Speaking of shields...

[d_Guy]

...and spears. Scottish spearmen(mainly lowland) 1290-1472 are mainly portrayed (in wargame figures) with heater type shields. Various sources say everything from no shields to smaller bucklers to large round shields. Ian Holme's illustrations show them with heaters. Any opinions?

Spear length: everything from about 6ft to 14ft until the final shift to 18ft by Flodden.  Wargame figures (pre-Flodden) have them in the 6 to 8 foot range. Again, any ideas?

I have bunches of figures (Pendraken and Old Glory) with heaters which I am presently cutting down to round, a laborious process with inconsistent results.
Would just as soon not feel compelled to do this.

Currently working on Harlaw 1411

[Steve J]

To be honest Bill, I no longer worry about this sort of thing. Heresy I know, but life is too short.

[d_Guy]

Good answer! 

[Orcs]

To be honest Bill, I no longer worry about this sort of thing. Heresy I know, but life is too short.

Yep the model on the table is whatever your opponent defines it as and has paid the points for what he has defined.

[FierceKitty]

Not an arena I've fought in, but you mention a period of nearly two centuries. Time for quite a bit of development.

[Ithoriel]

Early on I'd expect them to carry a buckler or targe. As time went on these seem to have been supplemented by heater shields but then, as spears became pikes, shields seem to have fallen out of use.

So, round shield, heater shield or no shield depending on period, armament and personal taste!

[steve_holmes_11]

Not a period that's ever been my focus.
I've come across plenty of sources which do little to clarify transitions and timelines.
However I'll stick my oar in.

During the wars of independence the spearmen were the Yeoman class, though better equipped nobles would often dismount, since the English enjoyed cavalry superiority.
WRG lists suggest they would form a better-equipped front rank for the spearmen.
It seems likely that the yeoman would have a buckler strapped to their left arm, while the nobles woudl bring whetever the cavalry were carrying at the time (Kite, flat-topped kite?).
Most wargame lists assume the spear is wielded 2 handed, gaining all the in-game plusses for a pike, and allowing a weapon greater than 9 feet in length.

I'd imagine the shield would follow cavalry and infantry fashion until the advent of true pikes.

As Steve J says, I tend to go with however my figures are cast, and not sweat too much that it doesn't match the the few contemporary illustrations.

[d_Guy]

Thanks for the comments gentlemen.

Not an arena I've fought in, but you mention a period of nearly two centuries. Time for quite a bit of development.

Good point. Magnates (and other filthy rich) were likely able to keep up with advances in armour (transitioning from mostly mail to plate for example). The rank and file seemed (I think) to be rather static during the period. I'm trying to cover the near two hundred years of the Scots army with mainly the same figures.

So, round shield, heater shield or no shield depending on period, armament and personal taste!

Probably where I'll end up!

@Steve Holmes thanks for those comments as well. Had not thought through the fighting on foot. Each mounted retinue would use what they had when dismounted - so heaters (early on anyway). Thanks, gives me a back story to work with.

Incidentally,, in my OP that should be Ian Heath!