Topic: Perry Miniatures European Mercenaries

[norm]

Well, i just ordered a box myself and am waiting for them to come in, i was thinking about trying to attach some of the arms to state troops, or militia torsos, then add a little green stuff around the arms to tyr and make them fit better, or rather look more empire-esque... does anyone think this to be a worthy venture? or should i quit while im ahead?

I've recently built around 4 boxes worth of Perry miniatures guys (2 more to go!!). I also own a bunch of the older State troops - the 6th edition multi part plastic ones. What I can say is that under no circumstances will the two mix - it's not the sizes of the miniatures - it's the proportions. The GW ones have (in comparison to the Perrys) huge hands and heads, and the weapons are ridiculously out of scale.

Having said that - if you get the mercenaries box, you get the arms to make a dozen handgunners, a dozen crossbowmen, and up to 18 pikemen, along with 4 guys in full plate armour. Unfortunately, thats 48 sets of arms, and only 36 bodies, but never mind - get an extra box of the original war of the roses guys - it's the same bodies. One thing that nobody seems to have mentioned is that the mercenaries command sprue contains some nice pavises for the missile troops, and also some halberd heads to convert the pikemen into halberdiers.

I think they make a great alternative to Empire State troops. I detest the current models, and to be honest, my old plastic state troops are getting a bit worn out. I'm currently painting my 60 something'ed Halberdier - with another 15 or 20 to go - then it's a unit of crossbowmen, and finally, a unit of 'sword and buckler' men I've converted to make a swordsman detachment. You get 18 bucklers in the Mercenaries box. They paint up really easily and really quickly. OK - they don't have ruffled sleeves (but then again neither do the current state troops), but they do look like proper soldiers, and they don't have 6 foot feathers in their hats, or stupid looking skulls and ravens everywhere! The only down side would be that - for the sake of consistency - you'd need to replace all the state troops with Perry stuff, rather than fitting them in with GW models. You could go the whole hog and replace the Greatswords with their metal men at arms - and also replace the Artillery crew with Perry War of the Roses Artillerymen (I wouldn't advocate replacing either the cannons or Knights with their histrical equivalents though - they're too small for WHFB, in my opinion).

[Lannister]

Nooooo! i was going looking for an alternative for my halberds as the GW halberds tend to break off at the blade too easily. they are the most awesome empire like models i've seen, i have to have some.

are they comparable in size? i've seen too many that are a little short but it stands out and looks silly in the end.

[Benedictus]

@norm: You recommend getting a box of the WotR chaps for additional bodies. Why them and not more Mercenaries?

[norm]

@norm: You recommend getting a box of the WotR chaps for additional bodies. Why them and not more Mercenaries?

Cos they were £3 cheaper 

[norm]

Nooooo! i was going looking for an alternative for my halberds as the GW halberds tend to break off at the blade too easily. they are the most awesome empire like models i've seen, i have to have some.

are they comparable in size? i've seen too many that are a little short but it stands out and looks silly in the end.

I think if you look around -someone has posted pictures comparing the two. The Perry ones are in a better proportion to real human beings - so therefore a bit taller and a bit skinnier than the inbred looking freaks that GW currently produce. (I'm biased though)
I wouldn't recommend mixing the two though

[DariusZero]

From the look of it I would say they would fit well with the Regiments of renown, who are aslo on the skinnier side and can't be mixed with the regular empiremen as wel. But those mercs are extremely expensive.

Lately I have been tempted to get a box of vikings and include them as swordmen , has anyone puchased them yet? Pics maybe?

http://shop.warlordgames.co.uk/viking-hirdmen-plastic-boxed-set-3313-p.asp

[Benedictus]

@norm: You recommend getting a box of the WotR chaps for additional bodies. Why them and not more Mercenaries?

Cos they were £3 cheaper 

Haha, fair enough.

@Darius: the WABforum has plenty of comparison photos for various ranges of vikings- so does google. My understanding is that, like most historical ranges, they are more in scale and look more like real people than anything produced by Games "$83AU for 20 models" Workshop.

[norm]

From the look of it I would say they would fit well with the Regiments of renown, who are aslo on the skinnier side and can't be mixed with the regular empiremen as wel. But those mercs are extremely expensive.

Lately I have been tempted to get a box of vikings and include them as swordmen , has anyone puchased them yet? Pics maybe?

I've got a box - but beyond assembling half a dozen or so - I've done little else with them. I've also got enough painted metal Viking Hirdmen for at least one and a half Armies. They are quite nice miniatures though.

I'm not sure why you'd think the mercs are expensive (unless you're talking points value). To purchase them - they work out at less than £0.50 each (or $0.75US each, if that's your favoured currency). An absolute bargain, IMO.

[DariusZero]

From the look of it I would say they would fit well with the Regiments of renown, who are aslo on the skinnier side and can't be mixed with the regular empiremen as wel. But those mercs are extremely expensive.

Lately I have been tempted to get a box of vikings and include them as swordmen , has anyone puchased them yet? Pics maybe?

I've got a box - but beyond assembling half a dozen or so - I've done little else with them. I've also got enough painted metal Viking Hirdmen for at least one and a half Armies. They are quite nice miniatures though.

I'm not sure why you'd think the mercs are expensive (unless you're talking points value). To purchase them - they work out at less than £0.50 each (or $0.75US each, if that's your favoured currency). An absolute bargain, IMO.

