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

New Years Resolutions 2020/2021

 So... 2020, the year that has been both too long and too short at the same time, is finally over. At least with the situation, I have gotten a fair bit of painting done. Let's see how I got through the resolutions I made last year.

• Bad Squiddo Games released some Amazons in a kickstarter. I got them, just need to paint them (which should be quick, as they're already primed and waiting)

As expected, these were swift and easy. They even got expanded later with a dedicated mage.

• Bad Squiddo Games also released some Dwarves at the same time. These are not primed yet, but should also get some loving paint. Possibly, I'll combine them with some Oathmark and/or Atlantis Miniatures Dwarves.

It took some time, but they all got done in time. Admittedly, most of them were quick, but as usual the last 10% took 90% of the time. Eh, they're done. And I hear rumours of another Bad Squiddo kickstarter "soon"...

• The Landsknecht need more love. Let's aim for the pikeblock being done, and hopefully some crossbowmen as well.

Managed to chip away some more, and I have now painted most of the old built models. I might have to make an actual post with these soon...

• Expand the Blood & Plunder French with some more Sailors (also primed and ready)

Swift and deadly, as French tend to be.

• Similar for the Blood & Plunder Spanish, one starter box should round out my force nicely.

These also got rounded off, and I should now have all the Spanish I'll need.

• Dito (although smaller) for the Blood & Plunder Dutch, they can do with a few more sailors, mostly to get up to units of 8. And maybe a second unit of Enter Ploeg

The Dutch, however, has been put on the back burner for now. Models are ready, but other stuff managed to push past them in the painting queue (yes, despite this year, I still have a significant painting queue).

• Shipwise, I have a Bark, a Tartana and a Piragua that need some paint (these are all from last year, and primed, so should be quick)

They were quick. Sadly, I haven't gotten to use them in an actual game, though.

• The Galleon! Keep the shippainting going, get this humongous thing done.

However, that was that for ships. The Galleon has been assembled and primed, but no actual final paint on it yet. Guess it'll have to wait for next year.

• Firelock is also releasing a 6th Rate Frigate for Blood & Plunder... I need it! Even if it's supposedly almost as huge and the Galleon

I got the 6th Rate, and it is as assembled and primed as the Galleon, but that's about it.

• Oak & Iron is incoming. Since I intend to run demos for this come Gothcon, it will be catapulted to the front of the queue as soon as I get it.

Both the Oak & Iron delivery, and Gothcon, became casualties of corona. I've got it, and a few of the ships have been painted, but not nearly enough for a post yet. Ah, well, next year, for sure.

• Take 2 on the Mace of Malcor Monsters for Frostgrave.

I have managed a few, and by "a few" I mean exactly 4. To little surprise, that is not enough for a photo session or a blog post. But at least I have another 8 that I've started to prepare, so next year?

• Victrix Vikings have caught my eyes, and I'm tempted to get a pack to paint as Jomsvikings for SAGA

The Vikings, however, got done with a vengeance. I still have a few more to assemble and paint, but this is a full warband (that even managed to see some careful gaming, when things were calmer).

• Perry Mounted Knights are assembled, but still waiting for paint. Let's try to do something about that. Perhaps I can use them for SAGA: Age of Magic...

Two of them have gotten primed, but that's about it. However, a friend got me Age of Empires II, and suddenly I have motivation to paint these up as french knights (no idea what game to use them for as that, but you can often find some way to use heavily armored mounted warriors, I think).

• Speaking of SAGA: Age of Magic, I have 2, or potentially 3, new ideas for warbands, either on their way (yay, kickstarters), or at least planned for purchase as soon as the FLGS gets them. (I'm being non-specific in the interrest of being coy with the fellows at the club, always fun springing surprises on them)

One of these ideas got tabled (and I will blame that one on temporary insanity), another was kickstarter'd, and has gotten delayed (but will hopefully be delivered early next year, and I can't wait to get my hands on it), but the third one...

The third one would be my Gauls, which not only got finished, but also rapidly expanded for SAGA: Age of Hannibal when it arrived.

• Blood & Valor (also from Firelock) is coming, I should probably look into it (which means whichever plastic ww1 army I find most interresting... or go with Italians, because my competence at the table shouldn't prevent me from playing historically)

It has not exactly been a good year for starting entirely new games in unfamiliar eras, so no...

Of course, as is usual for me, there were a few unscheduled things that got painted as well. And talking of starting new games, Oathmark was released...

...which meant that not only did my dwarves get a few additions, although mostly on the level of rounding out units...

