Wargaming the English Civil War in 1/72 Scale Part 4: Flags

There were three types of flags used in the English Civil Wars: Ensigns, Cornets and Guidons. All were generically known as ‘colours’. Ensigns were used by foot, cornets by horse and guidons by dragoons.

You can find a great introduction to ECW flags here:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=uGBG25-u67kC&pg=PR23&lpg=PR23&dq=english+civil+war+flags&source=bl&ots=HbkC5hKVkt&sig=YPqBCSyB44R_qix6Xg1Pucy-wc0&hl=en&ei=baCIS_v_ENGGkAXTpc0C&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=english%20civil%20war%20flags&f=false

This gives the full introduction from The English Emblem Tradition Vol. 3: Emblematic Flag Devices of the English Civil Wars 1642-1660 by Alan R. Young, 1995. I own this book and it is great, giving a description and illustration (when known) of every known flag from the English Civil Wars that bears an emblem and slogan of some sort. This does mean however that most of the flags included are cavalry cornets. The book doesn’t include the more generic foot ensigns.

1. Ensigns

Ensigns were carried by each company of foot. They were usually about 2 metres square, so in 1/72 scale should measure about 2.8cm square. They were carried on short poles (around 2.3 metres long) to allow flourishing and twirling. In both Parliamentarian and Royalist armies the ensigns followed a similar design scheme. The ensign belonging to the Colonel was usually plain, the Lieutenant-Colonel’s ensign bore only the cross of St George in the top left corner. The ensigns of the Captains commanding each of the (usually 5) companies usually bore a number of heraldic devices or symbols, the number of which showed the seniority of the Captain. The more senior the Captain, the fewer devices.

This scheme is well illustrated on some free flags for the Earl of Essex’s army available on the Warflag site:

http://www.warflag.com/flags/ecw/ecw.shtml

Some other free ensigns are available here:

http://tmg110.tripod.com/british6.htm

http://www.quindia.com/studioart08.htm

Covenanter, Scots Royalist and Irish Confederate ensigns were a little different. Covenanter ensigns were usually, but by no means always, based on the St Andrew’s saltire, with some variation on the motto ‘Covenant for Religion, Crown and Kingdom’ or similar. In addition, the ensigns often included some heraldic emblem, often denoting the regiment’s colonel.

A few beautiful flags for Scots Royalists, Covenanters and Irish are available on the Project Auldearn blog:

http://auldearn1645.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-08-01T14%3A29%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

If you want to buy ensigns for your ECW armies, the only option I am aware of in 1/72 scale is Rofur Flags:

http://www.rofur-flags.de/liste2a/liste2a-engl.htm

Some are also available from Tiny Tin Troops, but I couldn’t work out what scale these are:

http://www.tinytintroops.co.uk/Flags/flags_ECW.htm

2. Cornets

Cornets were much smaller than ensigns, measuring only 60cm square, which is about 0.8cm in 1/72 scale! I usually make them a lot bigger than this, going for the visual appeal over strict accuracy. Cornets were carried on lances between 2.44 metres and 2.74 metres in length. Unlike ensigns, cornets usually had a fringe, and bore a much greater variety of images and slogans. Many included outright propaganda messages. I’m not aware of any free cornets on the internet, or of anyone selling them in 1/72 scale. So I’ve decided to make some, and will put them up on this blog as they become available. Just resize them as you see fit on a colour printer. If anyone uses these I would love to see the finished product. Here are two for starters:

Parliamentarian Cornet belonging to Captain Dobbins of Worcestershire (1642-). Motto means 'While I breathe, I hope.'

Pariamentarian Cornet (1642-). Bearer unknown. Motto means 'Death for me is gain.

3. Guidons

Guidons were carried by dragoons. They were a similar size to cornets, but were distinguished by having a swallow-tail shape. The designs followed a similar scheme to infantry ensigns.

II/19 Scots Covenanter Army for DBA-RRR

Right - I finished the artillery for my Covenanters (guns and crew from Tumbling Dice). So the army is complete and ready to march on Newcastle. Here are some images of the army arrayed.

Tumbling Dice volley gun.

The manor house in the background was a real find. It is a card model from Metcalfe Models, designed for use with HO/OO railway layouts. It was a joy to put together, everything fitting perfectly. It probably has some anachronistic features as it it supposed to be a renovated C17th manor house still in use in the C20th, but I have pretty much left it as is, just repainting the modern door, and changing the date above the door from 1679 to 1629. I am going to mount this on a base with some sort of garden and enclosing wall, and will also get hold of a great church model made by Metcalfe.

After painting the dour Covenanters I'm desperate for a project involving colour. Swinging to the other extreme, I'm going to make a Maximilian Imperial army, using the Renaissance knights and Landsknechts from Dark Dream Studio.

Covenanter foot complete!

I have just finished the foot component of my Covenanter army for DBA-RRR. This consists of 5 elements of pike and 5 of muskets, based in my usual unorthodox manner. The figures are nearly all Tumbling Dice, with a couple of SHQ musketeers skulking in the background. The SHQ figures have loads of character, but their muskets look like toys compared to the (overscale) weapons carried by the TD figures. Pikes are all made from trusty broom bristles, and the flags were taken (with great appreciation) from the Project Auldearn blog.

These are just some hasty photos. I have two elements of artillery to go to finish the army, and then I'll post some images of them all in their dour Presbyterian glory.

The Covenanters!

