Many apologies for the distinct lack of updates recently, this is mostly due to the time of year and some lax enthusiasm for painting and gaming as a whole. During the new year I hope to get some more work done on Aristeia, including figures and terrain as well as a few battle reports once the rule set is in a place that I am happy with.
In terms of Christmas (and Birthday) gifts I received a copy of the new Blood Bowl box set. I have to say it is rather nice. The box art is lovely, the quality of the figures is very good as are the printed elements (cards, and pitches etc). The rulebook has some problems with some day one errata but that is not a large problem as others have reported on it already and I have already played quite a lot of Blood Bowl. I already have a Human team (the 2004 version) that I recently stripped as I was not happy with the paint job I had given them so the Orcs will be assembled first. I am a little disappointed in that you only get 2 Blitzers and 2 Black Orcs. There seems to be no way to purchase extra positionals at this moment and no other figures match the more modern style of these Orcs. It appears that I will have to wait to create a 'proper' team.
In terms of Christmas gaming that has taken place I played a 1000pt game of Warhammer Fantasy (8th Edition) with my Wood Elves vs Skaven. I am not the biggest fan on 8th edition, generally preferring earlier versions, but it was a fun a game nonetheless. I hope to get a little after action report together in regards to the game as some of the results during it were rather amusing.
Finally I ran a one-shot game of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (2nd edition) set in Norsca. The group was comprised of some more experienced players and a few new comers to RPGs (although all are veteran board and wargamers with knowledge of Warhammer Fantasy). It went down quite well I believe, considering that most of the game was made up on the fly outside of the general premise. It was a combination of Beowulf and some sort of Skaven incursion/plot dealing with abductions in a Norse village and the local Jarl under so e political pressure. It ended with the party finding the captured villagers working as slaves in Dwarven ruins for the Skaven's foul desires. The slaves were freed and were transported back to the village however the game ended with the alarm bell of the village ringing to announce the Skaven hordes approaching. It was quite light hearted and good fun to run, it didn't take itself too seriously and had a few references to fantasy stories and other epics.Hopefully I'll get the chance to run some more games in the future as it has been a very long time since I have had the chance to run/take part in an sort of Pen and Paper gaming.
I hope everyone reading this had a lovely Christmas and hopefully there will be a more regular update schedule in the New Year.
Thursday, 29 December 2016
Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Sisters of Battle Collection
Below are a few (rather poor quality) pictures of my Sisters of Battle army in its (almost) entirety. No unit is yet complete. It is a rather slow process painting these figures. They are, however, some of my favourite miniatures ever made.
Painting continues on a number of projects: various Blood Bowl teams, SoBs (obviously) and some late C14th/ early C15th figures for New Years fun. Hopefully I will get back aboard the painting and blog train as I have been rather lax lately.
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| The Army |
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| Living Saint |
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| Command Squad |
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| Cannoness and Hospitaller |
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| Seraphim |
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| More Seraphim |
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| Exorcist, Penitent and Immolator |
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| Squad One |
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| Squad Two |
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| More Army |
Monday, 12 December 2016
Sisters of Battle
With the release of the new Sisters of Battle Cannoness I have been reinvigorated for painting my army, despite my earlier misgivings. For those unaware there is a (limited?) newly released Sister of Battle figure based upon the classic John Blanche 2nd edition Codex cover.
I have been a Sisters fan for a very long time and even though I don't play Warhammer 40k anymore (and haven't for many years), I still collect an army. I find the extreme Gothic aesthetic combined with a monastic/holy order incredibly appealing. This is in part due to the fact that I am very much interested in Monasticism, generally Western Christian, as a whole. The miniature range as produced by Games Workshop is one of the few that I find captures the artwork and spirit of their design incredibly well, arguably the most out of any of the factions.
My Sisters of Battle force is relatively small but that is in part due to the relative difficulty and cost of obtaining a larger one at this time. They are an order of my own creation but as of yet do not have name as I am unable to come with a satisfactory example. The basic idea behind the order is that they are as standard and mundane as possible with little room for what would be considered 'mary suedom' generally exhibited by various Space Marine chapters. It is merely a blank slate on which to create characters and history of an organisation. Along with the continued painting, which due to my methods takes a very long time and is pretty soul destroying, I have been working on a little background. This has included a currently work in progress layout of the Convent/Abbey based off of various Medieval cathedrals and monasteries as well as some general Late Roman architecture (which was already a major influence upon medieval and later architecture). This also has a secondary use of being used in a RPG session that I would like to run in the future based around a murder mystery set within the 40k ecclesiarchy in the nature of Cadfael or In The Name of The Rose.
With the creation of the ground plan it allows for approximation of the orders size and general nature. The core of the mission would be defence of the basilica and relics/shrines contained within. As to the nature of the world, I think it being feudal in nature would be best for stereotypical medieval shenanigans (although these could easily work on any imperial world). The main problem with attempting to fluff a sororitas order is the distinct lack of information into their organisation. There is plenty (and often repeated) about their formation but less about general organisation. This is intentional I believe and based off the older warhammer ideas of creating ones own story with the setting. To this end I imagine using general medieval organisations is perfectly fine and what I intend to do. The problems come when looking to expand this into the Ministorum as whole although I am sure something can be created.
The army currently Consists of:
2x 10 Sisters of Battle
5 Retributors
2x 5 Seraphim
5 Command Celestians
1 Living Saint
1 Cannoness
1 Hospitaller
1 PEnitent Engine
1 Immolator
1 Exorcist
Looking to future expansion would be another Immolator and two Rhinos but these are quite far down the list of priorities. I am overall quite happy with the size of the army and the options that it provides.
Problems arise when looking to use this army for gaming, which I admit was never the real intention of the force. I have no interest in modern Warhammer 40,000, I will not go into why here but it is not going to happen. That leaves older editions, 2nd and 3rd respectively (as both do two rather different things), and other games. It is the 'other games' part which causes some consternation. There seems to be little in the way of games that take a 40kesque theme but do so in a more balanced and interesting manner.