... I also got a whole bunch of elves! Not quite an army on their own, but since Oathmark allows for mixing races, they make formidable allies to the dwarves.

Back before things got too bad, I also got some Rangers of Shadow Deep played, in co-op mode, which ended with a few models for that swiftly getting painted. Despite RoSD being a possible single player game, I haven't actually played it that way, yet...

There was also various loose and sundry, including a few more 15mm tanks, some dragons for a friend, several more-or-less random rpg characters, and a whole lot of built but unpainted stuff (darnit, I'm supposed to reduce the amount of unpainted stuff I have).

What about next year? By now, it's tradition that I make a whole lot of resolutions (and fulfil about half of them), so...

Let's start with the carry overs (the ones I am supposed to prioritize):

• Blood & Plunder need some more Dutch.
• And that Galleon.
• And of course the 6th Rate.
• Oak & Iron needs paint and love. At least these ships are smaller...
• That last warband for SAGA: Age of Magic, as soon as the kickstarter gets here.
• Mace of Malcor, now take 3.
• The Mounted Knights from Perry. Now, with some idea for getting started.

And, of course, some new ones.

• As said, I have some ideas for the Perry knights. And it requires more Perry, that has to be ordered (as soon as we know how brexit works), built, and painted. Should be easy, right?
• I have at least 2 ideas for SAGA: Age of Hannibal warbands, one easy and one hard (why do I always look at factions with a significant portion mounted on horses...)
• I also intend to finally make my own table. I have a good base (a friend got rid of his and asked me if I wanted it), but I need terrain for it, especially trees. The idea is to be able to run the first mission for Rangers of Shadow Deep, and perhaps combine it with some Frostgrave
• Talking about Frostgrave, Kromlech has some absolutely stunning terrain for it, that I need. (I just need to figure out how and where to store it first, because it doesn't look small.)
• Those Napoleonics have refused to leave, and I'm currently considering focusing on one battle, and then building a brigade from each side of that battle. No idea if it will see any table other than against myself, but it would somewhat solve my problem of being unable to pick a side and regiment.
• The Landsknecht are in eternal need of reinforcements. Perhaps a cannon this year, and possibly some ponybird knights.
• Oathmark has managed to do the impossible, and tempt me with undead. These will have to form a second army/kingdom.
• There are also promises of several exciting new Oathmark kits. Revenants will join the undead, Dwarven Light Infantry will be welcome for some variety among the short folk... and the Human Cavalry might just tempt me into a third kingdom
• Stargrave ("Frostgrave IN SPACE") is coming, so I will of course need at least one crew for that, possibly two, once it's released.

Happy new year, and may the dice see a lot more table than last year

/Fool Out

SAGA - Jomsvikings enter the fray

Been a bit too quiet a bit too long here. I blame it on finishing a whole load of projects earlier, meaning I had nothing half-way done for a bit. But things have been chugging along, and now I have something finished. Specifically Vikings! (Technically a Jomsviking warband for SAGA: Age of Vikings).

This is the better part of a Victrix Vikings set, leaving me with just a few unarmoured bodies (and that, because I cheated a bit), and a whole lot of maille. I'm sure I'll find some use for it, somewhere.

First up, we have a unit of ordinary warriors, as is standard for SAGA. Slightly more than a single point, 10 strong in fact.

The second unit of warriors are equipped with Great Weapons (or dane axes, as they're also known during the viking era), for a bit more punch. As with the previous unit, 10 strong for slightly more than a point.

The final unit of warriors is significantly smaller, only 4 man strong, round out the warriors to an even 3 points total, and giving some fun tricks for SAGA (mostly a "safe" SAGA die). This is of course just the standard configuration, it can be changed around if necessary.

Then there is the Hearthguard. As is my standard, I'm running units of 6, for a bit more punch but not all the eggs in one basket. First unit is all normal.

Second unit has, once again, dane axes for some more punch. These are a bit more difficult to change around unit sizes of than the warriors, since they have quite distinct armaments. Thankfully, I have that load of mailled viking bodies lying around, which should take care of that problem.

Finally, the Warlord. Except there's two of 'em. Since Jomsvikings in SAGA have a choice of arming the Warlord with a Great Weapon (dane axe) or "the usual", I decided to build two. The left over one can always be used for some kind of hero, is the thinking. Certainly didn't help that the Victrix pack held some awesome bodies.

If I'm fielding both the Warlord and a Hero, it might be a good idea to be able to keep track of who's who. To help with this, I had a friend design this sabot base, that will easily fit around a hero base, with magnets to keep things in place.

