"TAG Tudor English - Landsknechts and other ranges" Topic

So I've ordered some of the Assault Group's (very nice!) Tudor English for Henry VIII's Boulogne campaign in 1544 and would like to include some other units and mercenaries.

TAG also do stradiots, border horse and calivermen so I'm fine for those. However I think the landsknechts TAG make are all either too early or too late in their dress to be used.

I'd be grateful if someone who knows more about this than me could confirm!

For reference, these are the English link

And these are the Landsknechts:

link

If so, can anyone recommend a suitable range of landsknechts which I could use which are compatible with TAG?

Wouldnt the TAG Royal Swiss and French legion also work for contemporary Landsknechts? Just paint them more gaudy?

The early landsknechts of TAG are fine, but are for the Maximilian campaigns and certainly have no more place in Bolougne 1544 then Roughriders would have in the Normandy 1944.

Its a bit hard to find Landsknechts for the 1540 to 1560 era, as they do not yet have the excessive Pluderhosen and felt hats of later times, but are already different from the earlier Pavia style. If in doubt, go for the earlier style.
Steel Fist, Foundry, Warlord Games (metal) – and of course MiniPigs is right that you can use TAGs Swiss and French to a good degree. Take a look at contemporary depictions – especially for the conflicts in Germany there should be some – and decide for yourself what looks right.

I converted the TAG Royal Swiss for my 1540s Landsknecht. A few head swaps, the addition of Katzbalgers and some beards with greenstuff help to make them look the part.

Mixing in a few figures from Steel Fist and Warlord also helps to get the correct feel if you use certain figures.

Have a look, there are also some 1540s contemporary images here: link

Near perfect, Malatesta :-)

Scrap the "near". I do not think it can be done any better :-)

Cheers Puster, it's always work in progress though. Give it a few years and I am sure we will have yet more info on this era!

Indeed – digitalization of archives has transformed historical research like the invention of computers did to engineering. We are not yet in the real reaping phase, though, as most archives are not yet transformed.

That said, do you know of this work:
Henry VIII and Francis I: The Final Conflict, 1540-47 by David Potter, Brill

Make sure you are seated when you see the publishers pricing, though. Despite REALLY wanting this book, I skipped it.

It's packed full of detail on the Anglo French Wars in the 1540s but is actually a surprisingly hard read!

I know. David Potter is not a Keegan or Parker as a writer. But the content of his books is usually worth it.

Talking of which Parker's massive biography of Charles V is in my current queue to be read – I have high hopes!

Yep. Looking forward to that one, too. Currently still reading about the demise of the Ming by Swope, then "Burgund" by Van Loo (not sure wether this one is available in English). Will be intersting to see Parkers perspective on Charles – the interactions of Charles, Francis, Suleyman and Henry are an everchanging puzzle to behold :-)

Malatesta1500, thank you very much for the advice and for the link. I came across your blog a few years ago and it piqued my interest in this period so thank you!!

Good luck with the later Henrician army and check out "The Anglo Scots Wars" by Gervase Phillips – it has a tonne of detail on Henry VIIIs army in the 1540s and on the battles and skirmishes that took place in Scotland during the "Rough Wooing". Your French figures will be equally suited to that War as the French went over to aid the Scots in large numbers.