The Battle of Lubieszow

[Cadman]

The Battle of Lubieszow took place on 17-Apr-1577 during a 2 year war between the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania and the semi-autonomous City of Gdansk (Danzig).  Leaders of the citizenry had not recognized the election of Stefan Batory as king, because they feared the impact on their relative independence – Gdansk being one of the richest merchant city states on the shores of the Baltic. 

In August 1576 Batory marched to Malbork and started a process of isolating the rebel city from the surrounding countryside. In January he advanced on Tczew, and stormed the rebel defences of the fortress at Garabina, 15Km from Gdansk. This cut off the city by land, while ships were ordered to start a sea blockade.

 

A Polish army of 1000 infantry and 1300 cavalry under command of hetman Jan Zborowski, faced a Gdansk army of 3100 German landsknechts, 400 mercenary reiter cavalry, 400 city cavalry, and 6000-8000 Gdansk militia; in total 10-12 thousand soldiers under the command of Hans Winckelburg von Kölln.

The battle started with a cavalry attack. Polish-Hungarian Infantry captured a battery of Gdansk artillery, which was then turned around to fire at the rebel army.  Wherever the hussars moved to attack, the Gdansk men fled. Polish Cavalry kept up the chase right to the Gdansk city gate.

Gdansk losses amounted to 4400 dead, while the Commonwealth army lost 60 killed, 127 wounded.

 

So, having an empty bottom shelf of a living room display cabinet to fill – plus a bunch of Landsknecht figures available, I decided to recreate the Gdansk rebel line from this, perhaps, obscure and forgotten battle.

 

24-Dec-2017

Existing space in the display cabinet was measured up, and I decided to go for the option of using two separate wooden diorama bases. This was to ease putting them into, (and out of), the cabinet. The basic groundwork was then laid over suitably sized cardboard formers.  

 

26-Dec-2017

Once the basic groundwork had dried out, the diorama bases were then painted with cheap tube acrylics and the static grass added.

 

With some color on the bases, I now got the chance to start playing around with figure locations.

 

This little Gdansk burgher is one of my favorite figures included in the entire project. He's just the epitome of some dumpy self-righteous citizen who's pulled on Granddad's old suit of armor and ridden out the city gates with the German mercenaries -- to show them pesky Poles what's what!

 

 

27-Dec-2017

Getting all those figures embedded into the groundwork was a bit of a burgher as well, and took all day, but the time invested was worthwhile.

 

 

30-Dec-2017

So, having relocated some figures and straightening a few up a bit, here's where I'm at with this little project right now. (And another of my favorite figures center-stage in the first photo below).

 

 

 

 

I'm going to leave it a day or two now, and once everything is completely dried out I'll get rid of the stray static grass strands, tidy it up a bit, and then put in some grass tufts and flowers, which will add some interest to an otherwise featureless couple of diorama bases.

 

The entire object of the exercise was to fill up that bottom shelf with something to look at when there's nothing worth watching on TV and I reckon that goal's been pretty much attained.

 

So much so, that I'm now considering doing something similar with the Polish Winged Hussars display that's sitting on that glass shelf just above it.

We shall see.

 

Hope other members looking in enjoy this as much as I did building it.

Cheers

H

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by Cadman
Added a comment

[Getunderit]

Great looking scene. Interesting to see such colourful uniforms, or dress of the period. Is that how they dressed at that time? Just curious since I am half Polish.

[Cadman]

5 minutes ago, Getunderit said:

Great looking scene. Interesting to see such colourful uniforms, or dress of the period. Is that how they dressed at that time? Just curious since I am half Polish.

Try these links;

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=landsknecht+warfare&safe=active&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCzMzu2LHYAhVJbFAKHZNvAvkQsAQIJw&biw=1366&bih=637

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Landsknechts-Men-at-Arms-Douglas-Miller/dp/0850452589/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2GKX2HMNPTV6TNTW1X4F

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Landsknecht-Soldier-1486-1560-Warrior-Richards/dp/1841762431/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W3BVAEJP1P8020E27G84

 

http://www.landsknecht.com/html/history.html

 

 

[Gorby]

I was only thinking last week that we haven't been treated to a Cadman marvel for a while. It's certainly worth the wait – stunning job as usual. And another slice of history I knew nothing about. Well done that man!

[Cadman]

35 minutes ago, Gorby said:

I was only thinking last week that we haven't been treated to a Cadman marvel for a while. It's certainly worth the wait – stunning job as usual. And another slice of history I knew nothing about. Well done that man!

Cheers Gorby........glad you like it so far....

[Badder]

Another stunning job, H.

And I must say that the cabinet looks fantastic with this 'double-spread and grassy' diorama on the bottom shelf. If you do the same for the shelf above you know you'll end up doing the same for all of them don't you?

 

Wishing you a great new year,

Badder

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I leave it simply with this ... 

              

[Getunderit]

7 hours ago, Cadman said:

Try these links;

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=landsknecht+warfare&safe=active&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCzMzu2LHYAhVJbFAKHZNvAvkQsAQIJw&biw=1366&bih=637

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Landsknechts-Men-at-Arms-Douglas-Miller/dp/0850452589/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2GKX2HMNPTV6TNTW1X4F

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Landsknecht-Soldier-1486-1560-Warrior-Richards/dp/1841762431/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W3BVAEJP1P8020E27G84

http://www.landsknecht.com/html/history.html

Thanks for providing those interesting links. A completely new education for me. Just like your avatar 'Flashman', so much for camouflage . Funny how we humans get caught up in trends of the day.

[Cadman]

8 hours ago, Badder said:

Another stunning job, H.

And I must say that the cabinet looks fantastic with this 'double-spread and grassy' diorama on the bottom shelf. If you do the same for the shelf above you know you'll end up doing the same for all of them don't you?

 

Wishing you a great new year,

Badder

Happy New Year to you too Bader

[Cadman]

6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I leave it simply with this ... 

              

Cheers mate -- please be careful with that spring now....

[Badder]

32 minutes ago, Cadman said:

Happy New Year to you too Bader

Would that be Douglas Bader?

 

Badder

[Cadman]

5 minutes ago, Badder said:

Would that be Douglas Bader?

 

Badder

Naah, just a bad, er, typo.....

[Cadman]

A few quick snaps of the next "Shelf Diorama". I'll probably arrange the Polish Winged Hussars and their "Ottoman Turk" opponents on more of a slant so I get more use out of the mirror at the back of the cabinet -- shall decide on figure placements once I've sourced the correct size of wooden bases.

Sorry for the atrocious photo quality; always difficult shooting into a cabinet while having to use the camera flash, but you'll get the general idea.