I have been a Sisters fan for a very long time and even though I don't play Warhammer 40k anymore (and haven't for many years), I still collect an army. I find the extreme Gothic aesthetic combined with a monastic/holy order incredibly appealing. This is in part due to the fact that I am very much interested in Monasticism, generally Western Christian, as a whole. The miniature range as produced by Games Workshop is one of the few that I find captures the artwork and spirit of their design incredibly well, arguably the most out of any of the factions.
My Sisters of Battle force is relatively small but that is in part due to the relative difficulty and cost of obtaining a larger one at this time. They are an order of my own creation but as of yet do not have name as I am unable to come with a satisfactory example. The basic idea behind the order is that they are as standard and mundane as possible with little room for what would be considered 'mary suedom' generally exhibited by various Space Marine chapters. It is merely a blank slate on which to create characters and history of an organisation. Along with the continued painting, which due to my methods takes a very long time and is pretty soul destroying, I have been working on a little background. This has included a currently work in progress layout of the Convent/Abbey based off of various Medieval cathedrals and monasteries as well as some general Late Roman architecture (which was already a major influence upon medieval and later architecture). This also has a secondary use of being used in a RPG session that I would like to run in the future based around a murder mystery set within the 40k ecclesiarchy in the nature of Cadfael or In The Name of The Rose.
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| The current work in progress plan of the Imperial Cathedral and Monastery. The area in red needs reworking. The Cathedral/Basilica and Cloister are in a far better state. |
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| Durham Cathedral and Monastery used as reference. Source unknown. |
With the creation of the ground plan it allows for approximation of the orders size and general nature. The core of the mission would be defence of the basilica and relics/shrines contained within. As to the nature of the world, I think it being feudal in nature would be best for stereotypical medieval shenanigans (although these could easily work on any imperial world). The main problem with attempting to fluff a sororitas order is the distinct lack of information into their organisation. There is plenty (and often repeated) about their formation but less about general organisation. This is intentional I believe and based off the older warhammer ideas of creating ones own story with the setting. To this end I imagine using general medieval organisations is perfectly fine and what I intend to do. The problems come when looking to expand this into the Ministorum as whole although I am sure something can be created.
The army currently Consists of:
2x 10 Sisters of Battle
5 Retributors
2x 5 Seraphim
5 Command Celestians
1 Living Saint
1 Cannoness
1 Hospitaller
1 PEnitent Engine
1 Immolator
1 Exorcist
Looking to future expansion would be another Immolator and two Rhinos but these are quite far down the list of priorities. I am overall quite happy with the size of the army and the options that it provides.
Problems arise when looking to use this army for gaming, which I admit was never the real intention of the force. I have no interest in modern Warhammer 40,000, I will not go into why here but it is not going to happen. That leaves older editions, 2nd and 3rd respectively (as both do two rather different things), and other games. It is the 'other games' part which causes some consternation. There seems to be little in the way of games that take a 40kesque theme but do so in a more balanced and interesting manner.
Friday, 2 December 2016
High Elf Blood Bowl Team Complete
Finally, after several years languishing in the lead pile my High Elf team is finally painted! I went for the classic blue and white strip but with a more muted gold/bronze colouring than is normally seen. I do not tend to paint overly bright miniatures and my favouritism for more drab or muted tones reflects this.
The team was converted using mostly the White Lion and Phoenix Guard kits. The White Lions taking the lion's (heh) share of the pieces used. This was mostly in the legs and torsos, especially on the Thrower and Catchers, due to the more animated poses and 'practical' armour for a sports game. The vast majority of helmets also used were provided by the White Lion set as a well.The Phoenix Guard provided the cloaks and (some) of the arms seen on the Linelves and Blitzers. The newer Shadow Warriors set supplied the high boots as seen on the two catchers, this came about during a revision to the team design during conversion, where I wished to differentiate the AV8 and AV7 pieces better.
Overall I am quite happy with how the team turned out in terms of the conversions (especially the positionals) and the painting I think is acceptable. I look forward to hopefully using them around Christmas time in a local league.
For those who wish to know the team is TV1000 and consists of:
2x Blitzers
2x Catchers
1x Thrower
6x Linemen
2 Re-rolls
This comes in at 990TV. The spare 10k is generally used for 1 Fan Factor but it could be saved. The lack of an early Apothecary or third reroll is a problem (the apo especially) but I enjoy the passing game, both thematically and game wise, to no take 2 catchers. I've had some success with the team and with similar High Elf teams in the online environments.
Work is still continuing with the Romano-British levies and I should hopefully get the shield designs ordered relatively soon in time for them to be ready by Christmas. I have also done a little more to the LoTRSBG Athurian adaptation, this along with Aristeia I would very much like to play over the holiday period. This is in combination with me finishing off two other Blood Bowl teams that require painting, my Dwarf and Chaos. These are the Black Scorpion figures and while i rarely play these teams I liked the models so picked some up at SALUTE a few years ago.
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| The entire team, all eleven players. |
The team was converted using mostly the White Lion and Phoenix Guard kits. The White Lions taking the lion's (heh) share of the pieces used. This was mostly in the legs and torsos, especially on the Thrower and Catchers, due to the more animated poses and 'practical' armour for a sports game. The vast majority of helmets also used were provided by the White Lion set as a well.The Phoenix Guard provided the cloaks and (some) of the arms seen on the Linelves and Blitzers. The newer Shadow Warriors set supplied the high boots as seen on the two catchers, this came about during a revision to the team design during conversion, where I wished to differentiate the AV8 and AV7 pieces better.
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| The positionals, 2 catchers, 2 blitzers and thrower. |
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| The linelves |
Overall I am quite happy with how the team turned out in terms of the conversions (especially the positionals) and the painting I think is acceptable. I look forward to hopefully using them around Christmas time in a local league.
For those who wish to know the team is TV1000 and consists of:
2x Blitzers
2x Catchers
1x Thrower
6x Linemen
2 Re-rolls
This comes in at 990TV. The spare 10k is generally used for 1 Fan Factor but it could be saved. The lack of an early Apothecary or third reroll is a problem (the apo especially) but I enjoy the passing game, both thematically and game wise, to no take 2 catchers. I've had some success with the team and with similar High Elf teams in the online environments.
