Bolsover Legendary Joust 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYI5LIjSbkwA bit of a diversion today, but still sort of related to gaming and miniatures, if you think about it as inspiration.

This weekend saw the annual Legendary Joust at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, which we always try to attend.  A great day out but also, in one respect, a victim of its own success - the crowds are getting so big it is increasingly difficult to actually see (let alone photograph) the jousting.  Not helped by families who decide to bring folding chairs, extensive picnics, and other paraphernalia that gets in everyone else's way.

Anyway, here are the shots I got, in case they are inspiring for anyone out there painting (or planning to paint) any knights.  If these are of interest to anyone, let me know in the comments and I will do a few posts of other photos from previous years of different armours and equipment.

 

 

Particularly noteworthy was "The Wild Man", who was jousting in a highly decorated bridgandine, rather than a breastplate.  It looked fantastic!

For more on why, there is an excellent video by Zac Evans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYI5LIjSbkw

What about my chopper?

 Another ogre (I don’t have a problem…).  This time 90’s vintage from Marauder Miniatures.

Men of the cloth

Priest and monks, formerly of Grenadier Models Fantasy Warriors range, now available from Forlorn Hope Games.

I wanted these chaps to have flagstone bases like my other ‘civilians’.  Unfortunately I couldn’t figure out a way of removing the cast on bases without compromising the feet and robes, so went instead with sculpting them out of milliput.  Not perfect, but not bad I think.

LEGO Jousting!

The miniature and I were left to our own devices a couple of weekends back while the other half had a night out with her sisters.  As well as introducing her to Star Wars (she wisely agreed that ‘Empire’ was the best, good girl!), I snuck in some gaming while she wasn’t looking. 

(I’ll confess I built the castle in my 20’s, when old enough to know better, it has a detailed interior and everything!)

For the joust I wanted to introduce a bit of decision making, so borrowed the scoring from the English Heritage jousts that we go to each year as a family, as she’s familiar with it.  We had three knights each - I was the ‘Lion shields’ and she took the Eagles.  Before each run, we chose one of the following:

• Head - 3 points; roll 1die
• Shield- 2 points; roll 2 dice
• Body - 1 point; roll 3 dice

If any dice rolled 4+ the relevant points were scored.  If we each got one success and rolled the same, it was a ‘barricade’ (crossed lances - no points, but it added some fun and flavour, and she remembered the concept from the jousts we've seen).

As you’d expect, she completely trounced my team!

The crowd were very impressed…

Archery next.  A similar system was used, but she was allowed a couple of extra dice as her character was Robin Hood in (a rather thin) disguise!

(Excuse the mess!)

Of course by the end, Robin was unmasked, and had to make a run for the forest, chased by knights - a series of events that were… less rules based, shall we say.  But a good time was had overall!

Old Stuff

Pretty sure we all have these ones - partly done models that have sat around for ages.  I’m trying to be disciplined and finish off some half finished projects in between doing ones from scratch.

First up, a Foundry (formerly citadel I think) crossbowman.  He’s likely to do duty at some point as a forester up against Robin Hood I think.

I’m struggling with the providence of this one, I’ve had him over 30 years!  Doesn’t really fit with any particular army or game.  Painted the cloak and tabard some years back as practice for trying to paint, shade and highlight white. Thought it was about time he had a little attention.

Huge Tracts of Land!

Just finished a nice couple of medieval bystanders.  A joy to paint and I’m really pleased with how they’ve turned out.

These two are from Studio Miniatures Medieval Mayhem range (none of which seem to be listed on their website at the moment).  Resin bases are from Fenris Games.

After painting Maid Marian, I didn’t fancy doing white robes again so far.  Instead I was inspired by the daft blue robes worn by prefects when I was at school it was a grammar school with more history than it sometimes knew what to do with in the late 20th century).

If they look familiar in shape (if not colour), that’s because they look to be based on Michael Palin and Terry Jones from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Little John and other stuff

Update time!  A few more Nick Lund Dwarves, a late 80’s Citadel Man at Arms, and almost finished Hathersage’s most famous deceased resident!

Great little model.  Perry sculpt I think.

Seven Dwarfs who probably don’t whistle while they work or live in a cottage in the woods. Former Grenadier Models by Nick Lund.

And finally, joining Robin Hood and Friar Tuck, Little John (and his big stick).  Local Derbyshire legend has it that Little John is buried in the Churchyard in nearby Hathersage

Little John is from Footsore Miniatures new 'Baron's War' range. Nice model overall, but he does seem a little slim in the waist, definitely child-bearing hips (or maybe he has his purse hidden under there)!

 

And here's his (alleged) grave in Hathersage. Hathersage is well worth a visit if you find yourself in the Peak District.  It can be a little busy, but it's well placed for some lovely walks.

Robin Hood, Robin Hood (and a rock)

The miniature is very into stories about England's most famous quasi historical outlaw, Robin Hood.  I'm not sure quite how it started.  Possibly the other half reading her some stories.  Definitely nothing to do with living within a short distance of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest.

Whatever the reason, she has just absorbed the stories.  We've watched the Disney version with the foxes, read children's stories, done Tony Robinson's excellent Maid Marion and Her Merry Men.  She's sat through the whole of the 1938 Errol Flyn movie 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (she calls that "Daddy's Robin Hood") and I've even read her bits of Robert Pyle's 'The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood', which is written in an incredibly dense 19th century take on 'Ye Olde Englishe' (but there seems to be something about the rhythm of the words that settles her down).  I've dug out my old Lego Robin Hood sets, and it would be fair to say that I have also had to play Little John to her Robin Hood on quite a few walks to and from school, avoiding imaginary sheriff's men as we cross the fields between our house and school!

Whatever the reason, I somehow found myself with the (partly self-imposed) task of putting together some miniatures for a Robin Hood game (and writing some rules a 6-7 year old can follow).  Finding suitable miniatures isn't quite as easy as you might think, but I managed to source some from a couple of manufacturers.

Completed first were a nice trio of heroes and villains from Studio Miniatures Medieval Mayhem range.  First up are an excellent Robin and Friar Tuck, very much in the Errol Flynn mode.

 

  

(Tuck definitely having some un-Christian thoughts here)

 

 I've kept the colours pretty close to the original, apart from blonder hair for contrast.

 

Now, I know I've sort of done Friar Tuck once already (here) but: (a) he came in the same pack as Robin Hood; (b) he is such a well done version of Eugene Pallet's iconic performance as the rather martial friar; that I just couldn't resist.  I will admit that I was particularly pleased with how my shading and highlighting of his habit came out.

Time for a villain (boo, hiss!).  And who better than the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham!  The sculpting is clearly based on a certain scenery chewing performance from the 1990s (not sculpted with a spoon, but definitely looks as if he would be into merciful beheadings).  I decided not to go with the film's overall black outfit though, as I felt it would just be a bit too much, and out of kilter with Robin, so I went with a more opulent look. Highlighting on the blue is a bit too scrappy and the blue wash for shade is still too shiny.  Might see what a coat of matt varnish could do for him, but I like the overall effect.

I have a few more on the go - Maid Marion, Little John and Will Scarlett as done by Footsore Miniatures, and a few more from Studio who can stand in as 'extras'.

Finally, I also made use of the Miniature's other hobby, filling my pockets on walks with rocks, to do a quick scenery piece.  No paint at all on the rock, just left as found, and turned into a mysterious standing stone!