What's that bit supposed to be? A guide to Warlord's Epic Pike and Shotte foot figures

A snow day here, so a bonus post for all the new to the period people who are excited about the boxes of shiny things that they have ordered from Warlord.

Having seen some beautifully painted examples of Warlord's new Epic foot figures, I have noticed that some details on the figures have been misinterpreted. So here's a guide to what all the bits of soldiers' paraphernalia are on the new Pike and Shotte Epic figures.

But first a note about musketeers' hats: all the musketeers are wearing either a brimmed hat or a woolly hat (of either a Monmouth or Montero design - a Monmouth cap would now be described as a beanie, a Montero is a bit like the 1950s-1990s scratchy woollen hiking balaclavas that fold up into a peaked cap). One looks like he is wearing a cabascet helmet - it's a felt hat. Thinking about Newcastle's whitecoats? A good proportion of them wore Scottish blew bonnets - a beret like hat.

The standing musketeer strip with officer

1. A coloured scarf (often incorrectly called a sash), denotes rank and loyalty to a commander. The only people to wear these scarves would be officers and musicians (cavalry troopers too in some circumstances), common soldiers would not wear such an item either wearing a field sign or knowing a password.
2. A thin strap that holds this officers cuirass plates together - surviving examples appear to be plain canvas or leather. Seriously wealthy officers might have elaborately decorated straps (there's a really fancy one on display in the Met in New York).
3. This officer is wearing a cuirass (front and back chest armour)
4. The collar of his undershirt, officers might have elaborate lace collars
5. Leather strap from which his sword hangs
6. Wooden chargers (often incorrectly called apostles), usually oiled as a form of weatherproofing, the New Model Army had painted blue ones. Some might have a lead cap to help with weather proofing the contents.
7. Leather bandolier from which the chargers are hung with string. The New Model Army string was specified as blue and white - good luck painting that in!
8. The head of the musket rest would be metal, I've seen surviving white metal and also brass ones

Musketeers should also have a number of other items hanging from them: a bag or pouch containing shot, and a priming flask at the very least. These might be visible on the individual commanded shot and dragoon figures.

1. Snapsack, often a rough fabric, contains the soldier's worldly possessions
2. Leather strap from which the sword hangs
3. The thin strap holding the two parts of the chest armour together
4. Scarf showing allegiance
5. Stockings - usually the soldier's own, the New Model Army supplied grey ones to its men
6. You might get a glimpse of this officers stockings between his boots and breeches
7. Even common soldiers would have their undershirt collar on display

Armoured Pikemen (details are the same for the armoured pike strips too)

1. Chest armour
2. Pikemen would by and large be wearing leather gloves
3. The thin fabric or leather strap securing the two parts of the chest armour, expect a thin piece of the armour to be visible beneath the strap. At this point I'd like to point out that I have never painted in this strap, believing that life is too short. Your mileage may vary...
4. The shoulder clasps are visible on this pikeman's armour. Effectively hinges that allowed the two halves to be put on, common soldier's armour would all be the same finish, officers might have fancy gilded clasps.
5. Leather belt from which the sword hangs
6. Tassets, articulated armoured thigh protection

Apologies for rubbish photo

1. Leather belt from which the sword hangs
2. The thin fabric or leather strap securing the two parts of the chest armour, expect a thin piece of the armour to be visible beneath the strap.
3. Shoulder clasps - it appears this soldier has his armour on back to front, as these clasps should be at the front
4. Pikemen carried hangar swords, short swords designed for stabbing, expect base metal handle and guard
5. For a bit of variety you might want to put a random pikeman in a buff leather coat. Much loved by the London Trained Bands, sleeveless ones were known as Trained Band Buff.  Soldiers would not be issued with one of these, these were spoils of war for the lucky few.

Okay, a harquebusier set (part of the Littlecote Armoury on display at the National Civil War Centre, Newark), but you can clearly see the waist strap holding the two parts of the armour together)

Unarmoured Pike

1. Leather belt from which the sword hangs
2. Even common soldiers would have their undershirt collar on display
3. Pikemen would by and large be wearing leather gloves
4. Morions and all its different incarnations would have a blackened or russetted finish, they wouldn't be bare metal.

1. Undershirt collar
2. Leather belt from which the sword hangs

Command Strip 

1. Chest armour. 1a. At first I believed this officer was wearing chest armour, but I now believe he is wearing a buff leather coat
2. Scarf showing allegiance. 2a. This officer appears to have a leather belt over the top of his scarf.
3. Fancy lace collar
4. The thin fabric or leather strap securing the two parts of the chest armour, expect a thin piece of the armour to be visible beneath the strap.
5. A gorget (a fast becoming redundant piece of armour, more a status piece than anything)
6. Leather belt from which the sword hangs (or drum in the drummer's case)
7. Armour shoulder clasps 
8. Gloves, pikeman would have simple leather gloves, officers very fine leather gloves often embroidered

The poor chap with the arrow: he has been a victim of numerous experiments, and is currently sporting a Peter Pig head. Peter Pig sell a number of packs of heads for those of us who like to personalise figures. Only a dry fit for comparison, if I was using this figure I'd repair the area around his head fitting with greenstuff, rebuilding his collar (I had to cut a notch to make it sit properly on his shoulders). Looks to be a reasonable match.

1. Undershirt collar, the officers' collars would most likely be fine lace
2. Scarf showing allegiance.
3. Leather belt from which the sword hangs (or drum in the drummer's case)
4. The thin fabric or leather strap securing the two parts of the chest armour, expect a thin piece of the armour to be visible beneath the strap.
5. This guy is clearly having a bad day, experimented on, he is also wearing his armour back to front as the clasps (that should be at the front) are visible at the back. (He's not alone, the chap two to his left has also got his armour on back to front)

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