The guns were officially introduced under the TO&E from December 1944. According to the TO&E, a division was issued a total of 50 pieces: 8 in divisional artillery, 24 in AA battalion, and 18 in glider infantry regiment; parachute infantry regiments did not have anti-tank guns. The British guns were referred simply as 57 mm guns.
The Fallschirmjager (German Airborne troops) performed the first airborne invasion when they assaulted Denmark on the 9 April 1940. They followed this success up with further successful airlandings of Norway and the pyrrhic victory of Operation Mercury in taking Crete.
Unlike their Allied counterparts these German Paratroopers were attached to the German Luftwaffe rather than the army.
Fallschirmjager were highly trained, invariably veteran troops, as the Allies found in such legendary battles as Eben Emael, Carentan (we've all seen Band of Brothers haven't we?), Monte Cassino and Arnhem. Wherever the Fallschirmjager were found a bloody struggle was sure to be had...
The dour psalm singing men of Parliament are captured here in a box containing 40 Parliament Soldiers and eight standards and complete with bases.
From the hurriedly raised regiments and tarried bands of 1642, the Rebel army grew to be an awesome fighting force with the Venice red coated New Model Army driving all before them. By the 1650 the NMA was arguably the best trained and effective force in Europe
Indeed they routed the English forces in the Bishops' Wars leading up to the great civil war where they first sided with Parliament, fighting mainly in the North, most famously at Marston Moor. Then they made a momentous decision and sold the captured Charles I, their King, to his bitter enemies, Parliament.
This unholy alliance could not last and the Covenant army found itself allied with a doomed Royalist cause in the second and third civil wars.
Well-equipped and organised, the Scottish infantry could give a good account of themselves. They scorned armour, and often helmets, in their pike divisions, but all too many of them died at catastrophic battles like Preston, Dunbar and, finally, Worcester or were slaughtered in the Highlands by Montrose's wild Highlanders and Irish. Survivors were shipped to the West Indies where many died of disease, a sad end to a once proud fighting force.
Warlord's Covenanters are shown here fighting under the saltire flag, which was typical of the day, eager to get to grips with their English foes.
Contains:
Firelock companies were raised throughout the Civil Wars for a variety of purposes. Formed originally to fight in the wild bogs of Ireland where a flintlock was more easily handled than the clumsy matchlock, firelock-armed musketeers grew more common as the Civil Wars progressed, all armies sometimes fielding large units so armed.
The firelock had numerous advantages over the older matchlock. It was ready to fire at a moment's notice, was more weatherproof and did not betray a night advance with glowing match cord. It was also much cheaper in the long run as they did not consume vast quantities of match cord.
They were regularly used for baggage and artillery guards, as the flintlock mechanism was seen as infinitely more desirable in a gunpowder depot than spluttering, lit, match cord!
By mid to late war, whole companies were fielded. For the Royalists, Legge's who fought at Edgehill, Rupert's and Maurice's redcoats and Sandford's from Ireland. Parliament issued them liberally and many of the New Model Army had whole companies so armed and later, whole regiments. The Scots Covenanter forces also used the firelock to good effect.
Warlord Games' Firelocks are shown storming a bridge led by their dashing Captain, just the sort of action that Firelock Companies were used for!
The box set contains:
- 1 Officer
- 1 drummer
- 16 plastic firelock musketeers
This a plastic and metal box set that requires assembly and painting
There are few more iconic images of the English Civil Wars than the grim-faced lobster pot helmed, buff-coated Parliamentarian Ironside.
Parliament cavalry cut a fearsome appearance on the Civil war battlefield. For offensive purposes they could be armed with a good stout broadsword, two long flintlock pistols and sometimes a carbine. This reflected their tactical use on the field, often drawn up six deep, using their carbines, and then their pistols, in the Dutch fashion, to pepper the enemy with shot and then and only then close with the sword.
When it worked it worked well, but crushing defeats by the dashing Cavaliers led to Cromwell reorganising his horse regiments and playing the Royalists at their own game.
Warlord Games' Parliament cavalry are equipped with sword and pistol, in addition to carbines and poleaxes. The boxed set also contains standards for Parliament regiments and the Thirty Years War Swedish army.
The Box contains: 12 mounted Cavalrymen Set of 6 cornets 4 English Civil War and 2 Thirty Years War. Set of Bases
Royalist cavalry earned a well deserved reputation for ferocity from their first clash with their Parliament foes at Powick Bridge in September1642 to the last major battles of the Civil wars.
Inspired by commanders such as Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Cavalier cavalry adopted a style of charge that overwhelmed their opponents in the early war years. Drawn up only three deep, their tactic was to approach steadily then spur their horses into the enemy at a gallop, not using their pistols until they literally pressed the muzzles against the bodies of the Roundhead troopers!
Well led, well motivated, and superbly mounted, the Royalist horse was the terror of the battlefield, until Parliament learned how to stop the ferocious charges and turn Royalist indiscipline against them.
Warlord Games presents their Royalists with all manner of options. You can equip them in helmets or hats and arm them with swords, pistols or even carbines and poleaxes. We include standards for Royalist regiments and the Imperial amy in the Thirty Years War.
The Box contains:
12 mounted Cavalrymen Set of 6 cornets 4 English Civil War and 2 Thirty Years War. Set of Bases
The Saker was the mainstay of the artillery park. Large and fearsome enough to pound the enemy in the field and also manageable (just!) so that it could arrive on the battlefield. We forget today that 350 years ago in Britain few had seen the savage effects of gunpowder weapons let alone heard such a terrific noise as a Saker giving fire!
Scotland might not have been one of the richest lands in Europe, but when its well organised army marched to war, it went well equipped with artillery in quantity and in many forms.
This model comes supplied unassembled and unpainted.