28mm Dark Age commanders

Another break from colonials, I wrapped up these three commanders from the 28mm Foundry Arthurian range.

First up Kay or Kai/Cai.  I've envisioned him in an emerald encrusted helmet with a shield design based on the heavily stylized Uffington white horse.  Yes, that's what it's meant to be!  I was watching the LotR Return of the King movie just before, so there may be a Rohan influence there.

Next up Cador of Cornwall.  Hes wearing imperial purple, suggesting his post-Roman ancestry, which would make him suitable as Ambrosius as well.  Hes wearing a full face Late Roman cavalry helmet studded with lapis lazily, reflecting Cornwall's  early dark age trading with the Middle East and Byzantium in particular.

And, of course, no post-Roman command team would be complete without the Dux Bellorum, Arthur himself.  White appears to be his colour of choice, so he wears a white cloak and rides a white horse.

These guys work as Arthurian generals or unit commanders, but also provide service in Late Roman armies.  Arthur himself appeared in last nights game as a Late Roman general, while my opponent Dennis fielded two similar models as Frankish commanders.

Thanks for looking.

Saga army finished at last

My main Christmas 2013 present from the missus was a 6pt Saga Anglo-Danish army from Gripping Beast.  I started work on them in September 2014 and I finally managed to complete the last unit a week ago, a little over 2 years after I started - how's that for progress?

The last unit completed were a group of 12 sling-armed levy.  I've kitted them out in some rather drab brown, beige and grey colours with some washed out greens and reds, on the basis they would be dressed in homespun  clothing dyed with natural materials.

The complete warband.  Levy slingers in front, two units of 8 unarmoured warriors in the second rank and a unit of 8 armoured warriors in the third rank.  At the rear is the warlord, armed with a Dane axe, plus a similarly armed unit of 4 hearthguard and a Saxon leader, representing an exiled Saxon advisor/hero.

From the front.

From their left flank.

From their right.

Looking through the centre of the ranks.

Bearing in mind the snails pace of progress on the Anglo-Danes, I have no idea when these will be wrapped up, but my son persuaded me to buy him a pack of Gripping Beast Late Roman plastics.  I tried painting one of the leaders and a musician as a try out.  I don't think they have turned out too badly and he seems pleased with them.  I was going to try and paint the shield designs by hand, but on seeing the decal examples from the Baggage Train, I decided to get a couple of packs to kit out the pack.  So the officers shield will need to be painted out in white before applying the decal.

 
So, with a big 6mm game coming up I've been finishing off the last of my 1980s Turks, in the form of an F-4 Phantom, my only air support, which is currently drying on the bench after being varnished.  Now to decide which is the next part finished project to wrap up.

As ever, thanks for looking.

Saga Anglo-Danes second unit of warriors

This is the second unit of warriors from the Gripping Beast starter army; these guys don't even have helmets, let alone armour.  They are wearing basic clothing and are bare headed or wear a cloth or woollen cap.  All are armed with spears.  I've assembled the commander - the guy blowing a horn, as carrying a spear and shield in one hand so he has a hand free to hold the horn to his lips.


From the front.

From behind.

Another view.

Fun to paint and looking great on the table top.  Just a unit of levy to complete and the warband is done.

Thanks for looking.

Saga Anglo-Dane Warriors

My next unit of Anglo-Danes is now wrapped up.  This time a unit of 8 Warriors, wearing helmets and carrying a mixture of spears, with scattered swords and axe-armed figures.  None wear armour and all carry round shields, although the leader carries a kite shield.

Again a really colourful bunch on the table top.  Very pleasing to see this warband growing.  I've got one more unit of 8 Warriors on the painting table and a unit of 12 Levy to complete the 6 point warband for Saga.  If I can get them wrapped up by New Year, that will be one of my New Years resolutions complete.  Just the ECW battalia and 28mm WW2 Russians left over.

As ever, thanks for looking.

Saga hearthguard

Two more units of hearthguard painted up for my Anglo-Dane warband.  Each is armed with spears, the first with round shields.

The second with a mixture of round and kite shields.

All completed figures so far, an Anglo-Dane warlord, an Anglo-Saxon warlord, one unit of hearthguard with Dane axes, and the two units of spear armed hearthguards.

A colourful bunch, very pleasing to see on the games table.

Thanks for looking.

More Saga figures

I've progressed the Saga Anglo Danes over the weekend.

First up, the Anglo Dane warlord - he's armed with a long handled Dane axe.  From in front -

 Rear view.

A unit of Hearthguard, also armed with Dane axes.

A slightly closer view of the Hearthguard.

All the figures completed so far.  Hearthguard in front with Anglo Dane warlord rear left and Saxon warlord rear right.

I'm starting to feel more confident in painting these figures now so hopefully should get the Saga warband wrapped up in reasonable time.

Thanks for looking.

First 28mm Saga figure

I finally managed to get the first of my Saga army onto the painting table.  This is something of a first for me as it is my first ever 28mm figure, first Gripping Beast miniature and first Dark Ages figure of any kind.  Although the army I have to paint is Anglo-Danish, this figure is a Saxon warlord.  I've painted him to look quite important, with bejewelled scabbard and sword hilt as well as gold trimmed clothing to suggest he is a person of high rank, perhaps an exiled Saxon noble or even a pretender to the throne of a Saxon kingdom.  I used Vallejo paints and varnish on the figure.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with the way he's turned out.  Now I just have to work out how to mass produce figures to get multiple units painted up.  This has also given me the confidence to paint up the Warlord Games ECW Battalia that I received as a Christmas present last year.

Thanks for looking!