I have finished my second group of Conquistadores for Feudal Patrol^TM. These are a group of six 28mm arquebusiers from Wargames Foundry  called “Merciless Adventurers” and they indeed represent the title well.

They are, like my last group, beautiful sculpts by Mark Copplestone, and I got them from Badger Games. I will use them in Feudal Patrol^TM games using the supplement I wrote for the Spanish Conquest called Civilizations Collide.

For those of you who are in – or interested in jumping in and trying to win some free miniatures – you can still by joining “Mark’s Conquistador Contest” . Click on the contest link for the rules and to see the prizes described on that blog post – but you must enter by midnight EST (US East Coast time) on January 2^nd, 2021.  You do this by posting a comment that “you are in” on the contest blog post in the comments section on that blog post (not this one – but I always appreciate feedback on this post as well). There are other simple rules to make it fair for all – but there’s no risk on your part – except that you must become a follower (email or WordPress) of my blog to be eligible to win. And that is free too!

This project brings me up to 12 figures completed out of the 89 – and maybe I night get one more unit done before New Years! Stay tuned…

Here are a few WIP – trying to do more painting and less photos but here are what I have:

I designated these arquebus-armed Conquistadores as CAB7 to CAB12. I did change my color choices as I went along, and used a number of glazes, washes, and even contrast paints as base paints and/or glazes. Check them out below, and click on any of the images for a larger view!

CAB7

I tried to paint some darker stripes on the hose and trousers here. I love the facial expressions on this group.

CAB8

I went with lighter blue and red (vermilion) color scheme on the stripes here – and I do like it. This guy has a great glare under that hat.

CAB9

I went with black and red (vermilion) color scheme on the stripes here – and I think it complemented his intense face.

CAB10

I went a bit simpler on the lower body here so as to let the shoulder pads stick out more. This guy also has a great glare under that hat.

CAB11

I wanted this figure’s leather armor to be a but lighter – and I achieved this a bit unusually. I base coated the armor with Vallejo Model Air “Light”, and then glazed with the Citadel contrast paint “Plague Bearer Flesh”, followed by a highlight with “Light”. I think it came out the way I wanted – and not too greenish – it should be all right for the tabletop. He has a shield, but that will only help if he is in melee, which as an arquebusier, I’m sure he’d rather avoid.

CAB12

I also experimented a bit with this one. I saw some images of conquistadores with some yellowish and red colors on their lower bodies. I made the choices you see below. I like the color contrast with the blue blouse – but feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments section on how I painted him or any of the others.

GROUP SHOT

Thanks for looking – only 77 more figures to go – remember to enter the contest if you have not yet done so – and let me know what you think of these good bad or otherwise. Stay safe!

Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:

Posts on games, units, and other projects for my 16th Century Spanish Conquest supplement for Feudal Patrol™ – “Civilizations Collide”