My bad, I should have been more explicit: I meant those GW mercs: Lost legion and other Regiments of renown, they cost 40€ for 12 minis, that's 3,3 € for one metal mini.

[norm]

My bad, I should have been more explicit: I meant those GW mercs: Lost legion and other Regiments of renown, they cost 40€ for 12 minis, that's 3,3 € for one metal mini.

Ah - absolutely. If I was attempting a Dogs of War/Tilean type Army, I definately wouldn't go buying GW stuff - not this side of a lottery win, anyway. The Perry stuff - particularly the Mercenaries box - would be absolutely perfect for that sort of Army.

[DonKarst0n]

Well I absolutely love those miniatures and have ordered 2 WotR infantry and 1 mercenaries boxes and was hoping to combine them with 6ed State troop arms.

Would it be possible to combine them if you'd cut off the hands and just add the puffy parts of the Empire miniatures?

[Geekmeister]

Well I absolutely love those miniatures and have ordered 2 WotR infantry and 1 mercenaries boxes and was hoping to combine them with 6ed State troop arms.

Would it be possible to combine them if you'd cut off the hands and just add the puffy parts of the Empire miniatures?

I think the arms would look too long and lanky. Also they are a bit earlier than the empire models in terms of headgear etc.

[DonKarst0n]

Yeah but this is one reason why I like them. I always wondered why we had to wait until the release of the plastic greatswords to get finally a sallet helmet while it is present in most of the drawings. And besides, remove the skulls and the crazy feathers and everything left is a breastplate above a pyjamas.

[orcyboy]

Well as far as I'm concerned the Perry mercs blend in just fine with the old 5/6thed Empire trooper parts.  I even tested the large head with beard and hat, it looks fine.

I wouldn't dare trying to mix them with 7th ed state troop parts.


Actually the Perry mercs with 5th ed trooper parts look a bit like Swiss circa 1520's.

[Spartanman001]

wow... they do blend in quite nice. I just wish i had more 5th/6th ed troops because then i wouldn't be getting the mercenaries.

[ZeroTwentythree]

Oooh... that does look pretty decent. I've got too many Perry archers, and a pile of Emprie heads & halberd arms. Might have try that too!

[DonKarst0n]

Thank you orcyboy that just made my day. Time to put together some halberdiers.

[Shadowlord]

Not enough skulls IMO. 

[norm]

[I think the arms would look too long and lanky. Also they are a bit earlier than the empire models in terms of headgear etc.

To be honest - I'm not that keen on the puffy sleeves either - so I guess the Perry guys are perfect for me

The headgear (again IMO) is perfect too. Proper late 15th/early 16th century helmets (or sallets if you're in Engerland) . Much more practical than that feathery bonnet nonsense gw are peddling!

[Benedictus]

Much more practical than that feathery bonnet nonsense gw are peddling!

Ah hear that.

[ZeroTwentythree]

Proper late 15th/early 16th century helmets (or sallets if you're in Engerland) . Much more practical than that feathery bonnet nonsense gw are peddling!

Er... You do realize that there really were some pretty ostentatious & ridiculous real life costumes worn at that time, right? It's not like GW invented the puff & slash, and big floppy hats with feathers out of their imaginations.

[DariusZero]

It seems a lot of people constantly intentionaly forget that WFB is NOT a historical recreation of middle ages or the renesaince period.  IT's a fantasy world only partially fused with costumes and folklore from the real history.

I personally dont't have any problems with that. Pure historical approach for me doesn't sound interesting enough.

[rufus sparkfire]

Well as far as I'm concerned the Perry mercs blend in just fine with the old 5/6thed Empire trooper parts.  I even tested the large head with beard and hat, it looks fine.

Hey, that does look good.

I wonder what I did with those spare halberd arms I had from state troops!

[norm]

Proper late 15th/early 16th century helmets (or sallets if you're in Engerland) . Much more practical than that feathery bonnet nonsense gw are peddling!

Er... You do realize that there really were some pretty ostentatious & ridiculous real life costumes worn at that time, right? It's not like GW invented the puff & slash, and big floppy hats with feathers out of their imaginations.

I absolutely realise that - but, I'd like to make 2 points

1.  I don't have to like all that stuff.

2.  This is a prejudice of mine, and concerns the fact that wargamers (or pehaps it's really miniature manufacturers) depicting miniatures in stuff that's way too fancy to even walk around in - never mind actually fight. I'm an ex serviceman. I had a very smart No.1 dress uniform. I would never in a million years have considered wearing it to do anything other than stand around and look smart. (I used to be in the Royal Navy - so you'll understand why marching or anything like that would be completely beyond me  ). What you require to work (fight) in, is something practical, not something fancy. Like I said - purely an opinion (or prejudice) of mine - I just prefer my toy soldiers to look like they're going to have a fight, not a parade. Your opinion may be totally different - I'll respect it, and point and laugh at the feathers!! 

[ZeroTwentythree]

I'm not saying anyone has to like that style of figure, nor that fantasy figures have to follow history. I'm only disputing the "practical" statement, in that the real life basis for those feathers, hats, slash & puff, etc. were something that footsoldiers not only did, but did by their own choice and in that same time period that was referenced. So things that do not seem practical to us today and in the real world obviously have had some sort of appeal at some other time. (Or in a fantasy setting.)

Along similar lines, I've never understood how/why people fought in those giant frilly collars later in the 16th century -- but they did.