10 years of Havering plus Angry Irishmen

I've been hankering after some Irish for ages. They Elizabethan experience in Ireland was a difficult and complicated one and the various rebellions that fought to rid the Island of English influence were bitter affairs. The thing was that I had 'some' Irish but not enough to build a full force. The figures that I had were originally produced by Vendel miniatures a long, long time ago. They were the sold off to another British company who dissolved for...erm...political reasons. They figures were then sold on to Sgt Major miniatures in the states and were recently sold on again to Thistle and Rose miniatures, also in the states.

I got in touch with the new owner and he sent me a bunch of packs so that I could start building up and Irish force.

 

These are the first figures that I've completed so far. 16 Kern armed with a variety of weapons. Kern were the standard troops in any Irish army and were fast moving and lightly armoured. They generally harassed the slower moving English troops before disappearing into the woods and bogs to avoid retribution. These kinds of hit and runs tactics infuriated the English and alongside Kern armed with Arquebus/Caliver could grind down the morale of the English causing them to have to halt and defend themselves dozens of times while on the march.

Kern would generally be armed with swords and darts, light spears that they would throw at close range. They might also have double handed axes or swords. Armour was usually no more than a wooden shield (a Targe) and an occasional helmet. Speed and manoeuvrability were their advantages, Gallowglass were the heavy infantry that were meant to stand and fight.

Yellow died clothes were all the rage in Ireland so tha'ts what Meh y Kern got. I'd imagine in real life that they would fade fairly quickly and that running around in the woods and the bogs would leave the clothes fairly ragged but my guys look like they are out in their best clothes for a sunday jog. I'm probably going to a unit of Gallowglass next and then a load of shot armed troops. After that I'll get myself some more Kern and I fancy a fur mat to play on as well. More on that sort of thing in the future.

From the Future to the past. Last month was the 10 year anniversary of the start of this blog. It was much longer after that that I got into the habit of regularly posting stuff but it was a start and 10 years is a bloody good run. I'm sure you're not interested in the stats but the blog has been a fairly consistent hobby buddy for quite some time. I used it as a way of cataloguing my output and once people actually started to look and comment it became a way of motivating me to get things done. It has also been the route through which I have met some people who I would count amongst my closest friends. It's been a great thing. It's like another limb. So for those of you who haven't had a dig in the past or only started coming here recently here are some of my favourite pics from the last 10 years.

To all those folk that have visited over the years, thanks for coming along and looking in the window, for all those that have commented and encouraged me to keep this place going, thanks, everytime a comment appears on the blog it makes all the faff worth it. Come in, take your shoes off, make your self comfy, i'll pour you dram.

Cheers
Whiskey Priest (Col)