Work is still continuing with the Romano-British levies and I should hopefully get the shield designs ordered relatively soon in time for them to be ready by Christmas. I have also done a little more to the LoTRSBG Athurian adaptation, this along with Aristeia I would very much like to play over the holiday period. This is in combination with me finishing off two other Blood Bowl teams that require painting, my Dwarf and Chaos. These are the Black Scorpion figures and while i rarely play these teams I liked the models so picked some up at SALUTE a few years ago.
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Romano-British 12 and Blood Bowl
Apologies for the lack of updates recently my ability to concentrate on painting and associated tasks has been quite limited.
I have done some more work on the Romano British levies with two groups almost done. The first group of Heavy Cavalry is also almost complete with only a few more highlights required. This, however, brings up and important issue; what to do with the shields? I would like for the cavalry to all have the same design as befitting my general/magister's comitatus while the levies to have, relatively) different designs.The images below show a selection of the Little Big Men transfers that I have considered for the Levies. I am still undecided on the cavalry designs but I am considering a white field with red Chi Rho but standardised rather than differing.
As well as the Romano British some small steps have been taken with my Blood Bowl teams. My High Elves have finally been all converted for a TV1000 team, I still need to make a few spare Linemen. This has involved finishing off the kit bash and sculpting the hands for the Catchers. I think they look rather serviceable and hopefully will be finished soon. I would like to try and organise a small league around the Christmas holidays (whether local or online remains to be seen). Below is a work in progress shot of the whole team. It consists of 2 Blitzers, 2 Catchers, 1 Thrower and 6 Linemen.
I have done some more work on the Romano British levies with two groups almost done. The first group of Heavy Cavalry is also almost complete with only a few more highlights required. This, however, brings up and important issue; what to do with the shields? I would like for the cavalry to all have the same design as befitting my general/magister's comitatus while the levies to have, relatively) different designs.The images below show a selection of the Little Big Men transfers that I have considered for the Levies. I am still undecided on the cavalry designs but I am considering a white field with red Chi Rho but standardised rather than differing.
As well as the Romano British some small steps have been taken with my Blood Bowl teams. My High Elves have finally been all converted for a TV1000 team, I still need to make a few spare Linemen. This has involved finishing off the kit bash and sculpting the hands for the Catchers. I think they look rather serviceable and hopefully will be finished soon. I would like to try and organise a small league around the Christmas holidays (whether local or online remains to be seen). Below is a work in progress shot of the whole team. It consists of 2 Blitzers, 2 Catchers, 1 Thrower and 6 Linemen.
Friday, 25 November 2016
Romano British 11
So I am just under half way through painting my Dux Britainniarum army (I have, however, painted more comanipulares than is required at this stage). This means I have 18 infantry split into three groups of six. One of comanipulares and two of milites/warriors. These are all finished, photographs of the, now based, warriors should hopefully be taken relatively soon. This leaves the three groups of levies, the group of skirmishers and the characters of which three remain (two lesser nobles and the champion). One group of levies is almost done and just requires a few highlights and another has had some base colours blocked in. They have been painted in a non-uniform manner using a limited palette of colours that are found on the other figures but without much added detail. Basically they do not have Late Roman style uniforms but average 'dark age' clothing. In addition to this I have almost finished the first group of four heavy cavalry, these are not for game purposes but more just general completion and enjoyment.
With the release of Blood Bowl 2016 edition I have been inspired my to actually take a few of my teams out and finish painting/converting them. I have five teams: Humans, High Elves, Pro Elves, Dwarfs and Chaos. I favour Humans or High Elves and prefer a more passing style of play as opposed to that of the 'bash'. I am currently working on painting my High Elf team and converting the last few pieces. The figures are a kit bash of the newer High Elf multi-part kits namely White Lions, Shadow Warriors and Phoenix Guard. I will hopefully get a few pictures of the my teams up in the near future.
With the release of Blood Bowl 2016 edition I have been inspired my to actually take a few of my teams out and finish painting/converting them. I have five teams: Humans, High Elves, Pro Elves, Dwarfs and Chaos. I favour Humans or High Elves and prefer a more passing style of play as opposed to that of the 'bash'. I am currently working on painting my High Elf team and converting the last few pieces. The figures are a kit bash of the newer High Elf multi-part kits namely White Lions, Shadow Warriors and Phoenix Guard. I will hopefully get a few pictures of the my teams up in the near future.
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Romano British 10: Finished General and Infantry (sort of).
My Romano-British general and the first six unarmoured infantry are finished! Well apart from the varnishing and basing. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that this would be done soon. However a malfunction with my matte varnish has meant that the can is now unusable and as such the figures cannot be sprayed and therefore not based. I thought I would include these, still technically work in progress figures, regardless.
First of all the Romano-British general. I use the term general here as a catch all term for leader rather than any specific attributation of rank of which Comes or Dux are probably more apt. The figure is mounted on a 40mm round base with his personal vexillarius who has the ever imaginative chi-rho borne on the vexillum. This is mostly because I am a rather poor freehand painter and the simple shapes can be created without much effort.
The remaining six unarmoured infantry are in the final stages of painting and should be finished relatively soon. Some work has begun on the mounted general with the horse being almost complete. Hopefully the levies can be started soon as well although doubts of how to paint them still remain.
First of all the Romano-British general. I use the term general here as a catch all term for leader rather than any specific attributation of rank of which Comes or Dux are probably more apt. The figure is mounted on a 40mm round base with his personal vexillarius who has the ever imaginative chi-rho borne on the vexillum. This is mostly because I am a rather poor freehand painter and the simple shapes can be created without much effort.
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| Ambrosius Dumnonius, Custode of the Sabrina Civitates stands ready. |
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| From the side. I prefer the lighting in this picture. |
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| From the rear. |
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| From the front (again) but at a better angle. |
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| The infantry. Note the different, although similar shields to the cominpulares. |
The remaining six unarmoured infantry are in the final stages of painting and should be finished relatively soon. Some work has begun on the mounted general with the horse being almost complete. Hopefully the levies can be started soon as well although doubts of how to paint them still remain.
