French for 30 Years War: New project!

Hello mates,

Recently I have decided to abandon my Swedish/Protestant project for 30 years war, and convert it into French.  Why ? Because I have already a Spanish Army, and although the Swedes are great army to paint and play with, they did not fight the Spaniards that much... Nordlingen 1634 and some other minor engagements ( As far as I know), so I thought it would be better to have a Dutch or French army, finally opting for the latter.

The reasons for the French are:

-Dutch war of independence is great for sieges, but not for field battles, after Spanish victory at Kallo, 1638,  field battles were rare.

-Building a TYW French army is great for me, because I can depict engagementes from 1628 to 1659.

- I can use English, German or Catalan regiment as allies or mercenaries depending on the front.

- Infantry regiments are well known, and the flags are easy to identify, unfortunately, the cavalry flags are almost unknown.

-interesting "unique" features  like more ribbons in late war.

-Lots of conversion and kitbashing posibilities!




The beginning and basis of my army will be the following:

- 3 native French regiments of Pike & Shot, (Picardie, Turenne, French Guards)
- English regiment for the Dunes or Catalan Tercio for the War in Catalonia & Rousillon. luckly, both used the St George Cross ! so a generic white flag with red cross will do the job ;)
-German regiment (Weimarian or similar)

-a couple of guns, light and medium.

-at least 3 horse squadrons, 1 cuirassier and 2 horse reiters or similar.

-command bases.


For the previous  units, I already have painted several ex Swedish pikemen, a light gun, officers etc, now dispersed in the different regiments. Also some ECW horsemen, and a command base that will loose its nice Swedish flag (and their sashes will be repainted in white).


Here you can see my "Work in Progress" pike blocks, I have used several manufacturers like Warlord Games, Northstar, Steve Barber, The Assault Group, Bicorne...:

Probably my future French Guards

Regiment Picardie

Regiment Picardie

Regiment de Turenne

And now, some colour plates for inspiration about 30 years war French Army:


First, some modern interpretations of the French army, taken from Several books and the internet, some of them are from Spanish book series "Guerreros y Batallas", editorial Almena.   Is our particular "Osprey" like books.

Cardinal Guard, Reiter, Pikeman 1640'

King's Musketeer 1630'

King's Musketeer 1630'

French Musketeer

French army 

Louis XIII and Richelieu on campaign

French cavalry

Pikemen

Gardes Françaises

Musketeers

Rocroi drawing, not very accurate...

French Officer

French Musketter from 1630 onwards

French at Rocroi 1643

French at Tuttlingen 1643

French artillery attacked by Bavarian Cuirassiers 1643

Catalan Tercio fighting in the French side

Catalan tercio fighting in the French side.

Old XIXc. illustration of 30 years wars French:

Flat tin soldiers

Some Mark Allen's flags

Some old paintings I like:

Condé at Rocroi

La ferté 1654

Rocroi, I find the uniforms a bit too late for 1643.

Cheers!

Spanish mid-late XVII c. colour plates

Hi guys,

I wanted to write a post about old and new colour plates from various books and illustrators of this part of history.

Spanish tercios in Mid-Late XVII century:

Starting with Patrice Courcelle works,

Spanish troops mid XVII c. ensign and arquebussier (too colorful for my personal taste)

Spanish troops 1680-90, Pikeman, dragoon and musketeer

Now some Spanish tercios of Catalan origin in the Pyrinees fronts from Franco-Dutch war to League of Augsburg War 1672-1697:

(comments on the plates)

all the previous Tercios are recruited in Catalonia and Valencia (Kingdom of Aragon, Spain)

Next batch are from Jose María Bueno, old plates but nice anyway!

Pikeman 1668 Ceuta.

Spanish General in typical purple

Spanish Cavalry: left to right: Royal Lancers, Royal guard mounted, Dragoon, Dragoon and Cuirassier, mid/late XVIIc.

Musketeer 1668

Royal guards: Up Royal guard and Guardia Chamberga/Tercio de la Reina.

Down: Spanish Guards, German Guards and Mounted Lancer.

Spanish troops 1670-80'

Spanish Officer 1668, Ceuta.

Now from the  defunct magazine "Researching & Dragona", the Spanish army of  Naples.

1680-1700

From the same magazine, some flags of Italian campaign of 1693

and Italian troops from 1650.

and last from this magazine:

League of Augsburg War, Army of Flanders

1700 Walloon tercios

British Tercios fighting for Spain

From Osprey titles:

Spanish officer in Porto Bello, Panama.

Spanish tercios during the League of Augsburg War

Spanish troops during the 30 years siege of Ceuta

Fixed companies of Ceuta

Tercio Morados Viejos and Tercio de la Armada.

Color plates from Count of Clonard "Uniforms of the Spanish Army" and other XIX century plates:

Royal Guard of Felipe IV

Guardia Chamberga of Charles II

Provincial Tercios

Cavalry

Provincial Tercios

Provincial Tercios

Dragoons

Finally, some painting I really like about mid/late XVII c. Spanish tercios...

Spanish Flag bearer 1660-70'

Don Juan Jose of Austria in 1652, during the successful siege of Barcelona

And from Ferrer Dalmau:

Pikeman of Tercio de Asturias 1690

Spanish victory in the battle of Valenciennes 1656

Rocroi, el último tercio.

I hope you find it useful!