla's most trusted Irish veterans and Hebridean clansmen. I have chosen to represent the unit as a kind of 'elite' commanded shot, rather than as traditionally armed highlanders with claymore's etc, although I have given one personal bodyguard figure a lochaber axe, and he is based with MacColla.

Most figures are Eureka ECW Irish and Highlanders. There are also four Perry figures; the two Ensigns, the Irish Captain with pistol, and the Irish musketeer in floppy hat.

The lifeguard companies were picked from amongst the 3 regiments of the Irish brigade, and Reid in his Osprey on Auldearn estimates there were about 140 men in the unit at the battle. At 1:10 this is 14 figures, and the unit can be fielded as a "standard" sized shot unit. Some play testing will determine whether or not this unit should be fielded as commanded Irish shot with 'elite 4+' or as the hard bastards included in the Scots Royalist army list in the 'Pike and Shotte' rule book, which should be fielded as a 'small' sized unit.

For flags this unit gets another couple of Irish sheets from the True Informer list, including the famous yellow sheet featured in the Osprey MAA on Scots in the English Civil War. As usual, I will share the flags on the blog, with more info as soon as I get some time to post them.

Finally, this is the unit in their new movement tray, made from the GW plastic tray kit. The tray still needs to be painted and textured.

Next unit up on painting table is Gordon of Monymore's Regt, they are the black primed figures in the background, and then onto the Gordon Horse...