PROJECT LEWES

The Royal army list for Lewes remains still under research as I have not started building this army yet. The only section I am satisfied is finished are the Scots foot, led by John Comyn - see my previous post on the Scots at Lewes. Consequently, John Baliol (the first) and Robert de Brus (The Competitor) are now placed with the King's household knights (bodyguard unit). Once I finish the Rebel army (soon) I'll commence more research into knights at Lewes for the King's host. I predict there will be more iterations of this list into the future. The wonderful aspect of Hail Caesar being a unit based game and the arbitrary nature of what is classified Small, Standard or Large means that I have been able to rationalised my figure numbers downwards. What difference does it make (for example) if I have ten more or less figures in a unit if it still falls within a category? It's more about unit size as measured in stamina and attack dice. This enables a real savings in time,...

  After a long hiatus from this project, I am definitely re-engaged thanks to a couple of threads on the Lead Adventure Forum which in turn seems to have been sparked by the Baron's Wars skirmish game. I've also enjoyed immensely the new Ridley Scott medieval historical epic, The Last Duel - in fact I'm rockin' the soundtrack as I type. Since my posting to Tonga for 3.5 years and the departure of my mate Matt for France, it has been a solo effort but now my good mate and erstwhile enemy Grant (the miniature menace) has expressed an interest. Frankly, any unit anyone want's to do to progress this is just one more I don't have to build and paint ... not that I don't enjoy it. What's truly alarming and slightly perverse is how long I've been chipping away at this. In the meantime, I've changed painting styles (slightly), the way I base armies and most importantly, the rules I prefer. Whilst still enormously fond of WAB , it's not my primary ...

I've been thinking a lot lately about my Lewes project. Whilst it's been years since I last added to the army and I've 75% completed the Rebels, I've turned my thoughts to the Scots who rallied to support the English King. I may not put brush to figure until the new year but in the meantime, I can consolidate my thoughts on the first Royalist units and how I intend to represent them. Scots Division We know from The Scotish Bruses and the English Crown (c.1200 - 1290) (1) that Robert de Brus was present at Lewes with the King. We also know it was Robert de Brus V of Annandale- referred to as 'the Competitor' - grandfather of the famous first and future King Robert I. Whilst Rishanger's Chronicle refers to the Scots present being led by Robert Bruce and John Comyn, Blakely argues that Robert himself was present as a part of King Henry's Household as retainer and thus would have personally fought at the King's side or under his immediate command. He co...

As I predicted earlier, it's been an age since I've posted on this blog. In the meantime I stumbled across this recent video posted on YouTube which is a snappy account of the battle. Like most short videos on historical subjects, the narrative is condensed to the point where is becomes inaccurate at times through a lack of context, sweeping and simplified statements and misleading through what it doesn't include as much as what it does. Nevertheless, I generally handy little synopsis and as good a starting point as any you could expect for a 10 minute investment of your time. I've not attempted to link video content to this blog before now so will include a link to the YouTube channel in case it can't be viewed properly. I do want to get back to this project as I'm close to finishing the Baronial army and need to start on the royalists but predict this won't be happening until late in the year. BazBattles: The Battle of Lewes    

Admittedly, I'm not doing a lot on this project for the time being having been posted to Tonga. I am painting and building but not anything toward this project for the present. Nevertheless, it forever returns to mind. I have been listening to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History and in particular his discussions concerning armies across the ages and their respective styles of warfare. If you aren't familiar with Mr Carlin's broadcasts or other works, he is no academic as such but a public broadcaster. A Bachelor graduate in history much like myself, he has a lifelong interest and studies human history including warfare, politics and religion. I have only just discovered his podcasts which I find to be entertaining and thought provoking. He is quite clearly a thinker. Mr Carlin was specifically discussing the failure of Eastern armies over the past three hundred or so years and conversely, the general comparative failure of western armies prior to this. It is a general, mul...

Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester was the leading ecclesiastical proponent of the attempts at church and governmental reform. Walter took de Montfort's part in rebellion during the second Barons War, taking the lead role as advocate from his high-minded and reforming mentor Robert Grosseteste, the former Bishop of Lincoln. The two churchmen had been at Oxford together in the 1220s, Walter was attaining his Master's Degree and Robert lectured there. Formerly a clerk of the King's exchequer by 1215 and a one time justice, be entered holy orders and received consecration as Bishop of Worcester in 1237.  Between 1208 and 1236 Walter had held a total of thirteen benefices and ecclesiastical offices at one time or another but had not been consecrated until after his attainmet of his Bishopric. Some of these 'estates' had been royal but others were hereditary including Brailes at Kenilworth. Moving from courtier to rebel, Walter became opposed to Papal polic...

LtoR: John de Grey, John de Vescy, John de Vipont, William of Birmingham, Squire to Hauteville, Thomas de Hauteville (Leader), Geoffrey de la Mar, Hughes de Bures, Thomas de Astley and Roger de Mohaut. For the centre ward knights of my rebel army I adopted heavier lances by using a thicker gauge wire than I have used to date and gave each lance a graper which I have not done before. In comparison to previous knights in my army, these gents look far more the ticket for a mid to late thirteenth century knight. My last unit will be similarly equipped. These figures are also from different ranges to my previous knights, coming from Crusader Miniatures 'Later Crusader' range (MCF010 and MCF012) as well as Gripping Beast 'Crusading Knights' (LCCO1 02 and 06) with some minor alterations. They are all solid sculpts and very animated and are all highly detailed which made for a demanding paint job.  They took an unusual commitment and I have definitely developed a grea...