Monday, 21 November 2016
Comic-Con Birmingham Haul
So this is where I am going to show off the few purchases I made from the Saturday at MCM Birmingham. I am yet to read any of the items that are shown here, this is more of a run-down of what I have and what intrigued me about the titles. I had hoped to get a few pictures of the artwork from each issue however the glossy nature of the pages meant that there was far too much glare.
I must first mention that I am quite an avid collector of comics and graphic novels. I have, however, had something of a lapse over the past few years. I have found most recent mainstream publications to be rather dull in theme, art and writing. There was a resurgence when IMAGE published some collected editions for a few of their short runs of (mostly) Sci Fi. I have mostly accepted that I am not the audience for a great number of volumes (and that is perfectly fine) but I would still like something that tickles that itch. Perhaps in the next few days I shall do a post on what I would like to see from a comic or graphic novel but anyway back to my purchases.
The first items I bought were issues one and two of MOON. Has rather nice and interesting art/style. After talking to the writer and artist the plot revolves around the moon walking around the 'human' world in the early hours of the morning due to a botched ancient ritual. Wacky adventures ensue. I mostly picked it up due to the art being quite nice and interesting and for some light hearted shenanigans, which I think it will deliver.
Next up is FLINTLOCK. Mostly drawn to the fact that it is an adventure story set within the 18th Century, which in my opinion is an under utilised period for adventures (pirates notwithstanding). The art is not anything special but is decent enough in black and white. I look forward to giving it a read.
My favourite and most anticipated purchase from the comic con is SKIES OF FIRE. I must say the art on both the covers and within is absolutely fantastic. I am a complete sucker for anything pastel and water coloury and this is no exception. The booth/stall had a great number of fantastic posters and post cards that showed said art of off to a wonderful degree. I am loathe to use the term 'Diesel Punk' to describe these issues lest I start a diatribe about the nature of the -punk suffix and its use in modern speculative fiction, so I shall not. Instead I shall suggest that from my brief perusal of the art it is a pulpy art deco themed story involving air mercenaries/air ships and biplanes a la Porco Rosso or Crimson Skies. I am very much O.K. with both those things. These are the first three (and currently only issues printed) from a planned series of eight. If the story is up to the artwork then this shall make me rather excited for the following issues.
My final purchase was the first three volumes of COMICHAUS. This a collection of differing stories/comics much in the same vein as 2000ad. The art is rather varied in style as one would expect but all seems at least decent with a few strips being excellent. It is all in black and white but as a fan of monochrome (especially for gritty stories) this is a plus. The mixed nature of each issue is rather nice especially as I have come to enjoy far shorter length pieces of fiction (be it television or literature) and the variety is a plus when I am in an odd mood, not necessarily knowing what I want.
These are all the comics that I picked up during the course of Saturday. I did get a rather nice 19th Century/Industrial print but I shall show that once I have it framed. As a whole I enjoyed the day but would have appreciated if there was a greater emphasis on both comics and their creators as opposed to the periphery of merchandise.
I must first mention that I am quite an avid collector of comics and graphic novels. I have, however, had something of a lapse over the past few years. I have found most recent mainstream publications to be rather dull in theme, art and writing. There was a resurgence when IMAGE published some collected editions for a few of their short runs of (mostly) Sci Fi. I have mostly accepted that I am not the audience for a great number of volumes (and that is perfectly fine) but I would still like something that tickles that itch. Perhaps in the next few days I shall do a post on what I would like to see from a comic or graphic novel but anyway back to my purchases.
The first items I bought were issues one and two of MOON. Has rather nice and interesting art/style. After talking to the writer and artist the plot revolves around the moon walking around the 'human' world in the early hours of the morning due to a botched ancient ritual. Wacky adventures ensue. I mostly picked it up due to the art being quite nice and interesting and for some light hearted shenanigans, which I think it will deliver.
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| Issues #1 and #2 of MOON. |
Next up is FLINTLOCK. Mostly drawn to the fact that it is an adventure story set within the 18th Century, which in my opinion is an under utilised period for adventures (pirates notwithstanding). The art is not anything special but is decent enough in black and white. I look forward to giving it a read.
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| Flintlock |
My favourite and most anticipated purchase from the comic con is SKIES OF FIRE. I must say the art on both the covers and within is absolutely fantastic. I am a complete sucker for anything pastel and water coloury and this is no exception. The booth/stall had a great number of fantastic posters and post cards that showed said art of off to a wonderful degree. I am loathe to use the term 'Diesel Punk' to describe these issues lest I start a diatribe about the nature of the -punk suffix and its use in modern speculative fiction, so I shall not. Instead I shall suggest that from my brief perusal of the art it is a pulpy art deco themed story involving air mercenaries/air ships and biplanes a la Porco Rosso or Crimson Skies. I am very much O.K. with both those things. These are the first three (and currently only issues printed) from a planned series of eight. If the story is up to the artwork then this shall make me rather excited for the following issues.
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| Issues #1, #2 and #3 of SKIES OF FIRE. |
My final purchase was the first three volumes of COMICHAUS. This a collection of differing stories/comics much in the same vein as 2000ad. The art is rather varied in style as one would expect but all seems at least decent with a few strips being excellent. It is all in black and white but as a fan of monochrome (especially for gritty stories) this is a plus. The mixed nature of each issue is rather nice especially as I have come to enjoy far shorter length pieces of fiction (be it television or literature) and the variety is a plus when I am in an odd mood, not necessarily knowing what I want.
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| Issues #1, #2 and #3 of COMICHAUS |
These are all the comics that I picked up during the course of Saturday. I did get a rather nice 19th Century/Industrial print but I shall show that once I have it framed. As a whole I enjoyed the day but would have appreciated if there was a greater emphasis on both comics and their creators as opposed to the periphery of merchandise.
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Romano British 9
A very small update today. The general and infantry shown in the last update are finished! they are however still drying so no photographs are available at the moment. I hope to get them up tomorrow after they have been varnished.
