Project Beerenburg - The iron fist inside the velvet glove

With this update to Project Beerenburg we introduce some of the harder hitting companies within my proposed 1000 point Beerenburg Expeditionary Forces (BEF) for Fantastic Battles.

Horses (even short, stunty, horses) are not cheap to keep, and the limited rural hinterland of the city means that only the very wealthiest members of Beerenburg's plutocracy can ride to war as mounted burghers. In game, the mounted burghers are an elite company with the militia racial trope and the doughty, furious charge and mounted traits. Having only one company in the army, they will theoretically act as a mobile reserve for the generally slow infantry units.

The miniatures are from The Assault Group's (TAG) halfling range. Clearly inspired by early 16th century knights, I wanted them each to be different and for the entire unit to be wildly colourful. Obviously the chap in the Schwarze Reiter-inspired black armour didn't get the memo.

The Beerenburg Alchemists' Guild provides the city with a different type of punch. While the bow is considered the typical weapon for halfling-kind, the Alchemists' Guild, are more than happy to play around with more explosive toys. In game, these are ordnance batteries with the artillery, heavy missile weapons, and thrown weapons traits. They will not take the militia racial trope as they only start with 1 attack die in melee and you can never roll less than that. 

Guild livery is red and black; some say they wear it because it is a classy combination, others think it is to hide the soot and blood stains. The crew and guns are both from TAG, the crew are obviously halflings, the guns are hackbuts from the dwarf range.

Adding another dimension to the little army is this hefty fellow - a mercenary giant who is more than happy to throw his weight around. He will be used as a fantastic beast with the belligerent, giant, and heavy melee weapons traits.

The model is a 3D sculpt from Epics N Stuff and he is absolutely awesome (if physically cutting a bit close to the bone for many wargamers). Given the numbers of Scottish and Irish mercenaries who fought in contenental Europe in the early modern period, I went with a vaguely Gaelic feel with the colours and tattoos - the mustardy-saffron kilt and bearskin tying in with the yellow and black state colours of Beerenburg. Additional rats from Anvil Industries.