Anniversary

Well it's the 366th anniversary of the battle today.  Northern levies are coming along, slight diversion with a Macbeth vignette, so nothing much to report.

However, here's a nice shot of the battlefield.  Hopefully I'll have some good shots once I 've visited in June (if the rain can stay off).

Drummond and Lawers Horse

Lawer’s Horse

Raised later than its associated foot regiment, it’s routmaster was Sir Mungo Campbell.  It joined its parent regiment on the march south with Callanders army in June 1644.  No record of its activities in England remain.

It was intended to be amalgamated with Hamilitons horse, but remained independent, serving in close association with the infantry through 1644 and 45.  At Auldearn they formed the right flank screening Cambells foote in their assault on the Village.  They were outnumbered and routed by Gordons charge. After serving through Auldearn and Alford, the troop was put on the same pay footing as Hamilton and Balcarres Horse in recognition of its experience.  However, by late summer it had been recruited up to full strength and amalgamated into Hamilton’s Horse.

Drummond’s Horse

Routmaster Henry Drummond raised his troop in April 1644 for service with the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant.  It served closely with Campbell of Lawer’s troop, both in England and once it returned to the northeast.  Both troops were brigaded together at Auldearn, presumably due to their small size.  They formed the right flank to the head of Hurrys advancing force, but sat on the flank of the Seaforths Highlanders.  When Aboyne's Horse attacked they attempted to wheel to counter but swung the wrong direction getting entangled with Seaforth, then fell back disordered into Lothian and the Lord Chancellors regiments. As with Lawer’s, the troop was amalgamated into Hamilton’s Horse later in the summer.

The flag is pure conjecture - there being no record of the original.  That being said I tried to use traditional motifs (cross-swords, thistles and covenant slogan) and chose a green back ground in contrast to the the red of the other unit (Halkett's).  I will probably do another standard specifically for Lawer's troop.

This will probably be the last post for a while as I'm working on the Northern levies just now and it's going at a snails pace.

Covenanter Cavalry 5: Flags and Stuff

March has been a busy month at work and the painting has been stopped as I've dug into motifs for the Covenanters standards.  Although at first pass their seems to be a lot of info on the Covenanters standards from those captured at Dunbar, Inverkeithing, Worcester and Preston - none of them really tie to the regiments at Auldearn.  So had to be a bit creative within the realms of historical accuracy.  That being said, I'll document the logic when the regiments are fully painted and written up.

In the meantime here's the first cav unit based up waiting for their colours.

The following image shows some work in progress on the rest of the standards - pretty daunting at first but a wee change from Little Big Mans.

Off to Rio so unit should be done in two weeks.

Covenanter Cavalry 4

Unit finished - only got the standard to paint and then the bases to do.  Once that is done I'll get some proper shots taken - but can't really knock the utility of the old IPhone!

Going to be a bit tricky getting the spacing right due to the officers sword.  Back row sits nicely though.

Covenanter Cavalry 3

Some more of the troopers.  Back row will be swords at the ready, front the command and charging types.

Covenanter Cavalry 2

Some work in progress on the cavalry.  Should be another half dozen along soon - hopefully have the whole unit done by the end of the month.  I'll do a write up of the regiment then - will have to be creative with the flag unfortunately - going to be harder painting on something a quarter the size of the infantry.

This will be an officer for one of the command vignettes. I really like the tone on this horse, doesn't really do it justice.  The plaid is the same as on the Lord Chancellors regiment.

Bit to much reflected flash. These are the real thing though - good front rank cavalry, especially the two with swords raised "gerrintaethem".  Black horses not to my cup of tea - the triad makes them too grey.  Think I might have the solution though, a black ink wash (see trooper on the lefts boots) darkens it all up again, whilst retaining some of the form.

Second Irish Regiment WIP

As my co-blogger in Houston has recently shared some WIP photos of his cavalry horses, I thought I would post some WIP photos of my second Irish Regiment for Auldearn. I have recently completed 24 Irish musketeers, which will form 2 shot sleeves of 12 each. I have also completed a couple of Scots government casualties that will be used to add some interest to the multi-figure bases. This regiment will be depicted in a desperate charge, the typical tactic the Irish used to bring their battles to a close. The figures are the excellent Eureka Irish, in charging poses, some clubbing with muskets. The casualties and Irish sergeant are Perry figures.

The unfinished bases are shown (above) arranged as per the final unit basing, with 2x12 man shot sleeves, plus the central pike block of 16, comprising 12 pikemen plus 4 command (Leader, Drummer and 2 Ensigns).

Close up of some of the Irish shot. The chap in the green smock with maroon trews (far left, middle distance), is painted as a tribute the the Sealed Knot re-enactors of "Laghtnan's Irish Regiment" who in earlier days wore this livery as a speculative uniform. Nowadays they wear the more accepted hodden grey of course.

Above, a couple of unfortunate Covenanters fall victim to the murderous irish mercenaries.

I have also included a shot of a new MacColla conversion. I have modified the Eureka MacColla figure with the addition of a beard, Scots blue bonnet, sporran and highland targe slung on back with shoulder strap. All were added with green stuff, with the targe coming from Bicorne. The green tartan trews and some highlights on the sporran are the only painting unfinished. The conversion and paint scheme is based on the depiction of MacColla by Angus McBride in the Osprey "Highland Clansmen" (Warrior 21), a beautiful painting in which he is shown desperately defending a cottage in the village of Auldearn during the heat of the battle. He can be seen below with the Perry sergeant, who will be joining the charging Irish.

I am presently working on Eureka charging pikemen (with half-pikes) and Perry Advancing command and hope to have the entire unit ready soon. I will post another WIP when the pike and command are complete.