Frostgrave Barbarians

 First finished project of 2025 (nevermind that these have been in the queue for at least 6 months, and been worked on since november). While my urge to play Frostgrave is currently low, the urge to paint never goes away.

These are a mix of the "official" Frostgrave male and female Barbarians, with some headswaps from Shieldwolf Shieldmaidens. Anyway, on to the pictures.

All in all, it makes for a nice tribe.

First up, the ordinary tribesmembers (Thugs and Thieves in Frostgrave parlance) that doesn't require much to get going.

Then there's the support, infantrymen and -women wielding spears, as well as those armed with ranged weapons.

And then the core veteran fighters. Either wielding shields (and being either Knights, or Men-at-Arms, depending on what's needed. One can always claim the extra armor is experience, and the lower speed the scars from gaining said experience) or having anger management issues (what Frostgrave terms Barbarians).

Finally, the leaders of the tribe. A Witch, an Apprentice, and an Chief on Fuzzy Unicorn (Kornovik, Barbarian Outcast, on a whooly rhino).

(And finally-finally, a pair of mercenaries that can be hired by anyone who's got silver. They were strictly speaking not part of the barbarians, but got painted in parallell and based at the same time).

And with that, until next time.

/Fool Out

New Year 2023/2024

 Happy New Year!

I didn't write one of these last year (because, frankly, 2022 felt like a horrible year), but lets try to get back into things, 2023 felt like the year when I got the painting mojo back. Two projects got finished after way too long, and a third one was both begun and finished.

First up, my SAGA Carthaginians finally got to a playable state.

Since they're SAGA Carthaginians, they can do with some more figures, but this has given me a taste of what I might want, so they will be expanded... eventually.

And then, I could finally reveal my major project, Napoleonic British

Just the first (well, 2nd) Brigade, for now, but there should be more coming there. Also, eventually (I think part of what made 2022 so bad, was that I painted a lot of these, which I then didn't want to reveal... and also, those red coats are a pain)

And then, the hobby gods smiled at me, and I both started, and finished, the "Anglo-Danes" that I bought for 2022... that ended up as a shit-ton of Anglo-Saxons instead.

That was a good feeling, getting all those done in more or less one go. They're not quite finished (I have ideas for another 36 figures), but they do quite good enough for now.

Of course, these weren't everything I got painted, only the biggest projects. There were also a variety of Vikings

(A few hearthguards, a banner bearer, some Levy with Javelins, and a hero).

Also, some Wargames Atlantic Conquistadors (very colorful fellows)...

...as well as a few Azteks for them to fight and/or ally with.

(None of them are intended for strictly historical purposes, for now they'll make a good warband for Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago if that ever picks up at the club again)

In more Frostgrave-related stuff, there were some big, fuzzy fellows.

(The club has started a Wildwoods campaign, and I felt a hankering for some thing pre-historic)

And I even got a piece of terrain done!

(Yes, it IS huge)

Because I'm slightly masochistic (it seems), I also painted up some Highlanders, for those napoleonics (my, so far, single ahistorical addition, other than these, I'm sticking to the officila OrBat for 3rd Division in 1812)

Gordon Highlanders. Half a battalion as I do them. So I need to paint another 20 sooner or later... (I jest a bit, I'm not that traumatized, even if these fine fellows took me 2 months).

And in a sudden christmas rush, I started 10 English 1400s Men-at-Arms on Christmas Day. And got them finished in time for New Year

I don't know quite how it happened, but I certainly aint complaining.

Add in a variety of one-offs, random adventurers, some more monsters, and some smaller expansions for old armies, and I end the year on 

• 244 approximately human-sized figures
  
• 25 cavalry (or about that size)
• 5 bigger beastie (or things on bigger bases, at least, including the fuzzies up above)
• 1 Piece of Terrain
• 3 Saga Objectives

Not bad at all, if I say so myself.

For next year, I'll set a two-part goal. The most important one, that I think I have a chance of fulfilling, is to simply paint at least 240 minis in total (averaging 20/month). If I keep going like I've done this year, it should definitely be doable. Especially considering some of the projects I have in mind.

What are those projects, then?