The plans are to finish the next 6 unarmoured infantry (who have only been washed) and then start on the levies. This will be a relatively big task due to the numbers (nineteen) and the un-uniformed nature of the figures. I think some thought about the various styles well be needed in order to speed up the painting.
On Saturday I also attended the MCM Comic Con Birmingham. This was the first MCM event I had attended and while I enjoyed the event it seemed a little 'general trader' heavy as a opposed to focusing on comics, writers and artists etc. To this end I managed to pick up a few interesting, independent comics. I shall post a few pictures and my thoughts in the next few days.
The plans are to finish the next 6 unarmoured infantry (who have only been washed) and then start on the levies. This will be a relatively big task due to the numbers (nineteen) and the un-uniformed nature of the figures. I think some thought about the various styles well be needed in order to speed up the painting.
On Saturday I also attended the MCM Comic Con Birmingham. This was the first MCM event I had attended and while I enjoyed the event it seemed a little 'general trader' heavy as a opposed to focusing on comics, writers and artists etc. To this end I managed to pick up a few interesting, independent comics. I shall post a few pictures and my thoughts in the next few days.
Thursday, 17 November 2016
Romano-British 8: General and Infantry
My Wargame Foundry replacements arrived in good yesterday, very prompt service. I'm quite happy as it is my favourite Late Roman/Romano-British character. I think it espouses Roman character and generalship more than my other figures which have more action orientated poses (I understand the complexity of 'Romaness' and the challenges in understanding identity of the Late Roman army but this is not the place for such a in depth discussion).
The figures themselves are lovely sculpts done by the Perry's however there is one complaint. They are rather short when compared to other, more modern figures. There are many comparison photographs of the figures available but the difference 'in the flesh' is more striking than what I was expecting. To this end the base on which the general rests has been built up a millimetre or two. However the figure is still smaller in proportion than that his Footsore compadres. This not too much of an issue but I feel that it is worth reiterating for any perspective buyers.
Find below a few work in progress pictures of both the general and six of the unarmoured infantry. Several of the infantry have had their bare heads swapped out for those available in the West Wind head packs. This was done as I wanted all the figures to be helmeted (or at least wearing a hat). The heads fit rather well in terms of scale and are easy to attach. They are ever so slightly larger but it is almost unnoticeable.
The figures themselves are lovely sculpts done by the Perry's however there is one complaint. They are rather short when compared to other, more modern figures. There are many comparison photographs of the figures available but the difference 'in the flesh' is more striking than what I was expecting. To this end the base on which the general rests has been built up a millimetre or two. However the figure is still smaller in proportion than that his Footsore compadres. This not too much of an issue but I feel that it is worth reiterating for any perspective buyers.
Find below a few work in progress pictures of both the general and six of the unarmoured infantry. Several of the infantry have had their bare heads swapped out for those available in the West Wind head packs. This was done as I wanted all the figures to be helmeted (or at least wearing a hat). The heads fit rather well in terms of scale and are easy to attach. They are ever so slightly larger but it is almost unnoticeable.
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| The General and his vexillium. Note the purple for his Imperial connections (or ambitions?) |
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| The Infantry at ease. |
Tuesday, 15 November 2016
Romano-British 7: Completed Armoured Infantry
The armoured Romano-British infantry are now completed! All nineteen (I still need to purchase a few more and to make a banner bearer that is not the draco wielder). I am quite happy with the paint jobs and shields. I am still a little disappointed with the basing but it is something to work on.
The first batch of six unarmoured have also received their washes and well be highlighted later this evening. The levies have finally been undercoated and the bases painted. This means that all the basic infantry for Dux Britianniarum are all at least undercoated.these levies well have a far less uniform appearance when compared to all the other infantry. I do however have a quandary, do I buy them transfers for their shields. There are those varied packs available but I can paint the simpler designs myself. My main concern is the difference in styles between printed and painted.
Dux Brit also requires a number of character/champion figures. I have a number of characters that I can use for nobles but these are yet to receive any paint. Speaking of characters I received a package from Wargames Foundry with some paint and supposedly some late roman figures. Unfortunately I was sent some earlier Imperial Romans instead of the their later countrymen. This was soon sorted and the actual figures should arrive soon (hopefully tomorrow)
The first batch of six unarmoured have also received their washes and well be highlighted later this evening. The levies have finally been undercoated and the bases painted. This means that all the basic infantry for Dux Britianniarum are all at least undercoated.these levies well have a far less uniform appearance when compared to all the other infantry. I do however have a quandary, do I buy them transfers for their shields. There are those varied packs available but I can paint the simpler designs myself. My main concern is the difference in styles between printed and painted.
Dux Brit also requires a number of character/champion figures. I have a number of characters that I can use for nobles but these are yet to receive any paint. Speaking of characters I received a package from Wargames Foundry with some paint and supposedly some late roman figures. Unfortunately I was sent some earlier Imperial Romans instead of the their later countrymen. This was soon sorted and the actual figures should arrive soon (hopefully tomorrow)
Monday, 14 November 2016
Romano-British 6
Another small update today. The second batch of armoured infantry is almost complete with just a few highlights needed before the transfers are applied. When the entire unit is completed then the basing will take place.
The first batch of six unarmoured infantry have finally had some paint applied (that is not undercoat!) and will soon be ready for washing. The militia/levies have had the bases touched up and sealed and, when dry, will be ready for the undercoat. The heavy cavalry have been put on the back burner for the moment due to game play reasons (as in they are not required at this moment).
Speaking of games, the figures that are currently being worked on are in preparation for a game of Dux Britianniarum. This requires (in terms of basic infantry) six commanipulares (the armoured infantry), twelve warriors (the unarmoured infantry) and eighteen levies (the militia/pedyt. The heroes/nobles I also have but they have not yet been started. The only problem I have is that a lack a suitable figure for a Dux or Comes, they all seem a little too action orientated rather than imperious looking. Footsore/Gripping Beast/Saxon Miniatures all do suitable figures but for the latter two I am loathe to mix ranges. I feel some conversion work may be required although I am rather unsure of what it is I want exactly.
