ECW Target Date Review

Time for a "stock take" on the ECW mini's I've been wading through since November last year.
I'd set myself the ambitious goal of two playable 'armies' for use with Victory Without Quarter by the end of February (well actually my birthday at the end of the first week of March but let's not split hairs), and I'm pleased to say I've managed it!
There's been some compromises along the way, as well as a fair amount of midnight oil burned, but here's the evidence that enthusiasm can compensate for lack of talent (to a degree!!)

The complete muster,

I've included a 'baggage train' that will see service across all of the 17thC games. The wagons are removable from their bases to also act as terrain pieces / objectives etc.
The rest of the tally comprises:
Four Regiments of Foote - each 6 pike and twelve shot
One unit of Commanded Shot - 12 'Forlorn Hope' shot
Two squadrons of Dragoons - mounted and dismounted, each of 6 Dragoons plus dismounts
Nine squadrons of Horse - 7 squadrons of 6 'arquebusiers' and 2 squadrons of 'cuirassiers'
Artillery Trayne - 2 heavy and 1 light gun and crews
Two (temporary) C-in-C's - these 2 single figures will become 'Brigadiers', the multi based C-in-C's are currently on the painting table.

One of the (several) appeals the Victory Without Quarter rule have, is that there are no points values or army lists, so the rules work perfectly for any style of game or campaign you wish to play.
Obviously, these units have been assembled specifically for "mass battles", but while working on them, I took into consideration the 'Pikeman's Lament' small battle / large skirmish rules I intend using (they share mechanics with the 'Dragon Rampant' rules I'm familiar and happy with), so I simply painted up this stand of 6 pikes which can be added to the 'green regiment' above,

then combine the two 'blue units' of pike, remove all the 'subordinate' (those without officers and cornets) squadrons of horse, and finally take away the 'red regiment' pike to leave the muskets as Commanded Shot. and...........

......... I have enough units to pick various combinations of "companies" to begin playing The Pikeman's Lament!

In a surprising display of forward thinking, I also based a few of the mounted figures on single bases - there's no requirement to do this for either Victory Without Quarter, or Pikeman's Lament, but these guys will fit in OK for Witchfinder General skirmish games.

All of the bases are simply covered in a homebrew green texture paint, and I'll revisit them once I've made a final decision on just how I want them to look, and how to achieve it!

I intend adding to the collection over time, to increase the options of choice of troop types and army composition (as well as adding "local" regiments for the campaign), but from this starting point there's no rush and I'll do it without the pressure of a target date!

Apologies for the poor photography and the fact it's a bit of a boring post, but I wanted to mark the occasion and sadly it's been done while suffering 'sleep deprevation' - the key snapped off  in the ignition while we were up in Bradford last night. The RAC were called out at 10:30 and made arrived with a first response (a recovery wagon too small for the job and no tools!) at 03:30. He called for a larger recovery wagon (still no tools) which arrived at 0840 and dropped us off at our local garage just after 10am. A taxi got us home just before lunch and then we were on 'hot standby' to go back to collect the van as soon as repairs were completed so I could get it home and unloaded.
I've spent a little time googling the alternatives out there in advance of our RAC membership expiring!