Here are a few shots of the Vikings- all are the new Gripping Beast Plastics (except the stand closest to the camera in the second shot- they are GB metals).
The flag I downloaded from Ray's Don't throw a One blog.
These guys are probably too spread out on the base.
On the left is a stand of 8 figures, on the right the new 6 figure version. The figures on the left are mainly Gripping Beast metals but at least two are Artizan. This stand is one of my Norse-Irish Viking Blades for BBDBA or Viking allies in Impetus- the LBM Studio Celtic shield designs showing that these Vikings have been influenced/assimilated by the local Irish culture- and so I can tell them apart from my regular Vikings.
As you can see two less figures per base doesn't impact too much visually- and when ranked up as in some of the earlier shots still looks suitably animated.
I need to get a few Gripping Beast metals for the Bondi I want about 4 bases worth (24 figs) for Impetus, so when I do order them I might also get some of their Welsh range to finish off my Welsh army too. I have some of the new Crusader Scots range I was going to use for the Welsh but want more variety so hopefully they'll mix with the Crusaders okay.
Organising the Vikings
My next dilemma is how to diffentiate different unit types. Under Impetus the army is made of:
0-2 FP (Foot Protected i.e heavy foot) Guard Huscarls
0-6 FP Veteran Huscarls
4-24 FP Huscarls
0-36 FP Hird
0-2 (skirmishers) Archers
0-2 (skirmishers) Javelinmen
The hird will be unarmoured bondi figures while the guard will be easy- they will have standards. The armoured huscarls will be the GB plastic hird. So the issues is how to differentiate the veteran huscarls. Maybe a dead body on each base. Another idea I had was to give them uniform shield colours, but different designs- eg black and white so that they stand out from the crowd. With my Irish auxilia/Bonnachts I've given them all a plain grey shield which may not be accurate but ties them together nicely and I think a similar system for the Norse veterans could also work.
Craig
Great looking army you have there. Really like the basing and the use of space, which works really well in Warband and Dark Age armies.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't rush into rebasing your other Dark Age armies, just touch them up a little with some static grass and remember they are both fighting for 2 sides of the field.
They look good Craig. I am pretty pleased with the effect two mixed shades of static grass gives. Much better than my earlier efforts with one!
ReplyDeleteI think giving the Vet unified shields is the way to go. I shouldn't look at your stuff - it makes me want to go out and expand my own plastic collection. You've already got me wanting to rebase my 15mm to make a couple of Impetus armies, to get some games in at the club. One advantage of having a FOG army is that I have a fair number of figs, even though it was only a 'small' 600 pt effort. That game was nuts figwise!
Stephen is loaning me the full rules, and they seem not exorbitant (though you can't get them direct atm!) to buy. So I will pick them up if I like them. The differences between the lists, ans some mechanics seems 'night and day'.
Yeah, I like them- yes sngle shade static grass is too bright for me I mix the bright green with the dry grass at a ratio of 2:1 and it looks better to me.
ReplyDeleteI've a couple of 15mm Impetus armies but prefer the 28mm these days.
Hope to have a battle report tomorrow
Craig
Great looking Army - I wouldn't have bothered rebasing them myself, but I can see that it was worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteI use my DA stuff for skirmishing mostly so I intend keeping them on individual bases, but will use squares so I can shieldwall them up as necessary