The first batch of six unarmoured infantry have finally had some paint applied (that is not undercoat!) and will soon be ready for washing. The militia/levies have had the bases touched up and sealed and, when dry, will be ready for the undercoat. The heavy cavalry have been put on the back burner for the moment due to game play reasons (as in they are not required at this moment).
Speaking of games, the figures that are currently being worked on are in preparation for a game of Dux Britianniarum. This requires (in terms of basic infantry) six commanipulares (the armoured infantry), twelve warriors (the unarmoured infantry) and eighteen levies (the militia/pedyt. The heroes/nobles I also have but they have not yet been started. The only problem I have is that a lack a suitable figure for a Dux or Comes, they all seem a little too action orientated rather than imperious looking. Footsore/Gripping Beast/Saxon Miniatures all do suitable figures but for the latter two I am loathe to mix ranges. I feel some conversion work may be required although I am rather unsure of what it is I want exactly.
Saturday, 12 November 2016
Nature of Basing and Updates
Sorry for the lack of updates the past few days I have been rather unwell and not really in the frame of mind for making posts. However I feel a little better and intend to make some small comments on the wargaming and historical activities that have taken place. Also, in other news, I played my first game of Rugby for two seasons, I felt a little rough to say the least!
The tufts arrived today, I have 2x Heather, 1x Patchy and 1x Wild Meadow from the Warlord War World range. My intention that with these a some more muted static grass I can create an upland theme. The static grass being muted should allowed for the heather and tufts to 'pop' a little better. This and evening and tomorrow shall be the test, I will post the outcomes at a later date.
In terms of reading it has mostly been in regards to looking at the Romano -British. Guy Halsall's 'The Worlds of Arthur' is a tome I have owned for quite some time but I have never given it my full attention. It starts out with a decent summarisation of the nature and a discussion of the previous scholarship relating to 4/5th Century Britain. It then gives a critical analysis of the major historical sources (6th-12th Centuries) relating to Arthur (or at least those used when looking at the 'historical' Arthur). Then finally the volumes attempts to re-examine the nature of Anglo-Saxon migration and settlement although some of the conclusions may be a little 'out there'. The book it sit in weird positionn I find. Guy Halsall is not a 'popular historian' he is a Professor of Early Medieval History at the University of York (and a keen wargamer to boot!) but the book seems marketed as such. The publication is NOT popular history but yet it is not quite a full academic work (the lack of in line or footnote references is the main issue). Overall it is a decent introduction to Post Imperial Britain and the debunking of most claims to a historical Arthur (that is not to say that the author thinks that he never existed just that it is almost impossible to tell).
The tufts arrived today, I have 2x Heather, 1x Patchy and 1x Wild Meadow from the Warlord War World range. My intention that with these a some more muted static grass I can create an upland theme. The static grass being muted should allowed for the heather and tufts to 'pop' a little better. This and evening and tomorrow shall be the test, I will post the outcomes at a later date.
In terms of reading it has mostly been in regards to looking at the Romano -British. Guy Halsall's 'The Worlds of Arthur' is a tome I have owned for quite some time but I have never given it my full attention. It starts out with a decent summarisation of the nature and a discussion of the previous scholarship relating to 4/5th Century Britain. It then gives a critical analysis of the major historical sources (6th-12th Centuries) relating to Arthur (or at least those used when looking at the 'historical' Arthur). Then finally the volumes attempts to re-examine the nature of Anglo-Saxon migration and settlement although some of the conclusions may be a little 'out there'. The book it sit in weird positionn I find. Guy Halsall is not a 'popular historian' he is a Professor of Early Medieval History at the University of York (and a keen wargamer to boot!) but the book seems marketed as such. The publication is NOT popular history but yet it is not quite a full academic work (the lack of in line or footnote references is the main issue). Overall it is a decent introduction to Post Imperial Britain and the debunking of most claims to a historical Arthur (that is not to say that the author thinks that he never existed just that it is almost impossible to tell).
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Basing Miniatures
Having completed the first 12 Romano-Britons the matter arises of basing the figures. I am not a very competent 'baser' of models. They either appear too plain or I think they appear too crowded or somehow artificial feeling. I struggle with making the scenes seem natural. There is one exception my Beitland AK47 army (in 15mm and can be seen in the archives). I feel that I did a relatively decent job at making the Southern African veld. This, however, was rather simple; merely static grass, tufts and a clump foliage.
In an effort to combat this lack of creativity I have ordered some more grass tufts of various greens, browns and even some heather. The theme for the basing will be some based around Upland/moor areas.
The problem arises when trying to tie all these features together. Generally this would be done through static grass. I am however generally unhappy with static grass that is available as I find it far too green. I have found a more muted type but in some cases (and on some figures) it seems far too dull. It seems rather difficult to find a statc grass of the correct colour. My experimentations in individual blends have also been met with such failures. While nothing that I have done looks bad, it is not at the level which I desire.
I believe some more practice/blending is required in order to fully get a handle over this material. I would welcome any advice or help in regards to this matter.
In an effort to combat this lack of creativity I have ordered some more grass tufts of various greens, browns and even some heather. The theme for the basing will be some based around Upland/moor areas.
The problem arises when trying to tie all these features together. Generally this would be done through static grass. I am however generally unhappy with static grass that is available as I find it far too green. I have found a more muted type but in some cases (and on some figures) it seems far too dull. It seems rather difficult to find a statc grass of the correct colour. My experimentations in individual blends have also been met with such failures. While nothing that I have done looks bad, it is not at the level which I desire.
I believe some more practice/blending is required in order to fully get a handle over this material. I would welcome any advice or help in regards to this matter.
Tuesday, 8 November 2016
Romano British 5
The shield transfers arrived this morning and have been applied to just over half of the armoured infantry. It was a little fiddly to apply them to the shields and despite the transfers being meant for Footsore shields they were still a little too big. There was some overlap on the rims of said shields that required careful cutting. I am unsure whether this is due to the transfers or the shields but it can be remedied. My main problem is blending the white background transfers with the shields. This may be due to the different whites used (the transfer and my paint) or the fact that the shields are battle-worn and have mud splatters that makes any colour on the rim far too stark in comparison.
