Ango-Danes

 

 The past couple of weeks when I've had a bit of spare time I’ve been chipping way at a rebasing project, rebasing a few units of Anglo-Danes and adding a few more troops. I’ve one stand to do (at present) and then onto the next project, whatever that may be.

The figures are a real mix but mainly: Gripping Beast Dark Ages Warriors plastics, Victrix plastic Vikings, Gripping Beast plastic Saxon thegns, Gripping Beast metals and also a few others.

And finally  few homemmade movement trays, made out of cardboard, blasa and basing sand.

Craig

More Vikings and Anglo-Saxons

Over the past few days I've slowly been chipping away at the rebasing project for the Vikings and Anglo Saxon forces.

First up the Vikings

I've enough for 8 units worth in Dux Bellorum or 2 divisions in Hail Caesar. I'm keen to expand by another 4-8 uiits but will wait till the new Victrix Vikings are released later in the year- which is when i intend to add some more lightly equipped Bondi units to the force.

The Anglo-Saxons

A smaller force. I've quite a few more metal Ceorls to base up but am replacing the old soft metal spears with plastic Fireforge ones and am awaiting for more to arrive.

Currently there are 3 units of Thegns- each base has 4 spearmen and a single axesman or swordsman as the plastic GB Saxon Thegns boxset does not have enough spears for everyone to be armed with a spear. I also had a few GB kite shields left over from the Gondor project so added those for more variety(and to help differentiate them still further form the Vikings).

The plan (in Hail Caesar) is to run divisions of 2x Thegns and 2x Ceorls as the core of the army.
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There is one of Huscarls armed with Danish axes to differentiate them from the rank and file.

I also painted up my last 20 plastic Saxon thegns to add two more units to the force.

Lurking in the background is 1.5 units of lighter armed Ceorls- I've only completed 1.5 units (3 bases worth) as I've run out of plastics spears at present. All the Ceorls are metal Gripping beast figures.

Both forces.

The Vikings

The Anglo-Saxons

Craig

WIP- Anglo Saxons and Vikings

Over the past few days I've been slowly chipping away at updating my Viking and Anglo-Saxon forces. prying them off their bases and starting to rebase to my new standard. I've most based and permafilla added to the bases. Next step is the black undercoat to the bases (a fiddly job) and then painting & flocking them.

The figures are a mix of metals and plastics- but most are Gripping Beast. I've had my metal figures from GB for nearly 20 years and there are also plenty of the GB plastics Saxons and Vikings. I'm really looking forward to the new Victrix plastic Viking and Saxon ranges coming out and wll definitely be addig some as they look very, very good.

the Saxons are a bit light on the ground. I've quite a few metal GB Ceorls but am waiting for more plastic Fireforge spears to turn up to replace the old (and mainly bent) metal spears they are equipped with. I've also 2 units (20) GB plastic Thegns to paint up to bulk out the force a bit more. I will probably also add some of the plastic dark ages infantry to bulk out the Ceorls.

The army has one unit of elite Huscarls armed with Danish axes.

The Vikings. 
I can field 8 units (2 divisions) in Hail Caesar and have plenty for Dux Bellorum or Dragon Rampant forces- not sure which rules I'll end up using yet.

So next job, getting stuck in finishing the bases.

Craig

Dux Bellorum- Welsh Completed

Some reinforcements from Gripping Beast arrived the other day so I have been able to complete the last couple of stands for my Welsh, some support from on high (Monks) and a second stand of cavalry.

All the figures, like the rest of the army actually, are from Gripping Beast.

Like the rest of the army I've tried to keep a "red" theme with the shield designs-a gain thanks to LMBS.

The Welsh horde assembled. Looking at this photo, I think I've some work to do on the flag, changing the green and blue tails to maroon to better fir the theme.

All up there are:
1x Noble Companions
1x Mounted (or Ordinary) Riders/Cav
1x mounted skirmishers
5x Warriors (including one of nobles or foot companions)
1x Skirmishers (bow)
1x Monks

The warriors.

Craig

Dux Bellorum- Chalons

I've decided to set myself a little goal, to refight the battle of Chalons using Dux Bellorum.

