I've been busy with whip and chair keeping my visiting relatives at bay while I try to get some more Normans done (throwing them gifts, alcohol and turkey apparently works the charm). Here are seven mounted Milites ready to assist their warlord in the despoliation of foreign lands, the giving of silly names and the creation of that first vile accountant's spreadsheet: the Domesday Book.
Like the other Norman stuff I've recently done, these are 28mm Gripping Beast castings that are offered as a collection for their SAGA set of rules. They are very nice castings if a little rounded and soft in the detail. The LBMS shield transfers work a magic on these miniatures, giving a nice finishing touch to the process.
The last shot displays the Milites as the Brothers de Hauteville, charging with their father Tancred. If I were to do ALL the brothers there would need to get four more Milites (Tancred was a VERY busy man)!
BTW, if anyone has an extra one of these milites that you can spare to sell please drop me a note as I had to use an additional one for my command stand and so am a pip short to fill out a proper unit.
These seven will give me 70 points to add to my tally, which puts me at merely a glimmer in the leaders' rearview mirrors instead of nowhere in sight. Now back to some crossbowmen and French Dragoons.
very impressive glad to see you didn't have to much of the liquid amber yourself and could keep a straight line when needed
ReplyDeleteWell it keeps on getting better, it's making me want to go into another period..................Must................ RESIST!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteImpressive looking warband you have there.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Ross
Looking very nice Curt!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Beautiful figures! Will you be using these for Saga?
ReplyDeleteGreat looking figures!
ReplyDeleteI've got an extra Conquest Games plastic Norman Knight I can send you when I finally post your Viking. The Conquest Normans are the same size as the metal Gripping Beast Figures but are much better on the detail side.
The one downside of the Conquest figures is that the lances can break so if you have some metal spears around I would suggest replacing the plastic.
Excellent work. I should have some more War of 1812 Infantry finished in a day or so.
Miles
Very beautiful models, Curt; a great painting and basing job. You have left me alone in the tail of the ranking!!! Well, time to paint more Anglo-Danishs.
ReplyDeleteRegards.
Excellent looking unit of Milites. Best, Dean
ReplyDeleteCheers Guys! Your comments are much appreciated.
ReplyDelete@Alanus: Yes, these are primarily meant for SAGA but I wanted them to be tightly ranked-up for possible use in Hail Caesar (thus the 20mm frontage).
@Miles: Awesome! Thanks a bunch, Miles. I'll send you a note to make arrangements. Looking forward to seeing the rest of that US 1812 battalion.
@Juan: I'm sure you'll soon be bringing up the rearguard in style!
Curt
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ReplyDeleteLooking great! They are a fearsome bunch and look like they would overrun my Vikings band. is the one with the lance raised going to get a banner?
ReplyDeleteI like your groundwork, how do you do it? Are they Mininatur tufts?
(oops, accidental deletion, apologies)
Yours,
PhilH
http://infrequentwargamer.blogspot.com/
Thanks Phil! Not sure about the guy with the upright lance. I may just leave him as I thought he looked as if he was giving a rousing cheer before couching his lance for the charge.
ReplyDeleteRegarding my basework I start with a gel medium called Liquitex (Resin Sand #6608) as a base to which I tweezer-in small pebbles for added texture (while it is still wet). Liquitex is great stuff as it cures to a tough, highly textured elastic form. Once cured, I thickly paint it with a dark chocolate brown and then drybrush it up about three levels of highlight, going from a cinnamon brown up to light khaki. I then use a hot glue gun to affix the tall yellow grass, to which I stain the roots with a brown ink. Next, I add some strategically placed Silfor grass tufts of varying shades and finally some static grass and fine grade flock. It sounds complicated and time-consuming but its really not (once you get the process down) and I find the results to be fairly consistent.
Best,
Curt