The figures still need a few touch ups and the for the shields to be tidied before varnishing and basing but are almost there.
In other developments the heavy cavalry horses are done and some work has begun on the riders, mostly just blocking in the base colours so fare. The other 8 armoured infantry have also had some base coats applied. Hopefully in the next few days they can be done! I still need to get some transfers for the cavalry. I want them to be uniform as befits household troops but am unsure as to what design, nothing overly ornate. I am thinking just a large red Chi Rho on a white background.
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| The selection of transfers. Red and white for armoured with the unarmoured take the black and white. |
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| All twelve so far. |
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| The 'Redders'. |
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| The 'Whiters'. Note the rims and the very distinct change. |
The figures still need a few touch ups and the for the shields to be tidied before varnishing and basing but are almost there.
In other developments the heavy cavalry horses are done and some work has begun on the riders, mostly just blocking in the base colours so fare. The other 8 armoured infantry have also had some base coats applied. Hopefully in the next few days they can be done! I still need to get some transfers for the cavalry. I want them to be uniform as befits household troops but am unsure as to what design, nothing overly ornate. I am thinking just a large red Chi Rho on a white background.
Monday, 7 November 2016
The Romano British Military
This will be a brief discussion on the Romano-British military and how it relates to the wargamer and my decisions and thought processes in regards to the creation of the army.
The Migration-Era/Sub Roman/Early Medieval, whatever one wants to call it, is both my favourite period of history and wargaming. It allows for the creation of many fine stories and scenarios based in both history and legend. The general nature of the warfare (well at least in Great Britain) does not require too many figures and allows for a great variety of both colours and types (lets not forget the shields! Late Roman/Romano British designs have to be my favourite).
To begin, Sub Roman Britain (post 410AD) is a period with rather limited written and physical evidence (and that's before you even bring the question of Arthur in!). This is especially apparent with regards to the military structures. The main point of contention is the nature of Roman institutions and how long they continued/are applicable post departure. This point should be qualified that this is very dependant upon the location within Britain. Upland areas, those to the North and West, generally had far less Roman influence than those to the South and East. So it is expected that these areas would have 'reverted' far sooner if not straight away. This is primarily based off of excavations and re-use of upland sites/hillforts combined with coinage distributions.
For the purposes of this blog my Romano-British force is from what would be Southern England from the mid 5th Century. The force still exerts a strong Roman influence in terms of equipment and organisation. Whether this was actually the case is debatable. My own knowledge and research as a scholar is, to be frank, unsure. There is some evidence to suggest some characteristics continued as seen in the Breton Kingdom of the later 5th Century (for those unaware the Bretons of Brittany were migrants from Southern Britain). For miniature purposes, however, I enjoy the Romanised style far more than that of the 'traditional' Celtic styles. This may be partly explained due to the greater contrast it provides with the barbarian forces they would face, both in terms of appearance as well as organisation.
The army that I have assembled consists of:
The core of said army would not be out of place within a Late Roman force of the same period. Units of all of the above were found within Late-Roman Britain. Whether this force accurately represents the military of lowland sub Roman Britain is another matter. I think it is definitely possible and probably but the study of history require more than that. Like all my forces they very rarely represent actual units or kingdoms but attempt to cover the general period while being as accurate or true to the general idea of the time as possible. However like this force some lee-way in terms of accuracy is given for aesthetic considerations. If I do not like the figures, the time and effort to paint and finish them will never be found.
Expansion of the force will include a slight increase in the number of Armoured and Heavy Cavalry as well as the purchase of some Lighter Cavalry (once again in the Roman Style). For a more accurate army one might look to various Germanic mercenaries/allies as was the case in both Britain and the Western Roman Empire. I have an early/mid Saxon army from which suitable figures may be drawn so as such do not require more of the same type. However, I enjoy keeping the armies 'pure' for mostly aesthetic and cohesive reasons. The other reason is that the figures are partly designed with the game Dux Britannarium in mind (as well as the original Warhammer Ancient Battles of which I am/was a fan). Said game, at least at the beginning, does not use any mercenaries.
While this has been the briefest of discussions I may attempt to post a more in depth examination in the near future (time permitting).
The Migration-Era/Sub Roman/Early Medieval, whatever one wants to call it, is both my favourite period of history and wargaming. It allows for the creation of many fine stories and scenarios based in both history and legend. The general nature of the warfare (well at least in Great Britain) does not require too many figures and allows for a great variety of both colours and types (lets not forget the shields! Late Roman/Romano British designs have to be my favourite).
To begin, Sub Roman Britain (post 410AD) is a period with rather limited written and physical evidence (and that's before you even bring the question of Arthur in!). This is especially apparent with regards to the military structures. The main point of contention is the nature of Roman institutions and how long they continued/are applicable post departure. This point should be qualified that this is very dependant upon the location within Britain. Upland areas, those to the North and West, generally had far less Roman influence than those to the South and East. So it is expected that these areas would have 'reverted' far sooner if not straight away. This is primarily based off of excavations and re-use of upland sites/hillforts combined with coinage distributions.
For the purposes of this blog my Romano-British force is from what would be Southern England from the mid 5th Century. The force still exerts a strong Roman influence in terms of equipment and organisation. Whether this was actually the case is debatable. My own knowledge and research as a scholar is, to be frank, unsure. There is some evidence to suggest some characteristics continued as seen in the Breton Kingdom of the later 5th Century (for those unaware the Bretons of Brittany were migrants from Southern Britain). For miniature purposes, however, I enjoy the Romanised style far more than that of the 'traditional' Celtic styles. This may be partly explained due to the greater contrast it provides with the barbarian forces they would face, both in terms of appearance as well as organisation.
