Haselrig's Lobsters: My first 28mm ECW Unit

 

I finished painting these figures near a month back but have been distracted with a three-week flu and my WW2 armies. Anyway, I will spare you all another amateur historical account of Sir Arthur Haselrig's Cuirassiers ('The Lobsters') but suffice to say this unit will form part of my early ECW army of Sir William Waller.

I picked up these figures from The Keep hobby shop in Devises whilst touring England with my wargaming mate Grant back in 2008 I think it was. I think they are from the now defunct Renegade Miniatures range and I don't know if you can get them any more.

 

I loved painting these figures - they just take the paint so easily. I thought long and hard about how I would paint the armour and went with blackened (blued) armour by mixing gloss black with Gun Metal, then dry-brushing steel over the highlights. On one figure I used a mix of Vallejo Gun Metal Blue with Gun Metal just for something different.

The detail on these castings is just stunning - I particularly like the lace topped boots on some of them. I gave them a mix of orange, white and black feathers on their helmets and they are all differently clothed.

I made and hand painted the guidon of course, referring to my copy of Steve Archibald's definitive 'English Civil War Flags - Cavalry Cornets and Guidons'. It's a must have. I opted for Sir Arthur Halesrig's Guidon but there was an option for one from one of his captains.

 

As you can see, this is quite a small unit for me at only nine figures. It will still make for a standard body of horse but another three figures would allow me to field two supporting troops of six. Perhaps one day. In the meantime I have started on a regiment of 12 plastic Warlord cavalry which will be royalists (I'm doing both sides) but for the time being I'm caught up in late war Germans.