"Looking for 16th-17th century woodland indians" Topic

I am looking for East coast woodland indians in 28mm for the early days of European colonization of the Americas.

I love the Conquest ones, but they are mostly equipped with muskets and sold in packs. I am looking for bows, clubs, spears and axes.

Any pointers?

Pijlie,
I looked for something like that to use as Skraelings in Viking games, and never found anything that didn't require conversion.

Ultimately, in the spring or summer of 2012, Gripping Beast brought out a limited edition of 4 point Saga Skraeling armies. I bought one, assuming they would eventually make these figures available. When they didn't, I contacted GB (October 2013) and asked about the Skraeling situation. They said "limited edition, sold sets, not making any more . . . but, hey, we have a whole box full of excess castings." So, I snapped up the figures I needed. I have no idea what the situation might be with GB now, since these figures are not listed on their website. E-mail them and see what you can find out.

Here's a link to a photo of the Skraelings: link

Grelber

Although a later period RAFM has Hurons and Iroquois in their FIW range. many are open handed and both muskets and hand weapons appear to be included per the photos i.e. the Iroquois with musket pack includes a sprue of hand weapons. Not too many bows but they may accommodate you if you contact them. I believe these figures are closer to 25mm than 28mm. Others may know for sure and pipe in.
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Foundry produced a small range of Woodland Indian figures sculpted by the Perrys in the '80s. I used to have a few. But I haven't seen them around for some time.

I have some of the RAFM Huron/Iroquios figures; they are 25mm, and relatively small, even, compared to the rest of RAFM's ranges.

CP Models make some Skraelings.

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Thank you all for al the trouble. The CP ones seem very nice.

I bought a set of the CP Skraelings, disliked them and traded them off again. They're some of the biggest 28mm figures I've ever owned. If you like big and bulky figures, these may be for you. I thought they were crudely sculpted and I took issue with their anatomy – I saw big heads and short arms on many of them. Still, they paint up very nicely in the linked ad. Maybe I just don't have the painting skill to do them justice.

Parkfield has some 25mm 17th century Indians, as well as New England style settlers. Standard size 25s, bigger than RAFM, but usable in the same game:

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I like the RAFMs very well, in spite of them being small 25s rom the 1970s. I own a couple hundred and still paint more. Getting enough warclubs can be a problem unless you order extra weapon sprues:

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The Wargame Foundry 16th-17th century Indians are excellent large 25mm figures. They mix well with Parkfield and go on the same table with RAFM. Thy were recently in production but aren't in the current Foundry catalog. They're worth writing Foundry and asking about them.

Eureka Miniatures Powhatans are excellent 17th century Indians. They're listed as 28s, but I make them to be 'big' 25s, compatible with Parkfield and Wargame Foundry, and good on the same table with RAFM:

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Try Brigade Games "King Phillip's War" for appropriate figures:

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Dennis

The Skraelings were the Dorset. Those figurines don't look right for an arctic tribe.

Check EBAY as well.

auction

Brigade Games are probably good for New England Militia and Indians.Front Rank and Warfare Miniatures seem very nice.I know Front Rank are on the large size but don't know about Brigade Games and Warfare Miniatures.I know the uniform colors of the French in America (Compagnie Franches de la Marines)but don't know the cut of the uniform or the headgear which from the few pictures I have seen were probably Floppy hats.I probably get the Brigade Games figures and are leaning towards WM.Any opinions would be appreciated.One final questions wouldn't the muskets in North America at the time probably be matchlocks?
Mark

One final questions wouldn't the muskets in North America at the time probably be matchlocks?

Actually, no. The military musket of the time was a matchlock, and militia and regulars would likely have some. But flintlocks had been available for many years. Indians strongly preferred flintlocks for hunting and war, and they were popular with white hunters, for obvious reasons.

Eureka has some nice looking Powhatan Indians

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link

I missed the above reference to Eureka, sorry. My other two links are the chief miniature and a really cool shaman.

I mentioned the Eureka Powhatans on this thread but not on Marcos' thread above, because the Powhatans are pre-contact/first contact Indians with no trade goods, so aren't the best choice for King William's War. Second from left in your top row contradicts me, looks like he's holding a trade hatchet. I don't think I got that variant in my order of Powhatans, mine came with just two types of wooden warclubs. There are some really spectacular figures in the set. Don't miss them if you're gaming first contact.

Redoubt and Perry do some without Muskets etc

For woodsland Indians I would use the Perries bow pack and the musket pack(s) in what proportion you find appropriate. Personally, I doubt if the Indians made much use of the matchlock. And after the 1650's they probably acquired muskets fairly quickly. After all, we are dealing with relativily small numbers of Indian warriors. Although European armies were much bigger, they could have converted earlier to flintlocks but resisted the introduction of the new weapons.

Before 1650 you would probably need a much higher propotion of hand weapons. If GB Skraelings were available these might be the best choice. For what it is worth, I am under the impression that most eastern tribes before the introduction of muskets did not make great use of the military bow – perhaps because of the relative ineffectiveness of bows when used in woods. This probably varied greatly by tribe and region.

I am under the impression that most eastern tribes before the introduction of muskets did not make great use of the military bow

You could be right, but what gave you that impression? The bow was universally used as a hunting weapon and nearly all adult men were skillful archers. Accounts of the Ribault/Laudonniere expeditions to the Carolinas and of Champlain's battle with the Iroquois report lots of arrows flying.

It's true that most arrow wounds were non-fatal and healed within a year. That was an advantage of the musket – a solid hit would usually kill or cripple the victim. Before gun-powder, the surest way to kill an enemy was to walk up and beat his head in with a warclub. A well-placed arrow or two might slow him down so that a kill became possible.

Old Glory do a pack of Iriquois with bows, but I don't know what they are like (couldn't find a picture on line)

highly recommend the eureka range

Hi Pijlie These new Pulp Figures might be of interest to you link

Nice stuff from Pulp Figures

Wargames Factory is going to release a set of plastic woodland Indians in near future. While they are nominally for the 18th century, being plastic means that there is lots of flexibility on how to arm them, especially if you can obtain spare bits from other plastic sets.

I don't think they have revealed any sprue shots yet, so it is a bit difficult to say what the contents will exactly be.

Would like to see someone do soldiers of the Carignan-Saleries regiment.
Mark

French troops of the 1660s can be found in several scales, if you look hard enough:

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I don't see them in Copplestone's catalog,They must not make them anymore.Thank you anyway.
Mark

Looks like the line is currently being produced by North Star:

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I thought they look familar.Not really what I'm looking for.How about Warfare Miniatures?I also think the Carignan-Saleries regiment had a distintive uniform.
Mark

Would Warfare Miniatures be too late a period to represent the 1660's
Mark

Too bad you don't like the North Star figures, they look spot on to me.

The Warfare Miniatures League of Augsburg figures look about 20 years later, as they should. For Carignan-Saleries in New France, you want the earlier uniform, with the 12 apostles ammunition flasks.

Thank you Zippy.
Mark