Landsknecht mercenary captain and "Doppelsoeldner" in 3/4 armor

[oberasbach4]

These are my first two customs.
I am a medieval and renaissance history buff, so my creations will lean toward that direction.
This little diorama depicts a German Landsknecht mercenary captain in service of the Holy Roman Empire (in the customary "puff and slash" attire). To his right is a Doppelsoeldner (double paid mercenary) who used his two-handed greatsword to cut down and disrupt enemy pike formations.
Dangerous work indeed...he earned his beer!
I built/modified a number of armor pieces with styrene sheets.
Possible future customs include a Landsknecht artillery train, a Teutonic knight, a Gothic knight with horse plate armor....

[Meg]

I think they are quite remarkable, tho I am no expert in these matters
I particularly like the one you have chosen for your avatar

Meg

[Captain Henry]

Very nice! I like what you've done in painting the horse - it has MUCH more character that way. Also, how did you make the armored skirt for the foot soldier? It looks great!

[oberasbach4]

Thanks Meg!
Hi Captain Henry. I used styrene sheets and built up the armor by overlapping individual segments.

[Sylvia]

Wow!!!
Your customs are beautiful!

I love the colours you used on the mounted figure, and the way both men still retain a lot of their original klicky simplicity even with the addition of non-Playmobil parts. Great work!

[playmofire]

Those are excellent customs, Guido, and go very well together.  The attention to detail and the handbuilt armour and handmade detailing of the costume are amazing.

Why is the "doppelsoeldner" called "double paid"?  Was it because his role in battle was particularly dangerous?

I'd like to see the Landsknecht artillery train next.

[Dan]

Great!  I have to try one!

[Dan]

"An experienced Landsknecht would be called a Doppelsöldner, and instead of wielding a pike along with the new recruits, would employ a six to eight foot long halberd or partisan, or a zweihänder, two-handed swords as long as 6 feet. These great war swords could be used to hack off the heads of enemy pikes, or more likely; to knock the pikes aside and create disorder in the tightly arranged line of pikes, in order to break through enemy lines. Doppelsöldner meant double soldier/mercenary, because they were paid double the wages of their less experienced counterparts."

There's more at http://www.answers.com/topic/landsknecht

[pastifi]

Great customs and a history lesson as well 

[playmofire]

Ah, I understand now.  Thanks for the answer and the link Dan.
I'd got a bit too tied up with the mercenary element and was thinking more of double paid as receiving money from two sides.