When a good friend presented me with three boxes of Perry 28mm Wars of the Roses plastic figures along with metal command figures, little did I know where it would all lead. Those first three boxes and metals were duly painted up and lots more boxes bought and added since. I now have a force close to four hundred figures!
My initial plan was to use the figures in a Wars of the Roses campaign game set in the North of England, but over the weeks as I painted the figures, the idea of creating a fictional part of the country, based on Yorkshire and Lancashire, but with made up names for towns and leaders. I initially decided on having four main factions, two each for York and Lancaster, with others in neutral colours to represent reinforcements or the troops of lesser lords in the game.
This was then extended to include three lords who would also have their own colours, but being less affluent, only a few troops. I used a pack of playing cards to determine an abstract map of the country the colour of the suits would determine its allegiance. Black for York and red for Lancaster, The pips on the cards would determine the wealth of each region/estate. Finally four aces, representing the castles of the four main factions, were shuffled into the cards for a final pack of 25 regions.
Let's take a break and enjoy a few pictures.
Metal leader figures, primed and awaiting a coat of paint.
The first painted sample plastic figures from the WotR infantry box set.
The contents of the infantry box, two units of twelve archers, one unit of twelve bill men and four foot knights, a total of forty figures. Placed on a Cigar Box Battle Mat with a house and a model railway back scene. It was at this point I added a bit of fun to proceedings by giving the four main factions the colours of football team strips. Below are the Lancashire archers in the colours of Blackburn Rovers (Blue & White) and Burnley (Claret & Blue). The bill men are neutral colours.
All the above came from this one box of miniatures. A small but impressive army.
Next up I would tackle these boys.
How the abstract map was created.
The steeds await their riders.
Blackburn Rovers and Burnley again. Lancashire in the ascendancy!
A unit of six mounted men at arms for each of the Lancastrian factions.
Soon to be joined by a unit of light cavalry.
The Yorkists gain their first unit, light cavalry in the Black & Amber colours of Hull City.
The postman brought me these.
A unit of crossbowmen for the fourth faction, another Yorkist unit in the Green & White of North Ferriby United.
They are joined by some spear men.
Not to be outdone, the Lancastrians raise spear men of their own.
Firearms troops rally to the Yorkist cause, wearing Hull City colours.
At this point I laid out all the painted troops so far, for inspection.
A nice amount for a first battle of Lion Rampant.
Now they had some troops to command, the metal leader figures now had their turn on the painting table.
Stickers on the bottom to remind me who each figure is.
More mounted men at arms were needed. The contents of two boxes in the process of painting.
The rear two ranks are in neutral colours, for use by lesser lords.
I have a selection of rule books to try.
Once again the opportunity was taken to deploy all of the so far painted troops. They really are now starting to look good.
Photographs from a Lion Rampant fight.
Another progress parade, I do like to lay out all the troops as more and more are added for a pictorial record.
A Sword and Spear battle takes shape.
I hope that has given a flavour of the period, as I had gone this far with an abstract map, fictitious leaders and football team colours, I took the final step and just created an imagi-nation of my own,
However, I still wanted it set in a 15th Century England type country, and as I had originally been going to create a Wars of the Roses campaign, then I just took the first two letters of the two counties and added 're' of shire as a suffix, so Yolare was born.
It will be a narrative that is driven by what occurs on the table top. Battles and skirmishes will be fought and have a bearing on the future, I will not be able to write the next segment until each engagement has been fought and I learn who wins and loses and who lives and dies!
The first few segments have been written and I shall post them on this blog tomorrow, so please call back and enjoy the Saga of Yolare.
... and this is a wonderful start to the saga. Good stuff. Ian
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