The 10th Man Halberdier Problem

Weeks ago, I have been patiently waiting for my Pendraken miniatures and felt a little apprehensive.  So a few days after I ordered, I went to the Warmaster Acolyte website where pictures of the minis are available. In one of the threads, there was this conversation in Spanish by two forum members (see http://warmaster-acolytes.mforos.com/1854818/9096581-pen-p5-hajduk-10th-man-halberdier-16-17-polish-haiduk-decimo-hombre-alabardero/)

The first guy said, "Bueno, pues de los Hadjuk creo que no puedo decir mucho, creo que eran una especie de ¿mercenarios? no recuerdo. Y lo del decimo hombre (10th man) tampoco lo entiendo, pero lo que sí veo es que es una figura excelentemente esculpida, con detalle y bien proporcionada.

En la referencia te venden 30 figuras iguales, lo cual es un poco decepcionante para hacerte una unidad de alabarderos (¿todos señalando con el dedo?) pero en cambio es una gran elección para bases de mando o incluso "figura de relleno", en esas artillerías, junto con el de la bandera en la peana central de cualquier infantería, etc.. etc...

Podría ser una buena alternativa para proxy de kislevita, ya que tiene esulpida la casaca con los cordones cruzados en el pecho y un gorro con pluma.

Os dejo un par de ejemplos de lo dicho arriba"

And the second guy replied, "Los Haiduk, de origen hungaro, fueron reclutados para formar parte del ejército de la mancomunidad Polaca como soldados de infantería, llegando a ser adoptado su estilo como el estándar de la infantería polaca.

Los Haiduk estaban equipados principalmente con armas de fuego (mosquetes). También portaban sable y hacha, aunque éste último era principalmente utilizado para cortar leña y no en la batalla.

Estaban organizados en rotas de 100 a 200 soldados que a su vez se dividían en decenas (tens). El décimo hombre (el mando de la decena) portaba la darda, indicadora del mando y utilizada más que para el combate, para el control de disparos. Ocasionalmente el décimo hombre también podía estar equipado con un arma de fuego.

De aquí te viene la pose y la denominación de esta miniatura. Tienes que utilizarlos junto con la referencia [PEN] P4 Hajduk Musketeer (16th-17th Century Polish)."

I was aware of this conversation all the while, but it was at that moment that I decide to use Google translate to find out what are they saying.  So here goes...

"Well, I think the Hajduk I can not say much, I think we were kind of Do mercenaries? I do not remember. And the tenth man (10th man) do not understand it, but what I see is that it is an excellently sculpted figure with detail and well proportioned.

In the reference will sell 30 identical figures, which is a bit disappointing to make a unit of halberdiers (all pointing fingers?) But instead is a great choice for remote bases or even "fill figure" in these artillery, along with the flag in the center of any infantry base, etc. .. etc ...

It could be a good alternative for Kislevite proxy, as it has esulpida the coat with laces folded across his chest and a hat with feather.

I leave a couple of examples of this above"

and

"The Haiduk, of Hungarian origin, were recruited to join the Polish Army and Commonwealth soldiers, becoming adopted as the standard style of the Polish infantry.

The Haiduk were equipped mainly with firearms (muskets). Also carried sword and ax, although the latter was mainly used for cutting wood and not in battle.

Broken were organized into 100 to 200 soldiers turn were divided into dozens (tens). The tenth man (the command of the decade) carried the darda, control indicator and used only for combat, for fire control. Occasionally the tenth man could also be equipped with a firearm.

From here you get your pose and the name of this miniature. You have to use them together with the reference [PEN] Hajduk P4 Musketeer (16th-17th Century Polish)"


BLAM!  I had bought an entire blister of a monopose halberdier pointing his hand forward, which were meant to be used with the musketeers rather than a unit on its own!  To make it worse, when I started the kislev project I had counted on this unit to make up the bulk of my kislev axemen infantry.  

Sianz.  Since that fateful discovery I have tried to find alternatives but I had no luck.  The best I can do is to let the infantry axemen stands be comprised largely of  Pendraken's Cossack Berdische axemen while using a few 10th men harblediers, a few TB line Eastern European Peasants or Pendraken's Polish infantry command models to break the monotony.

Now to some happier news.  I may have opportunities to buy some real Kislev archers rather than use Pendraken proxies.