Well, 4 different SAGA warbands (one of which I've already started)

• English for Age of Chivalry (that's those Men-at-Arms above, as well as some more, and lots of longbowmen), which will also do double duty for Blood & Crowns (I do so love when one project gives more than one army in the end
• French, also for Age of Chivalry, as well as Blood & Crowns. I have a few already painted, an old project that petered out into nothing.
• Undead Legion, for Age of Magic. I accidentally painted up 3 zombies in 2023, and got a hankering for more... also, I have some excellent Necromancers, creatures, and a dragon that I now have an excuse to paint and use
• Normans, for Age of Vikings, doing extra duty as either Spanish or Crusaders for Age of Crusades. I already have Normans, but with the new Victrix releases, I feel a need to redo these. And while I'm at it, I might as well do them more Italo-Norman, and make them suitable for a variety of uses.
• Something Napoleonic. Either a brigade of Portuguese (my initial plan), or perhaps just enough Frenchmen to have two forces for Sharp Practice, and get some actual games in with that.
  

That should give me plenty to do. And the best part is, I have pretty much everything I need for that already (unless I go with the French), so I'll even reduce the Pile of Shame!

Once more, Happy New Year

/Fool, out

Something more Forest-y this way comes - SAGA AoM Lords of the Wild

 Things have... not quite gone according to plan, but at long last, I've managed to finish one more project. Atlantis Miniatures managed to undergo a name change, and are now Blue Giant Studios, in the meanwhile, but I've finally finished all their Wood Elves (or at least, all the ones I've got). The base idea is to run these as Lords of the Wild, for SAGA: Age of Magic.

First, and most important for elves, are of course Archers. 12 Warriors in SAGA terms, a decent bunch, packing a punch at a distance, and also in melee if things get worrisome.

And then, of course, some warriors armed only with melee weapons, as well, because going without is usually a bad idea.

And then, there's the cavalry. They may not use horses like most "civilised" folks, but do not underestimate the power of a charge from these, it may cost you deer-ly. Most likely, these will be run as Hearthguard in SAGA terms, both to conserve figures, and to provide a compact counter-punch.

Now, the fun thing with SAGA: Age of Magic, is the availability of extra heroes, in each factions Lieutenant. You may only be able to get one, but I'll have plenty of options for who to field as one. The other two can fill out the warrior units, I guess...

Similarly, more than one Spellcaster is probably extravagant (although I've seen a few people do decently with 2), but it never hurts to have options. And more lovely figures to paint was of course also greatly appreciated.

For Warlords, you are definitely limited to one, but options are good. Certainly helps that there's a choice between fielding them Mounted, on Foot, or on a "Beast" (and the black fellow certainly deserves to be considered a Beast).

Last among the Blue Giant Studio Wood Elves, are this young Archer, whom I consider absolutely adorable, and will include one way or another, pretty much whenever I can, just because she's so wonderfully sculpted.

 

The only thing missing, is some bigger fellows. Reaper to the rescue, if I remember correctly, and we've got two, frankly massive, bears to serve as Creatures and general heavy hitters.

But the bears are not the heaviest hitters. No for that, we have a Nature Elemental (from always awesome Bad Squiddo Games). In AoM terms, it'll be a Titan, slow, but nigh on impossible to kill.

Make that two Titans, with a Wizkids Treant. In case one wants two monsters, or need to raise a forest to fight for you, for some reason (yes, that is something the Lords of the Wild can do, in fact).

And for games other than SAGA (primarily Frostgrave), I have some smaller animals as well. First out, two panthers (perhaps younger kin to the one my Warlord might ride), from Wizkids.

And then, a most deligthful Wolf, once again from Blue Giant Studios (not sure if this one was a kickstarter exclusive or not, I'm failing to find it on their homepage...)

Finally, in case I need some kind of markers. A mix of basing kits and Forest Critters, can serve as treasures in Frostgrave, or objectives in most games, really.

All in all, it makes for one quite impressive force.It should be enough to let me field an 8 point warband, with some options. All in all, I love all of these, very full of character, and a joy to paint, with only a bare minimum of things that I didn't find 100% perfect.

Now I just need to figure out who to bribe to get some deer-mounted archers...

/Fool Out

Oh, and just for fun, here's the figures divided up according to how Blue Giant Studis sells them, in case anyone was curious ;)

Elf Archer

Elf Archers (F)

Elf Archers (M)

Elf Deer Riders (F)

Elf Druid

Elk War Lord Mount

Elf Mage

Elf Prince

Elf Princess

Elf Rogue (F)

Elf Rogue (M)

Elf Spellcaster (M)

Elf Stag Riders (M)

Elf Warriors (F)

Elf Warriors (M)

Elf Warriors 2 (F)

Elf Archer (Young Female)

Not quite sure where my "Elf Warriors 2 (M)" went, but there's been a few reorganisations since I got them so probably in one of my (many) piles of shame. But I'll finish of with what I'm starting to suspect is another Kickstarter special, the Elf Princess on Big Kitty.