16th Century Gaelic Irish 28mm

I recently returned to tabletop wargaming/miniature painting after a fifteen year absence. This is however, my first foray into the world of historicals.

I had long drooled over historical minis, and as someone who has had an obsession with human history since about the age of four It was a logical direction to go. I spent about six months looking at different periods. My first inclination was Ancients, specifically the Hellenic or early Roman period. There are many great ranges of Carthaginians, Gauls and others on the market currently. In the end however I was drawn to a completely different period, the 16th Century, and to my own country of Ireland.

16th Century(and the early 17th) Ireland is a seminal period in Irish history. Its events would shape the future of Ireland and have ramifications which we are still dealing with to this day, including having a direct impact on how Brexit is(or more accurately isnt) unfolding. The 16th century brought to an end activities and cultural trends which had been more or less in place since well before recorded history on the island.

Gaelic Ireland is a much misunderstood and overlooked place. Its importance in European and British history equally overlooked. This and the challenge of putting together a force for the tabletop which relatively speaking is unsupported and uncatered for is what inspired me to start this project.

I have started with a small core force consisting of mostly Ceithernach(Kerns in English) and Galloglaigh(Gallowglasses). These Ceithernach above are all armed with javelins and are from the Perry and Antideluvian ranges. I plan to add more of these soon as well as Ceithernach armed with Handguns, bows and two handed weapons.

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Reinforcements

It has been a hectic Christmas and new year period. I did manage however aside from some fierce work/family multi tasking to get in some Ale drinking and conversion work. I have however been unfaithful to my 16th century project and cheated on them with some late war Germans. It has become more than a fling though, and I am well on the way putting together an entire Heer division with plenty of Fallshirmjager, SS and Volks Grenadier units mixed in too! Hobby infidelity aside, here are my latest conversion additions for my Irish. Most of the shot are Perry, some really very nice sculpts, with the exception of the guy in the back with the blue jacket who is a Eureka Portuguese Colonial conversion. All the pikemen are Eureka conversions. The painted one has had a Leine added with greenstuff.

Isles Gallowglass

Hello all, I received some Isles Gallowglass and command a few months back. I finally got around to painting the fitst group. At the time of ordering one set of Gallowglass as well as the second command set were unavailable on the site which was a shame. I will order them in the future im sure. I am really fond of these and they were a joy to paint. They are slighter than the Perry Gallowglass, although not overly so. Their dress and armament is I think of an earlier period than mid to late 16th Century, however should be fine for earlier 16th Century force compositions( my plan is to build both a Gaelic and Tudor force capable of fielding Nine Years war forces as well as the fifty odd years or so before hand). I got along with these a few of the Antediluvian Highland bowmen which I will be using as Redshanks with bows, even if they have swords and axes slung across their backs....

The Lads assemble!

Dia dhuit all. I have made slow progress, but progress nonetheless. Here is the entire force to date. Please excuse the coffee table/leather couch backdrop. I am moving into a new house and I have not put together my gaming room and table yet. Pike, with shot behind them, with Gallowglass at the back. Left and right front is Kern with darts, and one bowman(5 more to be added). Back rigjt is the small unit of Bonnachts with two handed weapons. Command and banner as well as more pike and gunners is in the works. I hope you like my efforts.

The Gallowglass

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