"Handguns and crossbows" Topic

Two units of missile troops – handguns and crossbows. To be used as Burgundians and German mercenaries, for the War of Burgundian Succession. More info and pics on the blog – link

Wow. Painting and basing is top notch.

Very nicely done!

Jim

Lovely understated painting and basing. Do you consider crossbows and handguns to have the same abilities, considering they are on the bases together? Are they considered generically skirmishers?

@glengarry6 – Yes, I treat them as the same. I don't really like the term 'skirmishers' as it's not really period appropriate (same goes for 'heavy infantry'), but it serves to indicate what sort of unit they are on the table top. I see them used in small units to support larger 'heavy infantry' units, crossbows and handguns mixed together. I think it unlikely that crossbowmen and handgunners would be divided into separate groups, they both serve basically the same function – trying to represent the exact ranges, accuracy and hitting power of specific weapons on the tabletop doesn't really interest me much. Though 'skirmishers' should have a different battlefield role to massed longbow archers.

This is of course just the way I have chosen to interpret things. We don't really have any clear idea how different troops from this period were used on the battlefield!

I thought hand gunners were considered very specialized troops because the equipment was so novel. Though I clearly admit to being a neophyte in this period.
Interesting that apparently no one knows. I feel better about my games.
Thanks

Joe

I thought hand gunners were considered very specialized troops because the equipment was so novel.

By the time of The War of Burgundian Succession (which Charlie is interested in represnting with his collection), gunpowder firearms had been is use in Europe for 150+ years. Granted, the type of handgun carried by these models was more modern invention.

From a tactical perspective, handguns and crossbows had some common features: both took time to load, but once loaded they could be held in readiness until a command to shoot was given, at which time the shooter would pull the trigger (which at the time was actually quite similar for both types of weapons).

And though it's true I'm sure that crossbows would have greater range and accuracy than handguns of the same era, on the battlefield how much of a difference would that really make, in the grand scheme of things?

When shooting the enemy at relatively close ranges, both would have the same sort of effect.

Could crossbowmen hit the enemy from greater distances than handgunners? Perhaps.

If we're fielding units of mixed missile weapons, as I am, it would all even out to about the same!

That is very very well painted. Fantastic Job. Other than Steel Fist Miniatures, what was the other manufacturers?

As far as I can tell, the rest of the figures seem to be from Perry Miniatures.

Yes, they are mostly Perry Miniatures – from the metal range, mostly converted. A lot of them are Italians who have been given headswaps to 'de-Italianise' them. A couple others are metal halberdiers with plastic arm-swaps. Three of them are from the plastic kits. And there's one from Athena Miniatures, one from Crusader miniatures, both converted with head and/or arm swaps. Four are indeed Steel Fist, released earlier this year.