"Venexia and Essex 15mm Italian wars ranges" Topic

How does the Venexia Italian wars figures stack up against Essex? There are threads that say that the Venexia Italian wars figures are different in size and smaller than the Venexia Ottomans but no mention of how compatible with Essex?

I can see that there has been much praise for the Venexia Italian wars figures online but the pics on the Lancashire Games site look awful. Is it perhaps the moulds are now worn out? Has anyone bought them recently?

I have bought from them recently. The figures are fine – as good as some I bought from the original Venexia. I think the moulds were redone. Very good value too.

The figures aren't far off Essex but I wouldn't want to mix them. The style is different and the Essex gendarmes look a bit short legged by comparison.

There are some good comparison photos in a few places and they match what I have seen – e.g. link

I like the Venexia figures but I understand that Lancashire Games do not include pikes, spears and above all lances. Is this still true?

I wouldn't mix them in the same army or units.

The Venexia minis are superb, and Essex minis are very, very nice, especially for the late medieval/early renaissance period(s).

When you say you wouldn't mix in the same units, do you mean the Venexia are larger than the Essex then? I am looking at the Swiss pikemen to go in a separate unit anyway as they look more like early 16th century Landsknecht style unlike the Essex pike figures.
Not worried about no pikes as I use plastic broom bristles.
I would love to get the Khurasn early 16th century and Italian wars but no UK stockist and I am not sure of compatibility. Will probably get a few samples of the Venexia

If I recall correctly, and admit to not having measured them side by side, I have the impression that the Venexia may be slightly taller, and the figs are certainly of a more slender style (more realistic in my opinion).

The Essex figs are generally shorter, and a bit more rotund (thick around the middle).

Both are very nice, but the Essex figs are a bit more gnomish to my eye.

I haven't seen the Khurasan minis, but suspect they may be more compatible with the Venexia minis in size and style, from images I've seen and comments read.

The Mirliton range, while a bit earlier (1450 or so, IIRC), are compatible with the Venexia minis, so some people use them for the Early Italian Wars (late 1400s – early 1500s) too.

Ok thanks Gresher. The reason I want confirmation is that I ordered some Venexia Ottomans a while back and found that they were huge and incompatible to my eye, compared with Essex and Donnington. I assume therefore that the Venexia Ottomans are scaled differently?

I don't know since I don't have any of them, but that may be the case.

I seem to recall something like that, now that you mention it, but I am a dinosaur, and sometimes misremember things.

"The Mirliton range, while a bit earlier (1450 or so, IIRC)"

Mirliton do a mid-15th century range and also a range for the Burgundian Wars. The mid-15th figures tend to be a bit smaller. The Burgundian Wars figures are a pretty good match for Venexia. The armour would be a bit old-fashioned compared to some of the Venexia figures but would suitable for those who might wear it.

I only have the horses from Venexia Ottomans – these are bigger than their IW horses though some of this is the poses making them look taller.

Blue Moon mounted, by the way, work well with Venexia and Mirliton. Blue Moon foot, on the other hand, are noticeably taller and chunkier.
If you wanted to mix Blue Moon cavalry with the others, the things which set them apart are the thickness of the gendarmes lances and the shields on e.g. ginetes. Nothing awful though.

I don't know how the Khurasan figures would match. If the figures from their early Tudor range and/or Conquistador are the same as the rest of the range then they would be fine with Venexia and Mirliton, or even a bit smaller.

If, though, the Italian Wars figures are like the 14th century range, then these are very big.

Not bothered about the Gendarme figures as I will probably use Essex Gendarmes. It is the Venexia Swiss Infantry pikemen I need to know about. The Lancashire Games site shows some 3 Venexia Swiss pikes, only 3 and a terrible photo at that. Not impressive but I have to believe that they are good in reality and have more variations?
link

In fact the Alternative armies Swiss look better but that may be because they are painted?
link

Alternative Armies are single pose per code.

There probably are three poses in the Venexia Swiss pack – I have some other packs and most of the photos show each of the poses I received.
It may be that the Swiss halberds pack is the same figures but with halberds supplied or different poses – in which case they may also work as pikemen since the halberds are separate.

The photos on the website may put you off, but I have liked all the Venexia figures I have painted.

Other possibles are Gladiator from Fighting 15s (a bit gnomish but I have seen some painted which worked nicely) and QRFs, though they are more Burgundian Wars than IW.

Lancashire Games also have their home designed IW figures including Swiss. Also a bit gnomish, but may well look okay once painted.

If you haven't yet bought your Gendarmes then definitely consider Venexia or Blue Moon. Much nicer than Essex IMO.

Thanks for the info Swampster and others.
So if only 3 types Swiss in the Venexia packs, how would they mix with the single pose Alternative armies figures?
I will probably get some sample packs of Venexia, including mounted as they are on offer at the moment. I won't go Blue moon though as they are 18mm.

I am pretty picky with mixing figures and I 'm okay with mixing the Blue Moon with Venexia :) _Not_ the foot though. They are BIG.

The only Alternative Armies Swiss I have are some trumpeters. They would be okay with Venexia but I'm not sure the pikemen poses would go.

I think you can mix different figures quite freely (obviously within limits) provided the weapons look the same size and heft. This is easiest with pikes and spears because you can just give them all the same ones from wire. I have used a real mix in my French Italian Wars army and have a load of Venexia gendarmes waiting to be painted but if I was starting again now, I'd just go for Khurasan for everything since their range has been extended.

smallitalianwars.blogspot.com

I completely agree about the weapons, shields etc. My 15mm Gallic army has figures from Xyston, W&E, Freikorp, Corvus Belli and various others. The Xyston shields were much bigger so by using spare CB shields the whole look felt much better.

I have used Midlander's patent lance making technique (bosting!) which is good both for bringing the look together and for replacing flimsy cast lances.
I did keep the Blue Moon lances as a) they are pretty sturdy and b) I haven't mixed them in with other gendarmes since I bought them much later.

Incidentally, Midlander65's use of Minifigs got me to look at the range again. They have some of the best figures for e.g. the Germans. This includes moulding them holding the lance in a more casual way, as often shown in period drawings. I just replaced the top of the lance with wire as this is pretty straight. I just need to add fox tails to the top. (One of many projects on the go).