Burgundian Knights and Gens d’Armes, 15th Century

MiniArt 1:72 Scale Figure Review

Louis de Châlons, seigneur de Château-Guyon, leading the Burgundian charge against Swiss infantry at the Battle of Morat (Murten), 1:72 Miniatures MiniArt 72006.

The artwork on the box cover shows Louis de Châlons, seigneur de Château-Guyon, leading the Burgundian charge against Swiss infantry at the Battle of Morat (Murten), 22 June 1476. Louis de Châlons, Knight of the Golden Fleece, was killed at the battle.

These Burgundian knights are excellent value for anyone interested in building a Burgundian army for De Bellis Antiquitatis (dba). There are 20 mounted knights in the box, 18 of which are needed to raise the six mounted elements of an Early Burgundian army (№ 173) for dba. The later Burgundian Ordonnance army (№ 180) requires only four of these elements. Spare miniatures may be painted to represent French or German knights of other late medieval armies.

Contents

20 miniatures in 5 Poses – 24 mm equal 173 cm Height

  • Knight in plate armour and feathered helmet with couched lance
  • Knight in plate armour with couched lance
  • Knight in plate armour with couched lance
  • Knight in plate armour with sword
  • Gens d’Armes in Gambeson and chainmail with couched lance

20 horses in 5 poses – 22 mm equal 15.2 Hands

  • Barded Warhorse with full plate crinière
  • Barded Warhorse with plate and chainmail crinière
  • Barded Warhorse with plate chanfron
  • Trotting Horse
  • Galloping Horse
15th Century Burgundian Knights, 1:72 Miniatures MiniArt 72006

Evaluation

Excellent choice of subject, the Burgundian knights are unique in this scale.

Suitable wargame poses. There are enough knights and gens d’armes in this box to build all six mounted knight (Kn) elements of an Early Burgundian dba army (№ 173). The later Burgundian Ordonnance army requires only four of the same (Kn) elements.

Armour plate, helmets, horse barding, and other items of personal equipment are historically accurate and nicely detailed.

The figures are easy to convert, because there are no heraldic emblems superimposed on the riders or horses.

Compatible with HaT Industrie, Italeri, Revell, and Zvezda.

Significant flash along mould lines needs to be removed carefully prior to painting.

The four separate lances in this set are too short, they should measure 50 mm. Replace them with lances made from piano wire.

The horses’ foreheads and noses are unnaturally thin and pointed when viewed from the front. Real horses have a wide and flat forehead.

Four of the five horse poses are sculpted in an unnatural gait. One wonders why figure sculptors do not study horses more, and allow themselves be inspired by the superb horse poses of several Revell cavalry sets. The horses on the box cover, however, are posed correctly.

Historical Employment

  • DBA Army № 173 – Early Burgundian (6 × 3 Kn)
  • DBA Army № 180 – Burgundian Ordonnance (4 × 3 Kn)

Possible Conversion

  • 15th Century French Knight
  • 15th Century German Knights

Bibliography

MiniArt’s Burgundian Knights and Gens d’Armes are a must-have for wargamers and diorama builders interested in 15th century warfare. The figures are perfectly suited for dba and other popular wargame rules using multi-figure bases.

Sample from MiniArt

Medieval Miniatures