1:72 Scurrers, War of the Roses 7

Scurrers, Wars of the Roses, 1:72 scale, Red Box

A figure set from the Red Box line devoted to the English Wars of the Roses. The designation scurrers is used for mounted scouts, lightly equipped riders who move outside the main formation in a scene. That is the essential difference from the foot sets: the set brings horses and riders, not a line of infantry.

What the set captures

Light cavalry of the 15th century: a rider in lighter protective equipment, a horse with a harness, a hand weapon. In a scene these figures are not set into a rank; they are placed around the edges of a diorama, on a road, on a rise, in pairs.

Painting: the horse is a bigger area than the rider

With mounted sets the greater part of the visible surface is the coat of the horse, and that is painted differently from cloth. Lay the base tone on evenly and handle volume with a transition, not with drawing: a lighter tone on the back and the upper surfaces of the hindquarters, a darker one into the areas under the belly and between the muscles. Set the mane and the tail apart with a noticeably different tone, otherwise they will merge with the body. The harness is the opposite task: it is a narrow band that is meant to be seen, so give it a contrasting color and add a dark line around its edge. Leave the metal in the harness and on the weapon until the end: it is applied over a dark base and polished with a dry brush, by which it makes its own edge. Leave the coat matte and the metal slightly glossy; it is precisely this difference in sheen that makes a mounted figure interesting from a distance.

Who the set is for

• Builders of medieval dioramas in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who add cavalry to foot formations
• Collectors of historical figure sets
• Modelers who want to master painting a horse's coat in a small scale

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Paints, glue and a base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.