And just like that, we have a clearly marked Warlord, next to an "ordinary" hero.

As said, the Victrix kit had some awesome bodies, and these two are probably my favourites in pure badass-ness. I will have to think up alternative uses for the pair that I have left un-built, because they almost scream to be used.

As said, I cheated some with my warriors. Part of that was these two, I had two bare-breasted gallic warriors (also from Victrix) lying around. Adding on weapons, heads, shield and some belt stuff from the Viking kit, and I got something that looks quite fitting (sadly, I can't claim this idea original, Victrix had a picture showing something very close to the left fellow on their presentation of the Viking kit previously... but it does looks good).

Finally, I didn't bother painting all the shields, but got shield transfers from Little Big Men Studios, to try out. I will have to say, these worked excellently, even with my at times hamfisted painting. These five are probably my favourites among the lot, but they all look good (and didn't have me tearing my hair out while trying for intricate designs on the shields).

Next step, after expanding the hearthguard contingent, will probably be to get more warriors, 4 berserkers, and some levy archers, so that they can also be used as ordinary Vikings. Of course, these can also easily be expanded to 8 points for SAGA: Age of Magic. Just add a spellcaster (I have several, although I will probably want to build a specific one, more viking-themed, for these), and a giant, 4 berserkers (these pop up again...), or some expanded units (and that hero seen above), and you're there.

And yes, the runes are more than random squiggles. It's the younger futhark, translating what all the bases say will be left as an exercise to the reader ;) 

/Fool Out, that's one more thing of the new years resolution list.

SAGA - Norse-Gaels

Finally finished another SAGA warband (Well, they've been finished for some time, but I got around to taking pictures of them). This time, a mix between vikings and irish (and irish vikings) who've settled around the irish sea: the Norse-Gaels. Most known for founding Dublin and settling on the Isle of Man (which remained under the norwegian kings until the 13th century).

The main force will, as is common in SAGA, be ordinary warriors. Some of these Bonnachts will be norsemen, or of norse descent, and armed with great dane axes.

Others will be irish, or favouring their irish descent, and use javelins instead.

In either case, these are all free men called to arms by their chieftain or jarl.

There are also the thralls (levies in SAGA terms), who don't get a choise in the matter. Currently, these will be fielded with 4 additional models to the last warrior unit, but when I get back to expanding my Norse-Gaels, there will be a dedicated levy unit (or possibly two).

There is also the hearthguards, loyal men to the jarl and often norse themselves. As with most viking societies, these men would have the best maille they could get, often swords as well as dane axes.

In compensation, they were expected to always be ready to protect their leader, with their lives in necessary.

And then there is of course the leader himself. Often the jarl, although it could be a more local chieftain, he held his position and the loyalty of his men by gifts as well as force. Here seen holding up the head of a recently defeated foe (I started on this model in SAGA v1, when Norse Gaels had a "challenge" mechanic which this would be eminently suitable for. But he's too good to be removed just because that has changed).

All in all, a nice little warband, but currently somewhat limited in how it can be fielded, just barely hitting the standard 6 points, with a choice between a unit of levies or an extra unit of warriors. I will most likely expand these next year, but the fact that more than three quarters of them has some kind of green stuff (mostly cloaks and similar) or kitbash (two-handed axes are surprisingly rare in plastic) in them delays it somewhat. The fact that I've recently recieved a lot of "other" stuff might delay it further...

/Fool Out.

SAGA - Viking army for SAGA

VIKINGS!

Specifically, my Viking army, built and intended for SAGA. But as with most historical miniatures, they can easily be used for other systems, possibly with some adaptation of the basing. Since it's intended for SAGA, I will mostly write about it in terms of SAGA, but with occasional notes as to what the figures are and how they can be fielded. It will obviously be easier to adapt it to skirmish wargames, where figures usually aren't fielded in closed ranks, due to the round bases.

People would usually argue that what you field in SAGA is not worthy of the term Army. And I would usually agree, what you're fielding is more of a raiding force. SAGA even uses the term "Warband" for your force, not something more grandiose. But with my vikings, I think they can rightfully be called an army, since I have so many of the buggers. Just look at the image above. Looks like an army to me, at least by miniature wargaming standards.

First up, and least impressive, are the Levies. Bow-armed thralls, old men and boys not yet grown up, fielded to make up manpower. More of an annoyance than a real force on the battlefield. Levies are a rare sight in Viking warbands, but they might be useful on occasion with that ability to reach out and touch someone, since they're the only viking unit with ranged weapons. Still, your often better of with a bundle of competent warriors that can charge in and hew to. A few of the old men might have their old maille, but they can be treated as unarmed.