The army that I have assembled consists of:
- 10 Heavy/Shock Cavalry in the Roman style
- 20 Regular Armoured Infantry in the Roman style
- 20 Unarmoured Infantry in the Roman style
- 20 Archers in the Roman style
- 2 x 20 Militia/Pedyt in a rather my irregular style to the above
The core of said army would not be out of place within a Late Roman force of the same period. Units of all of the above were found within Late-Roman Britain. Whether this force accurately represents the military of lowland sub Roman Britain is another matter. I think it is definitely possible and probably but the study of history require more than that. Like all my forces they very rarely represent actual units or kingdoms but attempt to cover the general period while being as accurate or true to the general idea of the time as possible. However like this force some lee-way in terms of accuracy is given for aesthetic considerations. If I do not like the figures, the time and effort to paint and finish them will never be found.
Expansion of the force will include a slight increase in the number of Armoured and Heavy Cavalry as well as the purchase of some Lighter Cavalry (once again in the Roman Style). For a more accurate army one might look to various Germanic mercenaries/allies as was the case in both Britain and the Western Roman Empire. I have an early/mid Saxon army from which suitable figures may be drawn so as such do not require more of the same type. However, I enjoy keeping the armies 'pure' for mostly aesthetic and cohesive reasons. The other reason is that the figures are partly designed with the game Dux Britannarium in mind (as well as the original Warhammer Ancient Battles of which I am/was a fan). Said game, at least at the beginning, does not use any mercenaries.
While this has been the briefest of discussions I may attempt to post a more in depth examination in the near future (time permitting).
Sunday, 6 November 2016
Romano British 4
A few more work in progress shorts of the armoured infantry/comitatenses. They require a few more highlights and tidying up before having shield transfers applied (which will hopefully arrive tomorrow). They have a very uniform appearance with the same cream and red tunic. The idea for the force is that it maintains a more romanised approach. It is an army with professional/standing forces. The unarmoured infantry will also be uniformed but slightly different to the armoured and probably not quite as homogeneous.
The cavalry are also being worked on. Currently the horses are the prime focus with the riders to follow. I am finding it rather a struggle as I very much dislike painting horse, I find it rather tedious.
The militia/levy has also been sanded (on the base that is) with an aim to undercoating soon. A few 'special' individuals need to assembled, mostly command figures. The army as whole is almost complete it only needs the lighter cavalry and a small expansion to the armoured infantry and heavy cavalry.
The cavalry are also being worked on. Currently the horses are the prime focus with the riders to follow. I am finding it rather a struggle as I very much dislike painting horse, I find it rather tedious.
The militia/levy has also been sanded (on the base that is) with an aim to undercoating soon. A few 'special' individuals need to assembled, mostly command figures. The army as whole is almost complete it only needs the lighter cavalry and a small expansion to the armoured infantry and heavy cavalry.
Saturday, 5 November 2016
Romano British 3
First of all apologies for no update yesterday, my Internet connection had some serious problems.
Today's update shall be a a few work in progress of the state of my Romano British forces. It shall also be a general showcase for the army as many miniatures do not have any paint yet (outside of undercoat).
First of all the armoured infantry of which twelve are shown here from a total of 20.
Second the unarmoured infantry of which 19 are shown from a total of 20 (the musician is missing currently).
Lastly the heavy cavalry and general/magister militum.
The force also includes 2x20 militia/poor infantry and a number of archers (numbering 18 currently assembled). Pictures for these units shall go up in due time.
All the figures are Footsore Miniatures (formerly Musketeer). Shield transfers have been ordered from Little Big Men Studios and should hopefully arrive soon. I have been finding that the are an absolute joy to paint. I am unsure whether it is the relatively simple uncluttered sculpting and the slightly chunky nature but they look rather good even with only a few colours.
Today's update shall be a a few work in progress of the state of my Romano British forces. It shall also be a general showcase for the army as many miniatures do not have any paint yet (outside of undercoat).
First of all the armoured infantry of which twelve are shown here from a total of 20.
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| Armoured Comitantenses/Milites |
Second the unarmoured infantry of which 19 are shown from a total of 20 (the musician is missing currently).
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| Unarmoured Infantry |
Lastly the heavy cavalry and general/magister militum.
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| General and his personal standard bearer. |
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| The heavy cavalry |
The force also includes 2x20 militia/poor infantry and a number of archers (numbering 18 currently assembled). Pictures for these units shall go up in due time.
All the figures are Footsore Miniatures (formerly Musketeer). Shield transfers have been ordered from Little Big Men Studios and should hopefully arrive soon. I have been finding that the are an absolute joy to paint. I am unsure whether it is the relatively simple uncluttered sculpting and the slightly chunky nature but they look rather good even with only a few colours.
Thursday, 3 November 2016
Romano British 2
The Gripping Beast plastic Late Romans arrived today. I ordered them on Tuesday so it was a rather quick turn around which is always nice to see, Caliver Books always seem to be on point. I the kit at Salute and was not completely impressed. I decided to order to get a proper look and to fill a few gaps (mostly command related) in my Late Roman/Romano British forces. The figures are a lot nicer in person although they seem to have the characteristic Gripping Beast 'roundness' in figure. I can not really explain this feeling very well but the figures seem 'round'. This may be related to the helmet types or the relatively squat nature of the figure (more on this later) but I can not shake it.
The figures themselves are rather fine with the Late Roman patterned tunics. There is only seven heads per sprue (5 helmeted with 2 variations, 1 bare and 1with hat) which is a shame some more variation would have been appreciated but it's reasonable. The main problem is that they (the figures) seem rather short and relatively slight. This may be because of the comparison with the Musketeer/Footsore majority in my force (which are noticeably chunkier). Despite these concern I look forward to completing my poor infantry/pedes/pedyt infanty with some of these as command. The archers also come in handy in bulking out the numbers.
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| From left to right Footsore, Gripping Beast Late Roman and Gripping Beast Dark Age Warrior (with GB shield and Westwind head. |
The figures themselves are rather fine with the Late Roman patterned tunics. There is only seven heads per sprue (5 helmeted with 2 variations, 1 bare and 1with hat) which is a shame some more variation would have been appreciated but it's reasonable. The main problem is that they (the figures) seem rather short and relatively slight. This may be because of the comparison with the Musketeer/Footsore majority in my force (which are noticeably chunkier). Despite these concern I look forward to completing my poor infantry/pedes/pedyt infanty with some of these as command. The archers also come in handy in bulking out the numbers.
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