1. Merciless Adventurers (this post) – Wargames Foundry #SB014 (6 Conquistadores with arquebuses)
2. Audacious Arquebusiers! – Wargames Foundry #SB012 (6 Conquistadores with arquebuses)
3. Mark’s Conquistador Contest – for my loyal blog followers!
4. Montezuma and Chieftains – Wargames Foundry #AZ011 for Feudal Patrol – 6 Aztec figures (Montezuma, 4 Chieftains, 1 Warrior Priest)
5. Aztec Shock Troops – Cuachic Warriors aka The Shorn Ones – 8 Aztec cuachicqueh warriors
6. Tloxtoxl and the Priests of the Great Temple, Wargames Foundry AZ021 – 2 warrior priests, 1 priestess, 1 priest, 1 leader, and 1 signaler
7. Civilizations Collide – The Wars of the Aztecs, the Inca, the Maya, and the Conquistadores is now available as a FREE Download for Feudal Patrol™ – plus a Feudal Patrol™ review!
8. 18 Aztec Novice Warriors for Feudal Patrol Walk into a Bar – 18 Novice Warriors
9. Aztec Warrior Priests (painted as Tlaxcalans), Ral Partha 42-302, circa 1988 (this post) – 6 figures – 6 Tlaxcalan Warrior Priests
10. Tlaxcalan Novices, Elite Warriors, and Command Group – 18 figures – 8 Novice Tlaxcalan Warriors, 8 Elite Tlaxcalan Warriors, 1 Tlaxcalan Captain, 1 Tlaxcalan Conch Blower
11. Tlaxcalan Archers – 8 Veteran Tlaxcalan Archers
12. Aztec Game for Feudal Patrol across thousands of miles – via Zoom!
13. Aztec Snake Woman and Drummer – 1 Aztec General, 1 Aztec Drummer
14. A June and July Jaguar Warrior Frenzy (plus some Aztec Veterans and a Warrior Priest to Boot) – 3 Aztec Veteran Warriors, 17 Jaguar Warriors, 1 Aztec Warrior Priest
15. Doubling Down – Aztec Veteran Warriors – 24 Aztec Veteran Warriors
16. Aztec Arrow Knights, Ral Partha circa 1988 – 6 Aztec Arrow Knights
17. Aztec Eagle Warriors from Tin Soldier UK – 6 Aztec Eagle Knights
18. Aztec Novice Warriors and a few Frinx – 12 Novice Warriors

Total figures completed to date for this project: 153 figures:  109 Aztecs, 32 Tlaxcalans, 12 Spanish Conquistadores

PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS, FLOCKING, GLUES AND MORE THAT I USED ON THESE CONQUISTADOR FIGURES:

1. Gorilla Glue
2. 1/8″ x 1″ Everbilt Fender Washers
3. Poster tack
4. Vallejo “Surface Primer – White Primer”
5. Vallejo “Flow Improver”
6. Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
7. Testors “Universal Acrylic Thinner”
8. Citadel “Nuln Oil” (wash)
9. Vallejo Game Air “Black”
10. Citadel “Runefang Steel”
11. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Cygor Brown”
12. Army Painter “Tanned Flesh”
13. Citadel “Ironbreaker”
14. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Aggaros Dunes”
15. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Black Templar”
16. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Snakebite Leather”
17. Vallejo Model Color “Vermilion”
18. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Skeleton Horde”
19. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Gulliman Flesh”
20. Vallejo Model Air “Weiss” (off-white)
21. Vallejo Model Air “Gun Metal”
22. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Space Wolves Grey”
23. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Gore-Grunta Fur”
24. Vallejo Model Air “Bright Brass”
25. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Militarum Green”
26. Deka Lack “Dunkel Blau”
27. Citadel “Mechanicus Grey”
28. P3 “Cygnar Blue Highlight”
29. Battlefront “Chocolate Brown”
30. Citadel “Drakenhof Nightshade” (wash)
31. Vallejo Model Air “Light”
32. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Akhelian Green”
33. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Creed Camo”
34. Vallejo Game Air “Bronze Fleshtone”
35. Vallejo Mecha Color “Electric Blue”
36. Citadel “Nuln Oil GLOSS” (wash)
37. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Volupus Pink”
38. Secret Weapon Washes “Yellow Snow” (wash)
39. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Plaguebearer Flesh”
40. Army Painter “Red Tone”
41. Citadel “Lamenters Yellow” (glaze)
42. Citadel “Agrax Earthshade” (shade)
43. Citadel “Coelia Greenshade” (wash)
44. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Contrast Medium”
45. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Apothecary White”
46. Vallejo Game Color “Bronze Fleshtone”
47. Vallejo Model Color “Sunny Skin Tone”
48. Army Painter “Flesh Wash” (wash)
49. Citadel “Seraphim Sepia” (wash)
50. Battlefront “Flat Earth”
51. Vallejo “Gloss Varnish”
52. Elmer’s PVA Glue
53. Army Painter “Brown Battlefields” (flocking)
54. Vallejo “Dark Yellow Ochre” (pigment)
55. Vallejo “Burnt Umber” (pigment)
56. Citadel “Steel Legion Drab”
57. Citadel “Tallarn Sand”
58. Citadel “Karak Stone”
59. Americana “Desert Sand”
60. Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”
61. Army Painter “Grass Green” (flocking)

Finally I have finished my first group of Conquistadores for Feudal Patrol^TM. These are a group of six 28mm figures from Wargames Foundry armed with arquebuses (hence they are called arquebusiers). The figures were sculpted by Mark Copplestone and are really nice. I got them from Badger Games. For once, I did not need to paint or assemble any extras like shields or banners!

