Crusades - The Crusaders

 God Wills it! 

The continuation of the last post, carrying on with the crusades theme, now to build a Crusader army.

 The project took three year to complete painting over 1100 figures, 300 horses and all the bits and bobs that go with them. Here is the story of my building my Crusader army. 

A lot of the figures have been collected at B&B and donations over the years. 

JULY 2014

 The first unit to build always has to be the Templar Knights, but I thought I would start with the foot sloggers, the Templar Sergeants and foot knights from Fire Forge Games.  

The great thing about plastic is the way it can be destressed easier than metal. The Elite Sergeants  

The Foot Knights Back from years of campaigning  

All done with a sharp blade 

 

The paint goes on 

 

The "dust" is just a flat earth paint. 

 

The banner is made from a tomato puree tube  

The Salute Richard the Lionheart, painted as a Templar  

JANUARY 2015

Time to start on these 

 

First mounted Crusader unit done Knights. Horses done, using oils  

Mounted Sergeants 

  

 FEBRUARY 2015

I think most are Perrys,Gripping Beast, with some old Citadel chaps Heavy Crossbowmen  

Unarmoured Crossbowmen 

 

Unarmoured spear units Gripping Beast and Perrys  

MARCH 2015 

Some of these were already painted. I have since drilled an repaired any broken spears with steel ones.  

In progress 

 

The true cross and crusading Monks 

 

APRIL 2015 

Outremer is going to be a very busy place this year! Next batch of armoured infantry. All banners are hand painted. 

 

These units have since been filled out into twenty man units. 

 

Officers and extras (to be used in other units) 

 

How they will be used in Kings of War or Sword and Spear rules

 

MAY 2015 

Another unit of spears & and someone to take confessions  

The Elite Hospilitars Knights are ready for Outremer. Perrys and Essex 

 

Some Mercenary spearmen. I have done vaguely as Armenians  

JULY 2015

 Two more Units of Crossbows. 28mm Perrys, Foundry and Gripping Beast

 

Slingers, Light Foot, Perrys metals

 

Pilgrims (Classed as medium Infantry)

  

Casualty Markers. There are stones on each edge 1, 2. 3  

NOVEMBER 2015 

Unit of Knights, based on Spanish colours (El Cid Era). I have also shot myself in the foot by texturing the movement tray to match the unit and I like the look, so now I have about 60 movement trays to texture, paint & Flock......DOH!!!

 

Plus some Personalities

  

Godfrey of Bouillon - First King of Jerusalem 

 

Bohemond I of Antioch, Painted with the Hauteville family CoA

 

 

Raymond of Toulouse - Painted with the cross of Toulouse CoA

  

JANUARY 2016

Another unit of Norman Arabs which can be used as Mercenaries. 28mm Perrys 

 

More knights for Outremer 

 

MARCH 2016

More Archers and a unit of Axemen  

 

 The second rank axe man was a giveaway figure from Warfare a few years ago 

I also flocked and painted all the movement bases (here are a few of them) 

JUNE 2016

More Crusader Cavalry

  

Light Cavalry ( until I pack out it's ranks) Citadel/ Gripping Beast

  

OCTOBER 2016 

The Army so far! 

Cavalry 

  

Infantry

 

The above was the army at Salute in 2018, but have since added to it. As I had lots to collect from Salute.

MAY 2017

SEPTEMBER 2017

 More armed Pilgrims

 

 Some more Normans & Franks for Outremer. These Normans are from Conquest games.

  

The Knights of St Cruyff! 

 

Franks (just a half Regt ATM)

 

You can't have a Crusade without a caravan to protect. Cart from various sources.

An Ambulance

 

and some goats from GB

 

The game at Salute 2018

 

And at Crisis 2018

 

And just to finish off, much later Crusading Holy Order. 

Knight's of St John (Hospitilars) in their later habits 1250's. 28mm Gripping Beast Holy Order

 

I still have about twenty more cavalry to do that I found in my stash when I moved.