I've just finished the cavalry for my DBA-RRR Covenanter army. Here's a sight to strike fear into any heart - heavily armed Presbyterians. All figures are 1/72 metal from Tumbling Dice.

First up, the Covenanter general, who is based as a single figure under the DBA-RRR rules.

'After yon Papist!'

Next, three elements of horse, using slightly different basing rules to DBA-RRR to make them consistent with the rest of my ECW figures.

The banner is a simplified attempt at a Covenanter flag captured by Cromwell's troops at Dunbar in 1650. While looking for flags I found this excellent reference.

Finally, an element of lancers. These are converted from Tumbling Dice figures holding muskets, and the helmeted head is from a figure in the A Call To Arms command set. The lances are broom bristles.

Next up - musketeers.

ECW Parliamentary Cavalry

This is just a quick update with my first figures finished for 2010 - a unit of Parliamentary horse. The riders are from Tumbling Dice (with one from SHQ). The horses are mainly Tumbling Dice, but with a few Revell horses thrown in for variety. I think they match up pretty well.

Now that these chaps are finished I'm concentrating on my first big project for the year - making a Covenanter army for DBA-RRR.

Wargaming the English Civil War in 1/72 Scale Part 3: Artillery

3. Artillery

So, you have your cavalry and infantry for your ECW army, but what about the artillery? Fear not, you are well served.

Revell Imperial Artillery

See the review here:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=310

A great set. Three guns, a surfeit of crew figures and a horse team to pull one of your guns. Sadly this set has been out of production for some time, and attracts crazy prices on Ebay. Mars has pirated the set, but their effort only includes some of the crew and leaves out the horse team. As usual with Mars the quality of the moulding is awful. Grab the Revell set if you can.

Revell guns and crew

Revell horse team

A Call to Arms Royalist Artillery

See the review here:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=20

Ignore the title. As with all of ACTA sets this is equally appropriate for Royalists, Parliamentarians or Scots too for that matter. Four guns and nicely moulded crew figures in four poses. Nothing like the variety of figures that Revell offers, but good enough for wargamers.

Mars Swedish Army with Culverin

This new release appears to be an original effort from Mars, and it looks promising. See images of the figures here:

http://www.marsfigures.com/

The horses are awful, but the gun, crew and mounted officers look quite useful. I will be getting this at some stage.

Tumbling Dice

Tumbling Dice have a number of guns and crew for the ECW, from very light falcons and volley guns to demi-culverins. I have two of these (unpainted) and they are excellent. The crew figures as usual with TD come with separate heads, there is a good range of poses, and the guns also come with accessories (barrels etc). Highly recommended.

Light gun and crew from Tumbling Dice

That pretty much concludes this little survey of what’s available for the ECW in 1/72 scale. There is far more variety than one might expect, especially if you are prepared to use metal figures as well.

Wargaming the English Civil War in 1/72 Scale Part 2: Cavalry

Revell 30YW Swedes painted as Parliamentarian horse

Cavalry and Dragoons

There are fewer options for ECW horse in 1/72 than for infantry, but it is still quite possible to build up varied and accurate units of cavalry and dragoons. Here are the possibilities.

Revell Swedish Cavalry

Read the review here:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=311

This is a beautiful set of cavalry for the 30YW that contains possibly the best horses ever made in this scale. The figures are quite suitable for the ECW (apart from some minor quibbles about swords), and include cuirassiers, harquebusiers and unarmoured horse suitable for dragoons. The Revell set of Swedish infantry also incidentally includes some kneeling figures armed with flintlocks who make great dismounted dragoons.

Dragoons (Revell figures)

You could easily just use this set to provide the cavalry for a Royalist or Parliamentarian army, but there is one problem – availability. In its wisdom Revell has not produced the set for years, although it seems to have just been re-released as a limited edition and is advertised on the Michigan Toy Soldier site. My advice is to grab some while you can. Another alternative, depending on your scruples and tolerance for carving off flash, is to buy the pirated copies of the set produced by Mars. They have released badly moulded and quite illegal copies split into two boxes – cuirassiers and dragoons.

If you can’t get hold of this set, there are some other possibilities.

Strelets Reitars of Charles XII

Read the review here:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=825

These figures are for the Great Northern War. However, they can be converted into pretty reasonable ECW cavalry. They don’t mix well with Revell though, being the usual Strelets ‘chunky’ style. To convert them, cut off the heads of any figures wearing tricorne hats and replace them with heads from A Call To Arms. The Reitars aren’t wearing backplates, but this can easily be disguised with a good paint job. It would also probably be more realistic to carve off some or all of the holster covers on the horses, as they look a bit too ‘18^th Century’. I quite like the effect of these figures, particularly for the New Model Army.

SHQ

SHQ have some 20mm ECW cavalry in metal. They didn’t impress me as much as their infantry. Poses are few, and the horses are too small. Some of the riders can be used in a unit on different horses.

From left to right: Three Tumbling Dice riders, a TD 'heavy' horse, a SHQ horse, SHQ rider, ACTA pikeman

Tumbling Dice

Tumbling Dice riders compared to Mars copies of Revell figures

TD have a good range of cavalry and dragoons with separate heads. This allows for more variation in a unit, and also allows figures to be used as Covenanters. The main problem with TD figures is the lack of variety in the horse poses. They have two – one with pistol holsters and one without. If. Like me, you don’t want your cavalry to appear to me trotting in step, you will have to source your horses from elsewhere. I have mounted a few on Revell horses, and like their look.

TD (and one SHQ) riders on TD and Revell horses

Next time - the artillery.