I will use them in Feudal Patrol^TM games using the supplement I wrote for the Spanish Conquest called Civilizations Collide. Firearms in Mesoamerica were subject to some tough conditions climactically and also there was the issue of powder and ammunition supply. In the game, arquebus fire does create a bit of panic on the receiving end, but the weapons can misfire and be put out of action for the duration of the game (or even put the firer out of action with an explosion).

Arquebuses were used by many armies. The Spanish used them extensively in the 15th and 16th Centuries, notably in the Renaissance Italian Wars, and the Spanish Conquest. They were the first reasonably portable shoulder-fired firearm used. Arquebuses were complex to fire, and could misfire or even as previously stated – actually explode in the bearer’s face. However, it was easier to arm and to train troops with an arquebus than with a crossbow. The addition of a serpentine firing device to arquebuses led to the type sometimes being called a matchlock. Once volley fire tactics were developed, the use of the crossbow was eclipsed, though clearly there was a period of overlap – particularly during the Spanish Conquest.

For those of you in the “Mark’s Conquistador Contest” (which is still open if you want to try to win some free – yes free – miniatures), this is six down, and 83 more to go! Entry is still open until Jan 2, 2021 – so click the link, check it out, and join in!

These were great fun to paint – and I still got to use a bit of color on them. From Steven’s Balagan blog, Osprey books, and good old Google, I got some decent concepts on historically-appropriate painting schemes. Apparently there was some grubbiness to them – but surprisingly, also some style and panache. I designated these arquebus-armed Conquistadores as CAB1 to CAB6. Check them out below, and click on any of the images for a larger view!

CAB1

This was the first figure that I tried to paint stripes on the hose. It was a new challenge, but I think it came out all right for the tabletop.

CAB2

The blister pack I got had two of the same pose (erroneously) – this is the same pose as CAB1 but I used a different color scheme (sort of reversed).

CAB3

This guy looks ready for action – a real veteran.

CAB4

This Conquistador was the grubbiest-looking of the lot, so I gave him a grungy-look to his leather armor. He has also adopted native footwear – Aztec style sandals.

CAB5

This Conquistador has also adopted native sandals – and he has red pants anyways (just in time for Christmas!)

CAB6

For the first time in months, I got to use a shade of purple – in this case on his blouse. No purple on Aztecs! Apparently some of the Conquistadores liked a plum-like shade (some style from Italian campaigns maybe?). Also, to vary the leather browns on armor, I actually used a dark flesh tone (“Gulliman Flesh”) on the kilt. I think it worked.

GROUP SHOT

I hope you enjoyed this post – and I’m off to paint the next group! Six down, 83 to go! Merry Christmas to you all and stay safe!

Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:

Posts on games, units, and other projects for my 16th Century Spanish Conquest supplement for Feudal Patrol™ – “Civilizations Collide”

