Army Muster: Pike & Shotte Firelock Storming Party

Army Muster is a brand new set of bundles tailored to those all-important core units in our mass-battle historical wargames. An easy way to expand existing and new collections alike, each Army Muster bundle contains three copies of one of our plastic boxed sets, plus a free complementary product that will support your new soldiers nicely on the tabletop.

Firelock Storming Party: Firelock companies were raised throughout the Civil Wars for a variety of purposes. Formed originally to fight in the wild bogs of Ireland where a flintlock was more easily handled than the clumsy matchlock, firelock-armed musketeers grew more common as the Civil Wars progressed, all armies sometimes fielding large units so armed.

The firelock had numerous advantages over the older matchlock. It was ready to fire at a moment's notice, was more weatherproof and did not betray a night advance with glowing match cord. It was also much cheaper in the long run as they did not consume vast quantities of match cord.

They were regularly used for baggage and artillery guards, as the flintlock mechanism was seen as infinitely more desirable in a gunpowder depot than spluttering, lit, match cord!

By mid to late war, whole companies were fielded. For the Royalists, Legge's who fought at Edgehill, Rupert’s and Maurice’s redcoats and Sandford's from Ireland. Parliament issued them liberally and many of the New Model Army had whole companies so armed and later, whole regiments. The Scots Covenanter forces also used the firelock to good effect.

This Army Muster Bundle Contains enough miniatures to make 54 Firelock Musketeers. Additionally, this bundle contains the Fire and Brimstone – Rabblerousers for free. These three figures are comprised of a ranter, a cleric and a preacher – just the chaps to rile up the men into battle-fervour!

Models supplied unassembled and unpainted