John Swann and Philemon Groves

John Swann is a stone mason. He is also of a strong Puritan persuasion. His large frame and strong arms make him an ideal candidate to carry the Pike, and his Puritan world view lead him to be a dedicated follower of the Parliamentarian cause.

John’s best friend and fellow stone mason Philemon Groves is also a Puritan, though he is of a slightly more radical persuasion to his friend. Philemon can at times be a rabble rouser and trouble maker, but he is a determined fighter, the sort of man you want at your side in a pike block.

I have no W.I.P shots of these guys, but here is a photo of them ranked up.

Both figures are Warlord Games Pike and Shotte plastics. John Swann has a Gripping Beast Dark Ages Warrior head and Philemon Groves has the face from one of the miniatures in the Perry Miniatures American Civil War Confederate Infantry set.

Zachariah Joanes, Musketeer

Zachariah is a member of the Town Watch and a grounds keeper for Lord Hawksby. He is known for his courage and quick wit, having the nick name ‘Cunning Zac’.

Zachariah is from the Warlord Games Pike and shotte range. He has been modified using the arm from a Warlord Games Bolt Action plastic figure, and some patches, made of paper hve been added.

Here is a W.I.P. shot showing some of the ‘paper work’

The King’s Head, Skipwithe

This is the notorious drinking house in the village of Skipwithe. The Kings Head caters for drunkards, villains and most other kinds of sinners (and indeed the righteous straying off the path of virtue). It is also the favourite haunt of several local Royalist Officers…

 

Front View



Back View

The Kings Head is scratch built using balsa wood, foam core board, and Wills Emobssed plasticard for the stone work. It is based on several buildings around Warwick.

Barricades

In the English Civil War many towns, villages and cities were assaulted. Often these settlements didn’t have sturdy town walls so the various streets leading into the towns would be protected by makeshift barricades. These are representations of such barricades. Many of which Hawksby’s greens would have to both assault, and defend.

The plastic gabbions are from Renedra Ltd. and the wheels are from The Assault Group both companies are useful sources of accessories and modeling parts. All the other items are found objects or from the ‘bits box’.

Some more musketeers

Jon Bedden (left) is a tanner by trade. He joined Hawksby’s regiment when the war with the King broke out and has  proven his worth in various skirmishes. Jon has a tendency to be somewhat outspoken, which can land him in trouble.

Edmund Ralph (middle) is Jon’s best friend, the two grew up as boy in the same village. Edmund, the son of a pauper, left Yorkshire at the age of 18 to travel to London. He returned some 20 years later a reasonably rich merchant. However his friendship with Jon, unbroken down the years led Edmund to enlist with his friends. Edmund is a rough sort of character, and will not suffer fools gladly, and many of his ‘trading’ associates are of the more criminal class.

On the right of this photo is Isaac Bull know to most a simply ‘Bull’. Bull is Edmunds friend/servant/bodyguard from London. Bull is a mute, and nearly deaf but he is a strong and hardy fighter and fiercely loyal.

The miniatures are Warlord Games Pike and shotte.  Jon’s head and arm are from the Warlord Games Bolt Action plastic Commandos. Edmund’s arms are also from the Bolt Action plastic sets, and his musket is a metal one from Warlord’s Pike and shote armoury. Isaac’s head is a plastic head from the Gripping Beast Dark ages set.