Imperial Harquebusiers

[Correus]

Okay, as requested (by mikeland ) here is a preliminary review of the Imperial Harquebusiers right out of the box.

You will need to excuse the photo quality, I'm not the best photographer and some of the pics needed to be taken with the iPhone!

None the less, here they are:

First up - the box.


Front Cover


Back Cover

The info on the back cover is a tad bit difficult to read, but all of it is located on the actual page in the web-store.

http://store.warlordgames.com/harquebusiers-6839-p.asp


Background guide - front.


Background guide - back.

Please note - I have purposely messed up the flags. I didn't want to upset the WG people by giving away their flags!!


All three horse sprues.


Close-up of one of the sprues.


The metal bits...

...and their close-ups.














Not pictured, but in the box, is the sprue of green bases.

Right now my impression is a good one - I really like the figures and their level of animation. The one thing that's got me going "hmmm..." is some of the info indicates these guys saw service primarily on the continent and didn't see much use in the ECW. Not sure how true this is - guess I need to do some more research. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Also, I've never had to assemble horses before; I'm a bit leery of this but will give it a go.

All-in-all I'd say this is an excellent set! Now I just need to figure out what ROYALIST unit to base these guys one - thoughts, suggestions?

I will post updates on this unit as it progress, but don't look for it to be anytime soon, I have Romans to work on as well!!



Let me know if you have any additional questions about this set, or want additional pictures.

[mikeland]

Thanks very much for the review... Brilliant. They look great, really nicely detailed figures.

As regards ECW I am tempted to inter mingle them amongst my other cavalry units to add variety and colour, and to represent a few horse men still using haqubuisers, or to represent some who might have fought on the continent and then come back to England to rally to the cause (es).

I will be getting a box of these at some point.

[Correus]

So...were Harquebusier units uncommon during the ECW?

[BigMike]

Especially thanks for putting the history on, It's one of my favourite things about ancients boxes - when they have some good history in them!

As for ECW use I like Mike's idea, I think they'd look good as lifeguard units, what with the armour and all, as well as mixed into some of the dragoon regiments to represent troopers who have scavenged some additional equipment.

nice looking models though!

[TheGreatMarquis]

Any chance of these joining the ranks of the reinforcements? There are two or three of these that really cry out to join the ranks of my moss troopers! (I did raise this on an earlier thread and was asked to remind you later ).
And on the subject of possible reinforcements, any chance of getting hold of the pack mule from the scots frame gun?

[HobbitMiles]

The name "harquebusier" was used in a different context in Britiain during the ECW - it was used for what you probably think of as the stereotypical Parliamentarian heavy cavalry with back, breast, pot, probably a buff coat and armed with pistols and sword. This level of equipment was, of course, also what Royalists aspired to. Ironically the "harquebus" itself wasn't that commonly issued to such troops.

What I do think these figures would represent well is poorer quality, locally raised troops that would be used for raiding and skirmishing out of small garrison posts and could be drawn out to join and support larger field armies operating in the area or they could be mixed in with better equipped figures to represent servants supporting their masters.

[Correus]

The name "harquebusier" was used in a different context in Britiain during the ECW - it was used for what you probably think of as the stereotypical Parliamentarian heavy cavalry with back, breast, pot, probably a buff coat and armed with pistols and sword. This level of equipment was, of course, also what Royalists aspired to. Ironically the "harquebus" itself wasn't that commonly issued to such troops.

What I do think these figures would represent well is poorer quality, locally raised troops that would be used for raiding and skirmishing out of small garrison posts and could be drawn out to join and support larger field armies operating in the area or they could be mixed in with better equipped figures to represent servants supporting their masters.

Interesting...interesting......

[Hillbilly_Red]

Carbines were issued to NMA forces fighting the Tories in Ireland during the 1650's but few of these figures could be used without some conversion.

[jazbo]

Did the horses in your pack fit together ok? In my starter army I have found that there is a big gap on the right hand side of the horse at the base of the neck which has required filling. Is it just me?

[mikeland]

Did the horses in your pack fit together ok? In my starter army I have found that there is a big gap on the right hand side of the horse at the base of the neck which has required filling. Is it just me?

This is usually the case with the pike and shot horses but is very easily remedied by carefully running a fairly thick line of plastic glue along the neck joint, the plastic glue seals the joint with no need to resort to greenstuff.