tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post4404434526206600141..comments2024-03-26T13:06:46.463-07:00Comments on Wars of Louis Quatorze: 15mm Figure Review - Part I - OverviewRalphushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12858819393754912494noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-24767030433825129802011-09-07T06:21:13.916-07:002011-09-07T06:21:13.916-07:00Anonymous;
Wonderful engravings! The detail on th...Anonymous;<br /><br />Wonderful engravings! The detail on the French drummers is exactly what I (personally) am looking for in a drummer figure. At present, only the two I indicated match this, with the Essex coming a close second simply by having the correct size of drum. And I'm not that put off by a figure standing at rest holding the drum in this position. Thank you again.<br /><br />BillSir William the Agedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15503300059802446520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-25343827723417803022011-09-07T04:49:16.640-07:002011-09-07T04:49:16.640-07:00A late 17th century engraving by Huchtenburgh (cli...A late 17th century engraving by Huchtenburgh (click to enlarge):<br /><br />http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marche_du_Roy_accompagn%C3%A9_des_ses_gardes_passant_sur_le_pont_neuf_et_allant_au_Palais.JPG<br /><br />after van der Meulen's original dating from the 3rd quarter of the 17th century:<br /><br />http://www.culture.gouv.fr/Wave/image/joconde/0370/m099404_4c05418_p.jpg<br /><br />Amassed French drummers playing their rather voluminous instruments can be seen at the right of the image.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-24874226955420659672009-04-19T04:10:00.000-07:002009-04-19T04:10:00.000-07:00Thanks for that Bill. Just the sort of useful, obj...Thanks for that Bill. Just the sort of useful, objective information I needed. Cheers, LyallLyall Simmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16880039506417060837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-68997039805300840542009-04-18T08:16:00.000-07:002009-04-18T08:16:00.000-07:00Lyall,
Without giving away too much of the follow...Lyall,<br /><br />Without giving away too much of the follow-up articles, here goes:<br /><br />Donnington has 2 ranges that fit the period; "Late 17th Century" and the "Wars of Louis XIV", avoid the former and look at the latter. However, they only offer 4 musketeers, the loading one I've shown so far, a really excellent standing firing that is slimmer and a wonderful sculpt, one they call "advancing" that looks like he's running bent halfway over (think many plastic figures that you've seen), and one marching holding his musket back over his shoulder like he's on campaign (good, but not everyone's cup of tea). Their command figures are universally excellent, as I hope my photos show.<br /><br />I would also consider mixing in a battalion or 3 of Irregular's, as these may be the best sculpts Ian Kay has ever done in 15mm. They are anatomically correct, well-detailed, in classic poses, and mix fairly well with the Donnington.<br /><br />Venexia do an excellent range, my problem with them is that they are very large, are what we've come to call "heroic" in sculpting style (i.e., very exagerated), and the muskets are not in proportion to the figures, appearing over-large and short. They do, however, paint up extremely well and quick, as most "heroic" style figures do. Their range is also, at least for the moment, still incomplete and the only range they really mix with are Lancashire's. If they complete the range so that mixing isn't necessary, then they are very viable, if a trifle expensive.<br /><br />I address this issue of cost in a later article in detail, but right now Lancashire and Editions Brokaw are the "bargains" of the period, closely followed by Irregular and Donnington. One thing that I also like about both Irregular and Donnington are that their figures are sold individually, allowing you to tailor a unit to your whims. Want to depict sergeants with the ranks? You can. Want a different officer or mixed pikes, they are there as well. Stay tuned for the full detail, but this gives you a taste.<br /><br />BillSir William the Agedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15503300059802446520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-9711944092527511432009-04-16T14:14:00.000-07:002009-04-16T14:14:00.000-07:00Bill
Really looking forward to your figure review ...Bill<br />Really looking forward to your figure review results, as I'm just setting up a DBR army for the same period and am agonising over Donnington vs Venexia figures. Your pics of the Donnington figures are the only ones I can find, and they certainly compare well initially. Any initial comments as to detail etc between these two ranges ?<br />Cheers, LyallLyall Simmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16880039506417060837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-70242100493283535952009-04-11T13:23:00.000-07:002009-04-11T13:23:00.000-07:00Thank you Giovanni! I will, of course, be painting...Thank you Giovanni! I will, of course, be painting some sample figures for the review, but may use a few of yours to show the appearance of finished units. Your Savoyards are very well done.<BR/><BR/>BillSir William the Agedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15503300059802446520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-35208090187350000172009-04-11T07:46:00.000-07:002009-04-11T07:46:00.000-07:00On My blog there are pictures of my Savoyard army ...On My blog there are pictures of my Savoyard army using Venexia miniatures I hope it might help for the review.<BR/><BR/>http://theowlbear.blogspot.com/<BR/><BR/>Cheers<BR/><BR/>GiovanniGiovannihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14796719723877980899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-43979089588073811602009-04-10T08:11:00.000-07:002009-04-10T08:11:00.000-07:00Good questions. I'm looking for my original source...Good questions. I'm looking for my original source in French, may have been Susane but I'm not positive. However, this item is repeated by Bill Boyle in his article "Uniforms of the Thirty Years War" (p4), which actually goes beyond the TYW into the 1660's and later, and again in the general instructions for French musician's of the Ancien Regime written by Eugene de Leliepvre for Historex. It is also supported by numerous period engravings and plates from the Vinkhuijzen Collection and the Anne S.K. Brown Collection, and individual plates by Alfred de Marbot, René Humbert, Eugene de Leliepvre, Jocelyn Chevanelle and others. Is is also featured in photography of French reenactors on various sites, notably that of Patrice Menguy. The French infantry drum was held at approximately a 45 degree angle when at parade rest and a more acute angle when marching.<BR/><BR/>To address your last statement and question: Obviously, without a "way back machine" and a good camera, we'll never "know" with certainty that even the majority of French drummers followed this practice. It is probably a fair assumption though that if they didn't, <I>and</I> if it was part of the drill manual, then a helpful sergeant, drum major or junior officer would be thumping them soundly at some point. That was, after all, the general method of enforcing discipline in the 17th and early 18th centuries.<BR/><BR/>Am I being "dogmatic", or perhaps hyper-critical in my review and comments? Yes, I am. I pre-qualified this by stating that I would offer my comments as honestly and as critically as possible, but that this would not prevent me from buying a particular figure. In fact, I own and am painting several of the "incorrect" drummers shown for my own use. I just wish they were sculpted differently.<BR/><BR/>BillSir William the Agedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15503300059802446520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5980135127858355520.post-75318029683388681962009-04-09T23:55:00.000-07:002009-04-09T23:55:00.000-07:00Bill,You wrote:" The French drummers of this perio...Bill,<BR/><BR/>You wrote:<BR/><BR/>" The French drummers of this period held and played their instruments with the drum head almost vertical to the ground, not parallel as so many makers choose to sculpt it."<BR/><BR/>How do you know this? What is or are your sources for this statement? It seems a bit dogmatic. How do you know that every drummer in every French infantry regiment carried his drum this way all of the time?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com