I've sorted out the figures I've rebased and am almost there. Each command will be approximately 20 pts and during the battle each will get 4 LPs per turn.

	The Romans
Left Flank - Romans, Franks and German allies (Aetius):
		Pts Each	Total
1	x Foot Companions	5	5
1	x Noble Shield Wall	5	5
2x	Ordinary shield Wall	3	6
1x	Bow	3	3
1x	Skirmishers	1	1
6			20
Center - Alans (King Sangiban):
1x	Mounted Companions	5	5
1x	Noble Riders	5	5
4x	Mounted Skirmishers	2	8
			18
Right Flank - Visigoths (King Theodoric and his son Thorismund)
1x	Mounted Companions	5	5
1	x Noble Riders	5	5
4x	Ordinary Warriors	3	12
2x	Skirmishers (bow)	1	2
8			22
	Attila and allies
Left Flank - Ostrogoths (Valamir, Theodemir and Videmir):
1	x Mounted Companions	5	5
1	x Noble Riders	5	5
3	x Ordinary Warriors	3	9
1	x Skirmishers	1	1
			20
Center: Huns (Attila):
1x	Mounted Companions	5	5
1	x Noble Riders	5	5
5	x Mounted Skirmisher (bows)	2	10
	Total:		20
Right Flank - Gepids and German Allies (King Adaric of the Gepids):
1	x Mounted Companions	5	5
1	x Noble Riders	5	5
	3x Ordinary Warriors	3	9
1x	Skirmishers	1	1
			20

I can field most of the forces but am short a command of Alans! Yesterday my small order of Aventine Steppe Cav (Huns) turned up so decided to turn some of the huns into Alans. The Alans were of fair skin and blonde hair apparently so not you typical hun! Although all "steppe" peoples would have similar dress I decided I wanted by Alans to look a bit more Germanic, so did a couple of head swaps using Westwind heads.

I'm not happy with the Westwind head or the shields so will replace the shields (at least) with Gripping beast ones. I suck and painting shields so Little Big Man Studio has been a life saver for many a project.

The Aventines mini's are really, really nice. The photos and my painting don't really do them justice. Each pack comes with plenty of extras too:  quivers of javelins,  quivers with bows, sheaths for swords, bags etc to further individualise them- and which will be handy for future projects,

The Footsore Miniatures Goth Heavy Cavalry unit I've also completed are beside them. These two ranges mix really well.

The Alans look better from the other side. 

 I also completed another unit of Gothic cavalry- Footsore Heavy Cavalry with barded horses. I need two more units of cavalry for "Operation Chalon" (and to complete the cavalry required for an Impetus Visigoth force)

The Aventine Steppe cavalry unit gave me half of the requirements of the Alan light cavalry contingent. I was going to/ am/ will get more Aventines but in the meantime looked round for some alternatives in the interim and soon came upon my GW Rohan force. I've read of other people using them for Visigoth/Germanic cavalry and as they are Saxon inspired thought, why not! So a rebase and a change of shields and there we have it, two more units of cavalry for the Alans!

To finish off the forces required for Chalon I now only need 2 more units of Footsore Goth Cavalry, and to complete my unit of Aventine medium Steppe Cavalry.

School holidays are just beginning so am away for a couple of days then up to Nelson to play football at the South Island Masters games for few more so won't be doing anything else for a week or so.

Craig

A busy couple of weeks

I've just finished another 3 bases of cavalry: My Welsh Mounted Companions, Late Roman/Arthurian British Companions and another stand of Goths (which will be press-ganged into service as Welsh).

Footsore Miniatures Goths

Welsh command. Again old Gripping Beast. I only had 3 mounted so added a priest/druid and and standard bearer.

Welsh Mounted Skirmishers

Late Roman/ Arthurian Command-Westwind Miniatures. Not my favourite models but they'll do.

Gothic Cavalry Assembled

This is what I've achieved in the past couple of weeks:

13 Stands of Cav (Huns, Goths, Late Romans, Welsh)
14 Stands of infantry (Welsh, Saxons/Goths, Late Romans)
1x Bow
5x Skirmishers

All in all not  bad effort really