Covenanter Flags 2

Here are three more Covenanter foot ensigns.

First up, a flag captured at Dunbar in 1650. It probably belonged to a Captain Christall from John Forbes of Leslie's regiment.

Next, an ensign captured at Preston in 1648. It may have belonged to a Captain Leslie in Sir Alexander Fraser of Philforth's Firelocks, raised in Aberdeenshire in 1648.

And the third one is a generic Covenanter ensign, using the motto as it appears on a surviving flag in the National Museum of Scotland.

Enjoy.

Work in Progress: Landsknechts!

My next big project for 2010 is to paint up a Maximilian Imperial army from the early 16th Century for DBA-RRR. All the figures are from Dark Dream Studios, comprising a box of their Landsknecht Dopplesoldners and Arquebusiers, a box of Landsknecht pikemen and a box of Renaissance knights. I've finished the first batch, the Dopplesoldners (double-pay men) whose job it was to hack their way into the enemy pike blocks using their monstrous two handed swords.

The first element completed for the army is the forlorn hope, who were identified by carrying a plain red Blutfahne ('blood banner')

I haven't based the other Dopplesoldners yet. The plan is to base the pikemen on extra- deep bases, and to include these figures ahead of the pikes.

Landsknechts are very tricky to paint, with their layers of slashed clothing revealing different colours. The best book I've found so far to explain how the clothing was actually made is the Osprey Landsknecht Soldier by John Richards, from their Warrior series.

Covenanter Flags 1

I've been painting a few more ECW flags, and today it's the turn of the Scots Covenanters. All these flags are infantry ensigns.

'Reviresco' means 'I Flourish Again'. I'm pretty happy with how this turned out except for the gold Covenanter motto. I haven't found a solution for writing in gold yet, and any suggestions are welcome. This ensign was carried by a Captain Aikman, who served in Colonel John Lindsay of Edzell's Regiment, raised in Forfarshire in 1650. Alternatively, it may have been a Captain's colour from the Earl of Nithsdale's Regiment of Foot. The flag was captured by Cromwell's troops at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650.

This one was captured at Preston in 1648. It probably belonged to a Catptain Erskine, from Colonel George Keith's regiment, raised in Aberdeenshire in 1648.

This one is probably a Colonel's colour, and possibly from the Master of Caithness' Regiment of Foot. It was also captured at Dunbar in 1650.

Two More Royalist Standards

Here are two more cornets captured from the Royalists at the Battle of 1st Newbury.

The motto (Dona dei utraque regi) means 'Both gifts of god are for the king'. The two gifts are the crown and the wreath of victory.

The motto means 'Square in every way'. The source for this cornet is a book from 1655 by Thomas Blount, titled The Art of Making Devises'. According to Blount the bearer of this cornet was probably proclaiming his hatred of anything to do with roundheads. Which is a bit naff.

More ECW Flags

Here are my latest two ECW cavalry cornets. Hope somebody finds them useful.

Parliamentarian, 1642-. Captain Booth of Cheshire. Motto means 'Not without cause'.

Royalist, 1643-14 June 1645 (captured at Naseby). This cornet was probably one of a series used by Sir Horatio Cary and his officers in a regiment of horse raised in the West Country in late 1643. The motto is an insult directed at the Earl of Essex, whose wife was notoriously unfaithful. A similar cornet with red ground was also captured at Naseby.