1:72 Spanish Tertia (Thirty Years War)

The real subject

The Spanish tercio was an infantry formation that combined spearmen with pikes and shooters with firearms. The pikes kept the enemy cavalry at a distance, the shooters fired from the flanks of the formation, and neither worked without the other. During the Thirty Years' War, that is in the years 1618 to 1648, this formation was still usual on the battlefields of Europe, even though it was gradually being pushed out by more flexible formations with a larger share of firearms.

The set

Figures of Spanish infantry of the time of the Thirty Years' War in 1:72 scale. At this scale one does not build an individual but a whole formation: the set makes sense above all when you build a closed formation or a scene on a battlefield out of it. The figures also serve as an addition to models of field guns, fortifications and buildings of the period in the same scale, where they give the scene something to be measured against.

Painting tips

Wash the figures first in lukewarm soapy water and let them dry, so that the paint holds well. Apply the base in a thin layer so that the faces and the small accessories do not get flooded. Lighten the clothing with a wash into the folds and a drybrush along the edges; metal comes off best on a dark base with a light pass of a metallic shade. The wooden shafts of the pikes can be managed even with a thin brush in a single stroke along their length.

Who it is for

For modelers and players of tabletop games who build scenes of the 17th century and need to people them with infantry. Paints, brushes, bases and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.