Up next are the Clipeati and Armati. Clipeati were armored footmen equipped with enormous shields
called pavises. The Clipeati formed a
shield wall from which Hungarian infantry could fight or hide behind. Crossbowmen and
handgunners probably operated behind this shield wall.
It helps to have a large flat surface like these pavises when painting heraldry in 15mm. I used watered down grey or brown to block out the shape of the icon. Then I filled up the base color and worked up successive highlights. When the icon was finished, I highlighted the surrounding color one last time to clean up and bring visual interest. It is a bit of a trial. You want your paints thinned so that you don't get too much build up but then again, too thin and it runs. Images with too much detail just doesn't work in this scale. For example, the severed eagle's leg with an arrow looked great on the web but took forever to paint. Ultimately, it was visually dwarfed by the much simpler egret, goose and goblet heraldry. I should have just painted all white geese on black shields!
I found my heraldry at a
Hungarian website. Thanks to Chrome's translator, I was able to click through and find what I needed! I can vouch for the accuracy of the heraldry on the shields above, save one. As I got to the finish line, I decided to have a bit of fun on one pavise. +5 points to the first reader who can spot it!
Armati were the armored footmen who fought with the
Clipeati. It is not clear what the Armati were armed with but it is assumed they used pole arms for fighting from, over and around the
Clipeati pavises. Overall, I'm pleased with how this mix of figures turned out together.
Shields are ace, Monty. My guess is the white tree of Gondor? I've been meaning to ask about basing. What are you using? I've been looking through past posts, and you've got a nice mix of texture.
ReplyDeleteYour mix of historical and fantasy pays off! +5!
DeleteI'm using Woodland Scenics Fine Ballast-Buff but in the rest of my armies, I use Brown. I add some scatter to it-Galeforce 9 grit or GW grit. Ever since I based a cavalry unit on a dark brown ballast, I've been sensitive to the importance of balancing the figure coloring against the basing. I'd like to try grey ballast some day!
What are you using for greenery?
DeleteI use Silflor tufts 4mm-6mm: http://www.sceneryexpress.com/products.asp?dept=1056.
DeleteIf you launch into your Impetus Spartan in 2013, they have lovely yellowed tufts that might look great. I also sprinkle in some Woodland Scenics brushes ripped into tiny bits.
Beautiful work Monty, just love the shields, I was gonna go for the castle shield as the fake, until I read FMB's comment!
ReplyDeletelol and thanks Ray! Strangely enough, various castles are pretty common in Hungarian heraldry. Kind of like "check out my pimped out pad," 15th century version!
DeleteGreat work! I spotted the tree before looking at the comments, does that count? :D
ReplyDeleteYou'd know best than most Andrew! +5 points for you too!
DeleteSame for me! Anyway, a fantastic overall impression, they are gorgeous, great work Monty!
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Phil.
Thanks Phil! I can't wait to see what treats you and your club will serve up in 2013!
DeleteBeautiful shield work Monty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Fran! And I love your new pic!
DeleteAzure, three Argent swans rising avant over a coronet Or
ReplyDeletemy wild guess
Good guess Willow, but three swans coming out of a crown is authentic. It was so cool I immediately had to paint it once I saw it!
DeleteBut didn´t Gondor supply troops to the Hungarians? :-D
ReplyDeleteGreat looking shield line
Cheers
paul
In the 15th century, who didn't provide mercenaries to the cause? ;-)
DeleteI do wonder about the shields with the bolts/studs.
ReplyDeleteWould they have highlighted them, as you have, or just painted a design right over them?
+5 for your observation as well. In RL, they'd have painted right over it. I'm not too proud to admit to certain liberties in 15mm.
DeleteNow those are some fantastic shields! I love the variety.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jonathan! I think the Scutarii project was a good warmup to the heraldry, with all of the geometric shields. And this will be a good warm-up for Saga shield painting. What I'd give to be a gunpowder era painter!
DeleteHi Monty,
ReplyDeleteno comment to add to all those accurate comments ;-)
all is perfect!
now I just need to find where is my Middle ages unpainted lead box to paint another eastern army, you shook all my paint planning with your inspiring work,thanks a lot ;-)
so if the winter is coming , i'll need to learn to paint with gloves ;-) I hope that it will not be with boxing gloves because I already tried to milk the cows and the flies with this style of gloves and I must admit that it's uneasy ;-)
Cheers
thefrenchjester " raging bull ;-) "
Lol! You always bring the funny, De Niro!
DeleteIf you're looking for a FoG army, I don't know if you can do better than the Later Hungarians and all of their Superior Szekler horse archers. I can hardly wait to put them on the tabletop!
Great work Monty I am with Ray and FMB The white tree looks the odd one out!
ReplyDeleteThanks Willie. I so wanted a black and white shield that I had to go Tolkien to get it!
DeleteGreate work Monty !!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year !
Best regards Michael
Thanks Dal! I was just admiring your thread at TMP. I'm such a big fan of your style of painting.
DeleteBeautiful work - the pavises are very well painted. Best, Dean
ReplyDeleteThanks Dean! Once a year is all the heraldry I can handle.
Deleteperfect
ReplyDeletenow that you have made a perfect painting it must be a great pressure to show the following one ;)))
bonnes fêtes monty
Heraldry gets a little better with practice. Eventually, you just want to be done!
DeleteHappy New Year Marco...here's to a year of great gaming in 2013!
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ReplyDelete