AWI Regiment Rall Command

More Hessians! Figures from the Perry AWI range. There seems to be an uncertainty about the colour of the Rall regimental flag (if any). I went for the light blue one as pictured in the Reese book, however there are others depicted as green or black...

Doeffingen Knights Finished

Not much time to paint recently but managed to finish the horses.

WIP - Doeffingen Knights

Some nobility of the League of Princes: Wolf von Wunningen, the Count of Katzenelnbogen, Werner von Rosenfeld. Horses next...

Doeffingen 1388 - Reloaded

This time some men of the League of Towns, from Augsburg. I couldnt figure out exactly whether they used this flag in 1388 alreday but it looks nice ;-) The two knightly figures supposed to be wealthy Patrizier of Augsburg. Figures by Claymore.

Siege of Neuss -Part IV

Duke Charles soon realised that his siege efforts would be fruitless without having isolated the town from the supply via the waterway. The Neussers received provisions, ammunition and reinforcements from shipments arriving on the two islands in the River Rhine near the eastern city walls. Charles put all his efforts to capture these two small islands "Weid" and "Wert".On 6th August 1474 a Burgundian landing party attacked the larger "Weid" island. The Neussers send reinforcements by boat and a bitter struggle developed. During the fight, the flag bearer of the Burgundians, a giant Ethopian named Christoph was captured. His red flag bearing the inscription: "His maximum est periculum,qui maxime timent." (Those are most in danger, who show the most fear). He was paraded through the streets of Neuss and must have appeared as the true devil to the Neussers, even more so as he managed to escape a few days later! The Burgundians lost nearly 200 men that day but managed to finally capture the islands on 11th August.

 and the complete unit

Siege of Neuss - Part 3

After his offer to surrender had been declined, Charles moved his army into position. Surrounding the town (except for the River Rhine which was passing directly beneath the eastern city walls), Charles put his forces opposite the 5 city gates. His main force, soldiers from Burgundy and Picardy, were arrayed in front of the Obergate.The second largest unit, Lombardian mercenaries, were put in front of the Rheingate. The English had their camp southeast of Neuss.The Neussers had not been idle in the meantime, they secured their already strong gates with Bollwerke, additional structures of earth amd timber. More important, they stocked massive supplies of food and gunpowder.

Charles wasted no time: on 29th July 1474 he attacked with 6.000 men towards the Obergate. The Neussers, boasting with confidence, made a sortie and challenged the Burgundian force in an open field battle. Greatly outnumbered though, the Neussers had to withdrew quickly behind the gate. The approaching Burgundians were met by a hail of gunfire from the walls and had to withdraw. In the words of a Burgundian nobleman writing a letter home: The bullets were flying denser than arrows in a battle with the English.

Figures are Perry and Crusader with Perry head swaps.

Siege of Neuss - Part 2

The Burgundian army arrived at the gates of Neuss in July 1474. Before engaging into costly siege operations, Charles sent his heralds to town to demand surrender. In the words of the chronicler Christian Wierstrait the herald asked:
"Yr Burger uch sy allen kundt,
der Printz gesynt van uch zur Stundt,
as myr bevoil syns selues Mundt,
dat yr yn laist herynnen."
However, the Neussers didnt want to let the prince (duke) in so easily and the mayor of Neuss replied equally polite:
"Herr Herald uch sy vry bekant,
wyr stayn an Paes ind Kaysers Hant."