Armored reiters - work in progress

Some Acies Edizioni  Pappenheim- cavalry waiting to be drafted to a foreign regiment in Polish service. These guys will probably serve as two banners, combined  into one  squadron on the field.

For some reason they all have white horses and similar, blued armor.

Coats vary between off white, red and tan. Horse gear swords and helmets expect color

Units that have already seen action

None of these units have gotten the varnish or flocking.
Some of them would require more than just that.

The pancerni are most advanced in painting - Legio Heroica production sans lances so far. Lacking some higlighting, maybe  and static grass or other basing texture. The hardest hitting unit in my skirmish force - so far deployed in squadron of 3+2 bases.

 Cossacks - the main troop of a Polish commander - Legio Heroica Polish light cavalry. Some touchup and work on bases required. The hitting power of their charge has been surprising. Elite cavalry rule, companion special rule and impact bonus from long charge really make these guys lethal.

Legio Heroica Gonullu. ie Ottoman cavalry from the Balkans. I have fielded them as Wallachians. Decent scouts - and have even won a melee fight with artillery battery. Without the lances that they would have as Ottoman troops.

The Polish commander - Legio Heroica General with a standard bearer. So far fielded as a colonel in skirmish battles.

Troop of Acies Edizioni Croats. I have fielded them as Polish cossack cavalry with no qualms. They may make an appearance as Croats at some point if I get an Imperial force onto the field. Standard bearer - at this point without his flag, from Legio Heroica gonullu range.

Last a company of Dragoons - From by Fire and Sword Swedish skirmish set, with colors of Polish Crown Dragoons - although in western costume, not the typically Polish.

Together these guys form a pretty strong skirmish force, but they apart from the dragoons and together with the other forces I have underway these guys help to flesh out regiments for the divisional level of play. Especially cossacks are required since Polish division needs to have minimum of two Polish cavalry regiments. There is some leeway whether they are basic, light or elite, Lithuanian or Polish, but cossack cavalry is required in all. They can have as support dragoons, infantry or western type cavalry regiments and divisional companies in relation to the amount of  regiments (max five).

Getting to the divisional level will probably take time, so there is strong temptation to just push on in gettin more units into recognizable colors at the same time and leave final basing and finishing to  one big final effort. However, since I will probably need to look at these fellows of skirmish play for longish period I try to get them into shape that does not hurt my eyes before the New Year.

 

Some more works in progress

I have been painting some polish cossacks and volunteers to complement existing troops.

The two cossack banners are almost done - just waiting for a shading of wash, lacquer and some grass and details on the base. Blue reins give the unit surprisingly blue overall look. For some reason I seem unable to focus on just compelting the guys once they are almost done. So...

I have at the same time dabbled with volunteers - their horses still need painting, as well as much of their clothing. These were supposed to be "the blue troops"  but may get more tan or yellow topcoats to lighten the overall impression.

And even more fuzzy ride the German type reiters. These guys are going to play role of German mercenary reiters, possibly Danish and Imperial troops as well. Red will be their main identification color - in sashes and feathers, with white, red and tan  dominating jackets and coatcolors. At the moment the most finished guys, in the front, are a tad too uniform for historical accuracy.
 I might give these guys mainly white and light grey horses in contrast to Poles riding grey and brown horses.

And  as an aside - I need to actually learn how to get decent pics - pic quality here is abysmal.