First up is a sub-unit of six knights with hand weapons. These are my favourites for a couple of reasons; I like painting horses, and I'm less likely to be stabbed than I am with lance-armed knights. There are some new features on these (compared to the last Hospitaller knights I painted up). Firstly, I've gone with half-barded, half-unbarded horses. This means there's a lot of visible black... but rather than try to balance this (with pale horses) I've reinforced it - by painting the majority of the steeds either black or bay or dark-ish chestnut. The result is visually striking, and makes the white badges and shield designs positively gleam. The 'inked metal' works beautifully with dark colours. Overall, I'm happy - and hopefully their new owner will be too!
Lances, like pikes, are a labour of love for me. They look great, no doubt... but I spend a lot of time getting stabbed as I reach over them. And don't get me started on packaging them up for mail order! But nothing looks quite as dramatic as a lance-armed cavalry charge. If this lot were bearing down on me, lances aimed at my heathen chest and screaming in Old French, I'd have no hesitation in running for the hills. Or the trees. Or anywhere else that horses can't easily go. I've faced a mounted charge or two in my time (long story...) and they're definitely a morale-flattener. Painting-wise, these were much the same as the sub-unit above, but with a blaze of red pennons / guidons / banners / pennants; or whatever you like to call them.
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