Creating ECW Armies with 10mm Peter’s Paperboys

Two weeks ago, I came across Peter's Paperboys, an online store which offers a wide range of paper soldiers in several scales that you can print off and assemble. I was attracted by the look of the recent 10mm line, and purchased the English Civil War bundle and the Both Wars bundle, which contains subjects common both to the ECW and the 30 Years' War. Since then, I have spent many eager hours assembling an army to wargame the 1644 Battle of Cheriton. 

Two weeks' work!

It was fatiguing work on back and fingers, and I wore out several blades cutting out soldiers for dozens of different units, but I am very pleased with the result. Above you may see all of the tools I used:

• Printed soldiers and base paper (printed on 40lb project paper)
  
• Cardstock bases of varying sizes
• Utility knife with #16 blades
• Glue stick
• Superglue

The Parliamentarian Army

Sir William Waller's army at Cheriton, 1644

Using the scenario found in the back of the wargaming rules In Deo Veritas by Philip Garton, with my own modifications, I assembled the opposing Parliamentarian and Royalist armies.

Parliamentarian Foot

I assembled the pike and shot infantry on 3 x 1.5 inch bases, which is recommended in In Deo Veritas. I arranged the soldiers in three rows, with 7-8 pikemen per row, with 5-6 musketeers on either side, along with some drummers, sergeants, and ensigns out front. I tried to give the infantry the correct coat and flag colors, if it could be known.

Parliamentarian Horse

In Deo Veritas uses the same 3" x 1.5" bases for Horse as well as Foot. But the 10mm Cavalry fit much better and, to my mind, looks more accurate to cavalry troops of the period on bases 2 x 2 inches. Arthur Heselrig's London Lobsters are portrayed as Cuirassiers at the bottom right, but all of the other regiments are portrayed as "Ironsides."

Detached muskets and commander base

The scenario in In Deo Veritas recommends the White London Trained Bands occupying Cheriton Wood be represented as three stands of detached muskets, which act as skirmishers. These are supposed to be on 1.5 x 1.5 inch bases, but I thought that the "paperboys" looked better on 1 x 1 inch bases. I used a round wooden base to represent Sir William Waller. I also read in John Adair's book about Cheriton that Waller had a company of bluecoated soldiers armed with firelocks to guard his artillery, so I decided to represent them.

Dragoons and Artillery

The scenario in In Deo Veritas gives Waller's army two stands of Field Artillery, while Hopton has only one. But Nick Lipscomb's Atlas and Concise History of the English Civil War says they both had about 13 guns. A stand of IDV artillery represents about 5-6 guns, but I decided simply to give one stand of field artillery to both armies. Cunningham's and Waller's regiments of dragoons are represented in red and yellow respectively.

Waller's Parliamentarian Army at Cheriton

The Royalist Army

Lord Ralph Hopton's army at Cheriton, 1644

Minus Waller's 1,000 dragoons, Lord Hopton's army was equally matched at Cheriton.

Royalist Foot

 

Many of Hopton's infantry was veteran, having served in Ireland and in the King's Oxford Army. Bard's and Lisle's foot (front row) would have contained elements from several regiments, but I portrayed them uniformly, according to the recorded coats and flags of their regiments.

Royalist Horse

 

In contrast to the Parliamentarian "Ironsides," the "Cavaliers" have a slightly looser formation and wear a variety of equipment. I do not believe Waller's horse would have uniformly been equipped as Harquebusiers, but it is helpful to easily distinguish Royalist and Parliamentarian.

Artillery, detached muskets, and commander base

Hopton is portrayed urging his men onwards. Appleyard's infantry, tasked with flushing out the Parliamentarians skirmishing in Cheriton Wood, are represented as three stands of detached muskets.

Hopton's Royalist army at Cheriton, 1644

I am very happy with how the Peter's Paperboys look when they are assembled. Looking forward to playing Cheriton with them! The modifications I have made to the scenario Philip Garton provides in In Deo Veritas have been made in order to portray the Battle of Cropredy Bridge with minimal additions. 

Soli Deo Gloria!