1. Audacious Arquebusiers! (this post) – Wargames Foundry #SB012 (6 Conquistadores with arquebuses)
2. Mark’s Conquistador Contest – for my loyal blog followers!
3. Montezuma and Chieftains – Wargames Foundry #AZ011 for Feudal Patrol – 6 Aztec figures (Montezuma, 4 Chieftains, 1 Warrior Priest)
4. Aztec Shock Troops – Cuachic Warriors aka The Shorn Ones – 8 Aztec cuachicqueh warriors
5. Tloxtoxl and the Priests of the Great Temple, Wargames Foundry AZ021 – 2 warrior priests, 1 priestess, 1 priest, 1 leader, and 1 signaler
6. Civilizations Collide – The Wars of the Aztecs, the Inca, the Maya, and the Conquistadores is now available as a FREE Download for Feudal Patrol™ – plus a Feudal Patrol™ review!
7. 18 Aztec Novice Warriors for Feudal Patrol Walk into a Bar – 18 Novice Warriors
8. Aztec Warrior Priests (painted as Tlaxcalans), Ral Partha 42-302, circa 1988 (this post) – 6 figures – 6 Tlaxcalan Warrior Priests
9. Tlaxcalan Novices, Elite Warriors, and Command Group – 18 figures – 8 Novice Tlaxcalan Warriors, 8 Elite Tlaxcalan Warriors, 1 Tlaxcalan Captain, 1 Tlaxcalan Conch Blower
10. Tlaxcalan Archers – 8 Veteran Tlaxcalan Archers
11. Aztec Game for Feudal Patrol across thousands of miles – via Zoom!
12. Aztec Snake Woman and Drummer – 1 Aztec General, 1 Aztec Drummer
13. A June and July Jaguar Warrior Frenzy (plus some Aztec Veterans and a Warrior Priest to Boot) – 3 Aztec Veteran Warriors, 17 Jaguar Warriors, 1 Aztec Warrior Priest
14. Doubling Down – Aztec Veteran Warriors – 24 Aztec Veteran Warriors
15. Aztec Arrow Knights, Ral Partha circa 1988 – 6 Aztec Arrow Knights
16. Aztec Eagle Warriors from Tin Soldier UK – 6 Aztec Eagle Knights
17. Aztec Novice Warriors and a few Frinx – 12 Novice Warriors

Total figures completed to date for this project: 147 figures:  109 Aztecs, 32 Tlaxcalans, 6 Spanish Conquistadores

PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS, FLOCKING, GLUES AND MORE THAT I USED ON THESE CONQUISTADOR FIGURES:

1. Gorilla Glue
2. 1/8″ x 1″ Everbilt Fender Washers
3. Poster tack
4. Vallejo “Surface Primer – White Primer”
5. Vallejo “Flow Improver”
6. Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
7. Testors “Universal Acrylic Thinner”
8. Citadel “Nuln Oil” (wash)
9. Army Painter “Tanned Flesh”
10. Citadel “Runefang Steel”
11. Citadel “Ironbreaker”
12. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Snakebite Leather”
13. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Skeleton Horde”
14. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Cygor Brown”
15. Vallejo Mecha Color “Dark Steel”
16. Vallejo Model Color “Vermilion”
17. Vallejo Model Air “Weiss” (off-white)
18. Citadel “Nuln Oil GLOSS” (wash)
19. Vallejo Model Air “Bright Brass”
20. Vallejo Game Air “Black”
21. Vallejo Model Air “Armour Brown”
22. Vallejo Game Color “Bronze Fleshtone”
23. Vallejo Model Color “Sunny Skin Tone”
24. Army Painter “Flesh Wash” (wash)
25. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Dark Angels Green”
26. Army Painter “Red Tone”
27. Citadel “Coelia Greenshade” (wash)
28. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Black Templar”
29. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Gore-Grunta Fur”
30. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Gulliman Flesh”
31. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Magos Purple”
32. Secret Weapon Washes “Armor Wash” (wash)
33. Citadel “Agrax Earthshade” (shade)
34. Army Painter “Purple Tone”
35. Battlefront “Flat Earth”
36. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Apothecary White”
37. Vallejo “Gloss Varnish”
38. Elmer’s PVA Glue
39. Army Painter “Brown Battlefields” (flocking)
40. Vallejo “Dark Yellow Ochre” (pigment)
41. Vallejo “Burnt Umber” (pigment)
42. Citadel “Steel Legion Drab”
43. Citadel “Tallarn Sand”
44. Citadel “Karak Stone”
45. Americana “Desert Sand”
46. Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”
47. Army Painter “Grass Green” (flocking)