Talking about those competent warriors, the Warriors. Farmers and other free adult men, Bondi in Viking terms, armed with a shield and a spear as a bare minimum. Spears may break, so they often carried an axe or (in case they were richer) a sword as a back up weapon. Most also had a helmet. A few of the richer ones may even have a coat of maille (mostly because I have more bodies in maille than I know what to do with).

These will make up the most of the viking troops, be they raiders or a more formal army in a shieldwall (never mind that vikings in SAGA does not have any ability evoking shield walls). Since at least SAGA doesn't differentiate between spears, swords or axes, slightly more than half of each unit is armed with spears, one guy has a sword (with possibly a second one with a scabbarded sword next to his spear) and the rest have axes (yes, a few have axes in their belts as well as spears)

Since I have three units of these, I need an easy wao to distinguish them. If one can read runes, one can tell that they're Bondi (it says so on the bases), but one might also need to distinguish between different units of Bondi next to each other. This is easily done by looking at the shields. Each shield has a unique-ish design, but the colours are the same throughout a unit. This makes one unit of blue and red shields, one of blue and yellow, and one of red and yellow. Most shields have simple geometric shapes, but two or three in each unit have more advanced shapes; a viking ship, a raven, a tree (intended to be an ash or oak tree and referencing Yggdrasil), or most commonly, a Valknut.

The Bondi, Warriors, however, do lack more formal training in warfare, and the usually don't have enough free time to master it. For that, you want something harder, the warlords sworn bodyguards, what the vikings called Huskarls or Hirdmen, in SAGA generally called Hearthguard. Bountifully equipped with maille, shields, swords and all they can want for, these are the elite of the elite. Spears are still plentiful, because the spear was the king of the battlefield, but every man also have a sword (and a fair few carry an axe, because you can never have too many weapons). Each unit also has one man with a banner, in case one wants to field such a thing.

Since I have two units of Hirdmen (as can be read on their bases by the rune-knowing), I need to be able to differentiate them. To tie them in with the Bondi, they all have three colours on their shields (red, yellow and blue, the three colours used on Bondi shields). The first unit has simple geometric shapes (and a few references), but the second unit is a bit more intricate. Each shield is divided into two fields, horizontally or vertically of different colours. Then a third colour is used to paint a figure or shape over those fields. Figures can be ravens, valknuts, ships or symbols from norse mythology (Thors hammer, Yggdrasil the Ash tree or Odins horse Sleipnir). In all, a mix of different stuff is attempted to avoid too regimental a look. The colours used remain red, blue and yellow.

If there is one viking word that everyone knows, it has to be Berserker. So of course I have a few figures for such. What exactly a berserker was, is not quite certain. Most agree that it was one kind of mad bugger that didn't care about his wounds all that much, though the exact mechanics of why differs. Interrestingly, a few sources seem to indicate that berserker can be used similarly to champion, with comparison to Charlemagne's paladins. In either case, among my vikings they are represented with guys in bearskin vests, ready to rend you into your constituent parts. In SAGA terms, they have an armour value similar to levies (so, no protective gear at all), but a buttload of attacks. I justify the shields by the fact that viking shields could also be used as a weapon by bashing people. The shields get three colours, since berserkers counts has Hearthguard in SAGA. Since neither the shields nor their bearers are expected to survive for long, they get somewhat simplistic designs, with runes to instill some extra semblance of power, one guy even evoking the Thurs rune (brave man, the Thurs, a.k.a. Jotunns a.k.a. Giants are not folks to summon lightly). In SAGA, they shouldn't really have two-handed weapons, but other systems often assume their counterparts do have.

They're quite possibly one of the most fun units in SAGA, even though they die very easily. Quite possibly, this is due to more often than not gutting an enemy unit as they die (the so-called semi-guided berserker missile), and if you're clever, you've designed your warband around the fact that they will die.

Finally, the boss, the big cheese, the Warlord himself Jarl Sigurd the Tall (it even says so on the base). Decked out in finest maille with a high quality sword at the ready. And, of course, the most intricate shield yet, granting that Odin Allfather himself will watch over him and behold his glory. Another brave man, but one does not lead Vikings while timid.

TO VALHALL!

All units are 12 men strong, the maximum allowed in SAGA, except the Berserkers (who can only be had in a unit of 4) and the Warlord (who is, naturally, alone), giving a grand total of 77 figures and 11,5 SAGA points.

/Fool out