Sunday 18 April 2021

Review of The Elizabethan Irish

 Continueing with the theme of reviewing my Elizabethan Ireland project we move onto the "Mere Irish". Probably meant to be as a derogatory as it sounds "Mere Irish" was used to describe the native Irish forces, it is worth noting that the native Irish fought for either side and sometimes both.

Initially organised for Pikemans lament I may need to add figures if I am to do Sharply Buffed or another rule set. The Six horse are all Redoubt enterprises with head swaps. Nice figures with awful heads originally. The heads were salvaged from a range of different figures including Perry Irish and C

I am told Perry's are looking at Irish horse for the Wars of the Roses so I will either expand with those or add some Dark Age Irish possibly from Crusader or Footsore.
Taking the best armed Kern this is a unit of Bonnaught ready to rush any English units that get dis-ordered by skirmishers. Mainly Perrys, the chap at the front is I think Crusader with a helmet added.

The Shotte are again mainly Perry, this first unit has an Essex figure included and a head swap to add a "modern" helmet in the mix.
A bit more colour in this next unit with some minor conversions to produce more Shotte, as well as another Essex figure there are two Crusader Kern leaning on decapitated heads!
These four all started as Kern with Javelins and have had hand swaps to add firearms, I think they have come out OK. This gives me 2 units of skirmishers, a third might be nice at some point.
This next lot will need to be added in with other units but for mow they are pictured seperately, the Antideluvian miniatures based on the Mollo engraving. Lovely.
The Gallowglass are the heavy troops fro the Irish and again two units, a mix of Antideluvian and Perry which go well together despite the disparity in the historical era they are designed for. 
This second unit also from erry and     Antideluvian with a Foundry warrior added in with a helmet swap to bring him up to date.
The remaining Gallowglass form a little command unit but could also be the start of a third unit of 8 if we go with Sharply Buffed rather than Pikemans lament.
The Archers are also mainly Perry and Antideluvian with a Crusader figure second from right thrown in too.
The Irish prior to the 9 years war or Tyrones rebellion were still very anitquated for the most part in their weapons and tactics, they were however still very effective.

Javelin armed troops again the three manufacturers and a helmet added to the crusader figure ont he left.
And a last unit of Kern javelin men. They really are lovely figures.
Thats feels like a nice rounded force for the Irish with just a couple of figure to add here and there, I suppose I better get some game time organised and playtest some rules!

Thanks for bearign with me,till next time stay safe.


18 comments:

  1. A stunning collection Roj. Well done. Cheers Chris

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    1. I look forward to trying Pikeman’s Lament with them. Might just do the trick

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    2. i DEFINATELY WANT TO TRY pIKEMANS lAMENT, BUT ALSO sHARPLY bUFFED AND POSSIBLY iRREGUYLAR wARS

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    3. Lookign for a rude gesture imogi, just imagine I sent you one!

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  2. That’s a lovely looking collection Roger ...
    I look forward to seeing them in action.

    All the best. Aly

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  3. Nice work and interesting units, but suspect they will be cast away by their uncaring masters when they get into battle.

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    1. The Canny Irish will no doubt be skirmishing from cover whilst the English figure out how to deal with them.

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  4. They all look grand Roger.

    The "Mere Irish" are the pure (Latin Merus) Irish in contrast to the at least notionally English Irish descendants of the Anglo -Normans of Ireland. Many of the latter looked just like your lads above and there was a whole raft of legislation to prevent them becoming even more Irish.

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    1. Cheers OB, just invested in some rules to try when we can play.

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  5. These look great - wonderful brushwork and basing!

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