The King’s Spears

The King’s Spears were Henry VIII’s immediate military circle of relatives, pals, favourites and aristos on the make.  An elite unit then, well equipped and capable in the field. I'd consider them a match for the French Gendarmes but of course there's only one unit of them.

These ones are converted Roundway 15mm English Knights.  The Roundway figures are very nice but were not quite flashy enough for this bunch.  I added plumes for man and beast, skirts and roundels all in Henry’s colours.  I’m pleased with how they came out and cannot wait for the command figures, also from Roundway, to arrive to complete the unit.  I added Milliput sabots, perhaps 2mm deep, before basing to raise their height to that of Essex 15mm French Gendarmes.  You can see some patches of gold on the armour of these chaps-it's sunlight streaming in through the window as I took the pics.

Here’s the conversion process in reverse should you fancy having a go at something similar.

The last of the big woolly coats gang are also done, archers this time and as you can see they are commanded by one of the King’s Spears who has dismounted for the job.  

We can only assume they have been given an important task.

Note the added bucklers, these boys will fight it out if they have to.  That said there is some evidence that the French considered the shooting abilities of the English archers had much declined from their lethal days of yore.  That's something to think about.