Tag: 1/72 plastics

Categories
wargaming

Carolingians varnished

Made some good progress with my Carolingian cavalry after the PVA primer problems. Even coat d’arms horse colours fell victim to some cracking.

Charlemagne not quite majestic
The horses that plastic soldier review detested
After some care and attention and yes shiny gloss they are beginning to look quite nice
The two light horse I chose actually look ok on their dynamic horses
Another view of the grand national contenders!
If nothing else this set creates motion
I have two heavy cavalry bases for my Carolingian or Frankish army plus a light base from one pack.
Categories
metal miniatures

Garrison Vikings and Normans

Having got the 1/72 strelets Normans going, I decided to search out my old 20/25mm metal figures from long ago. The idea was to see whether they could be used alongside my plastics.

Specifically I was looking for some small Garrisons Normans. These were bought in the late 1970’s. At the time it was Garrisons new 25mm Viking’s which caught my eye. I bought the Normans at the same time all on impulse. They were actually for dungeons and dragons gaming as well as skirmish gaming. Big battles were in theory Macedonia versus Persia although the armies were never completed.

Garrison Vikings painted plus their Normans bought together in the late 1970’s

So it just happened that the Garrison Normans were shorter than their new Viking mates. I think this was the moment when 20mm, 1/72 and 25mm were going their separate ways. Well 20 mm had already stayed where it was while 1/72 and 25mm just about lived with each other yet 25mm was getting taller. But in these photos you can see the height, bulk and style difference within the same makers existing ranges. There is nothing new under sun – least of all scale creep!

The norman figures came with loose weapons and the design seemed to lend itself to less flash.
The vikings were more open although the Norman spearman was far less contrived yet still a classic stance.
The vikings did have one weakness – they were quite two dimensional – good as they rush forward but again probably designed to help the casting

For my money the garrison Vikings were up there with Citadel castings. Top notch on detail. And probably heading towards the few well painted skirmish figures collection or D&D idea.

Spot the citadel knight and yes mounted vikings – just what you need for D&D – our games ranged over the countryside fairly early on!
I really like the citadel horse, less so the Garrison one
As you can see I had primer confusion going on. Actually I painted my horses in artists gouche or washed out enamels over white. I used black for the predominantly armoured soldiers.
These have made it to a painting stick a mere 40 years late! I might even finish them although sadly the vikings will just not match up with the strelets plastics. I might do better with the normans.

The normans though were from the mid seventies figure style – a good wargame figure for army games.

ok so I can’t explain the soldiers being in different primer styles!
These chaps will make it into a unit as giants amongst their strelets cousins
ok these two axemen look classic 1970’s – slight bodies with large heads. And whats that monster on the right – yes its a Lamming Norman – but thats another story.
I really will have to sort out the priming………….

As it happened the Vikings never made the D&D games while the Normans were parked after undercoating. My wargaming days ended – well for about 15 years.

When I returned in the mid 1990’s it was all DBA, acrylics and 15mm.

Categories
normans in the south

Progress on Normans and some Saxons

I have started my Normans in the South project by painting up some Strelets figures. These are a bit chunky but on the whole a likeable set of figures. I used the figures from the big Stamford Bridge set and the mini sets for Normans

i have opted for an arid south mediterranean look rather than a dark earthy northern europe one
in slightly different light the ground does not look quite like a desert!
so a few archers and now a few spearmen – i have opted for a more open look with the shieldwall not formed
I quite like some of the before battle poses strelets have done although figures do vary in size. I am not looking for the regimented look anyway.
I am quite happy with the look including the vegetation. the bases are all 80mm x 60mm and I shall use them for either AMW, DBA or Impetus games amongst others.
Categories
lance and longbow society

Tannenberg 1410 at Vapnartak

A good visit to Vapnartak which including playing in the participation game laid on by the Lance and Longbow society (LLS). The battle of was fought in 1410 between the teutonic order and the polish lithuanians and is variously now known as Grunwald, 1st Tannenberg or Zalgiris according to the useful LLS table guide provided on the day.

The Teutons mass to attack
Th Lithuanians are up for a fight
More Commonwealth Troops
In the centre the Poles are pressing home their attacks
the beginning of the end as the polish left wing is driven from the field

Many thanks to the guys who ran this participation game which used a house rules version of big battle lion rampant and also their advice on painting plastics. The figures were all 1/72 or 20mm from various manaufacturers medieval ranges. They might be considered small in these 28mm days but they looked good to me.