Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Neunfinger on November 30, 2017, 10:30:38 PM

Title: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on November 30, 2017, 10:30:38 PM: Hey guys,

I'm currently preparing minis for a game on the 16th of December and want to use this thread to document my progress and hopefully keep me motivated. We're meeting with our Viking Age Reenactment group, so it's only fitting to play a small raiding scenario.

As core rules I'll be using Lion Rampant. I have no actual experience, but from reading the book they look easy enough to pick up as we go. I'll simplify the rules somewhat because some players are new to wargaming (that is, with miniatures ;))

The scenario is a small Frankish village under attack from two rivaling crews of Vikings. The poorly equipped and untrained villagers will have to hold until the local lord's cavalry arrives to drive the raiders off. The Vikings in the meantime will try to take as much plunder as they can, lifestock, villagers, maybe even the golden relic from the small chapel.

First of, a small picture of the layout of the village:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/30/9701_30_11_17_11_02_12_2.JPG)

The two Viking crews, Danes and Norwegians, will attack from opposite sides of the table. The villagers start in the middle of the village. After a couple of rounds, the Frankish cavalry will (hopefully for the villagers) appear and join the fight. There will be four player, each will lead one of the mentioned groups.
To keep things simple and small scale, I will only use half as many modells per unit as usual wih Lion Rampant (so only 6 foot serjeants instead of 12 for example). Each one of the four factions will only consist of 12 points instead of 24.

So, how many minis do I need?

The Village
1x Foot Serjeants (Old War Veteran's Group) -> 6 Man DONE
1x Foot Yeomen (Ealdorman's Group) -> 6 Man
3x Serfs -> 18 Man (ca. 14 finished)
1x Bidowers    (Hunters) -> 3 Man DONE

Frankish Cavalry
2x Mounted Serjeants -> 6 Man DONE
1x Foot Yeomen (Priests that will get special rules) -> 3 Man (1 finished)

Norwegians
1x Foot MMA (Leaders Group) ->   6 Man DONE
1x Foot Serjeants    (Bondi) -> 6 Man (4 finished)
1x Bidowers    -> 3 Man

Danes
1x Foot MMA (Leaders Group) ->   6 Man DONE
1x Foot Serjeants   +Expert (Bondi with Daneaxes) -> 6 Man (3 finished)

Scenery and Markers
2x Longhouse - 1 finished
1x Chapel - DONE
5x Civilians - 3 finished
5x Lifestock - 3 finished
1x Relic -
2x Generic Loot Markers -

So, that's at least 26 minis to paint, a longhouse to build and paint and three markers to build and paint. The next pictures show the models that need to be painted plus a couple of extras I took out before I knew how many models I actually needed.

(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/30/9701_30_11_17_11_02_12_4.JPG)

(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/30/9701_30_11_17_11_02_12_3.JPG)

(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/30/9701_30_11_17_11_02_12_1.JPG)

(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/30/9701_30_11_17_11_02_12_0.JPG)

I will add pictures of the models I have already finished in the next couple of days, right now it's getting late.

If you have seen my X-Com project, you might have noticed that I might not be the most, let's say, diligent person when it comes to painting miniatures and posting pictures of them in regular intervals ;)
But since this will all be done in two weeks time, I think I'll stay motivated. Either that or I'll fail miserable and I will have to postpone the game as I've done on several occasions ::)
So any kind of encouragement, discussion and interest is appreciated :)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Sitric Caech on November 30, 2017, 10:32:44 PM: Looks very cool. I am right now doing kind of the same thing. I be following with interest.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Carsten on December 01, 2017, 06:19:01 PM: Looking good - I’ll follow your progress with interest
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: frenchfever on December 02, 2017, 02:23:31 PM: good start ! Alert PIG ATTACK :D
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 02, 2017, 10:06:22 PM: Carsten and frenchfever, thank you for your kind replies :)

Sitric Caech, if you like to, I'd be very interested in reading about your project and approach to the scenario, be it the rules you use, models, etc.

I've made some small progress. All lifestock markers are done, the vikings now have cows, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry to plunder. I only just realised that the birds I painted in brown are most likely turkeys, which would be a bit of an anachronism. But they're so small that I'll get away with declaring them as some sort of oversized partridge ;)

The townfolk and unarmoured vikings also received some paint, but not much yet. I hope to get some more painting done tomorrow.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Codsticker on December 03, 2017, 05:10:10 PM: You are making good progress! it looks like a fun project.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: DintheDin on December 04, 2017, 08:18:17 AM: Very interesting! Good luck to your project!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: henryv on December 04, 2017, 09:26:44 PM: Your brush work, out does mine, rather sad :)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 06, 2017, 11:09:08 PM: Codsticker, DintheDin, henryv, thank you for the kind words. :)

I've painted the batch of miniatures from the last image. They're very simply painted, just a basecoat and a wash of Army Painter's Strong Tone. I usually highlight the models afterwards, but I want to finish everything else before I touch up these guys. I thik they look quite passable as they are.

From left to right we have a unit of bidowers, a unit of serfs+1 extra and the five companions of the veteran for the village defenders as well as three Danish bondi (who are missing their shields) and three Norwegian bondi.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Lost Egg on December 07, 2017, 07:46:20 AM: What a cool project and lovely minis. I will be watching this with interest :D

I hope we will get to hear how the game went afterwards.

Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Captain Blood on December 07, 2017, 09:19:56 AM: Nice looking project with an interesting and eclectic selection of miniatures :)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 07, 2017, 08:47:07 PM: Lost Egg, I'm glad you like it. I definitly want to post a small report of the game, but I can't promise anything. There will be three small children running around during our game, so if we actually manage to play it start to finish in one go I'll consider it a huge succes :D

Captain Blood, thank you for the kind words. If I find time to take some brighter pictures I will try to show and talk a bit about the different minis and where they are from.

This evening I've made the second house for the village as well as three simple markers for loot - the barrels can be collected by looting the houses and the chest with sword is representing a relic that can be taken from the chapel.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Lost Egg on December 07, 2017, 09:08:55 PM: :D I know what you mean.

Cool house, for some reason the static grass roof is very appealing :D
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 07, 2017, 09:28:32 PM: It's a very simple way to make thatched roofs. Painted it will look somewhat like this.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Utgaard on December 08, 2017, 07:23:09 AM: Promising project indeed and the figures are looking good even with just basecoat and wash, especially considering the short time you painted them!
Hm, grass mat as roof, this is really looking good ... something I have to consider for my next houses ;)

May I ask you the name of your reenactment group?
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Lost Egg on December 08, 2017, 07:58:49 AM: Looks good, I bet the finished board will be awesome.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: DintheDin on December 08, 2017, 08:01:18 AM: Quote from: Neunfinger on December 07, 2017, 09:28:32 PM
It's a very simple way to make thatched roofs. Painted it will look somewhat like this.

It is a fantastic and inspiring idea! Applause!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Vagabond on December 08, 2017, 04:04:36 PM: The thatch has come out very well indeed. Well done.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 09, 2017, 09:28:15 PM: Utgaard, thank you for your nice comment. I just saw your Saga-project and read that you are a fellow early medieval reenacter from Cologne. Our group is called Eldsvargar, we do Reenactment of the Norwegian Vestfold around the 9th century, mostly based on the ship burials in Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune. Our homepage is http://eldsvargar.livhis.de/, but unfortunatly there isn't much to see there, as we are currently reworking it. I'll write you a PM, maybe we actually know each other from some event ;)

Lost Egg and Vagabond, thank you again for your encouragement.

DintheDin, thank you, but I don't think I can take credit for that idea.
I actually don't remember if I saw this idea in another forum or came up with it myself, but I'm pretty sure it's been done before ;)
Still, if someone is inspired by me posting it, all the better :)

The house and markers are done, next up are the soon-to-be captured villagers, they need to be finished and based. I also have to paint two more priests. Sorry for the crappy quality, I have a serious problem with my workspace being way to dark at night.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Utgaard on December 10, 2017, 09:01:01 AM: The figures are looking nice again, but what I find most striking is the color of house walls, they really look like being made of clay - what colors did you use here?

P.S. PM answered ;)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Captain Blood on December 10, 2017, 09:58:46 AM: Well, well. That grass mat thatch is extremely effective. I’ve seen lots of ways of modelling thatch (teddy bear fur, sisal, towelling, etc) but I think this is the most convincing way of doing it that I’ve seen. I might have a go at that myself. Vielen dank for the inspiration :)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 10, 2017, 11:41:02 AM: Utgaard, it's ocre that's dabbed with an old brush onto the brown basecolour, with another layer of a mix of ocre and very little white on top. Actually the same colours I used for brushing the grassmat-thatching ;)

Captain Blood, bitte sehr ;) I'm looking forward to seeing your take on it. I think a second layer of grassmat on the ridge of the roof would make it look very similar to actual thatching like this:
http://www.wikinger-in-daenemark.de/hai-h-neu-06.jpg

Humakt, thank you :)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 17, 2017, 12:00:58 AM: The missing models: Villagers and Priests. I do know that the models used for the priests would fit better into the later medieval periods, but they were all I had on hand and I wanted to get some models painted that have been collecting dust for up to 10 years insted of adding buying some more unpainted miniatures.

We actually managed to play the game today, had lots of fun. I don't think the scenario was well balanced, we made some mistakes as we had not played Lion Rampant before, but it was a very entertaining game. We took pictures, but again, they are very dark. I will see if I can make a small AAR out of it.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Marine0846 on December 17, 2017, 02:15:15 AM: Lots of excellent figures painted.
Like you terrain.
Viking raid games are lots of fun.
Did one years ago with a friend.
The game is still talked about today by friends.
Can't wait to see yours come together.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Utgaard on December 18, 2017, 06:31:58 AM: These figures also look very good again!

From Which manufacturer are the civilians on the left in the picture?
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 18, 2017, 07:48:10 PM: Thank you both.

The civilians are from Foundry:
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/dark-age-vikings-warriors-berserkers-valkyries-shieldmaidens-champions-thor-odin-saga/products/vik038-villagers
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Dr Mathias on December 18, 2017, 08:27:00 PM: Quote from: Captain Blood on December 10, 2017, 09:58:46 AM
Well, well. That grass mat thatch is extremely effective. I’ve seen lots of ways of modelling thatch (teddy bear fur, sisal, towelling, etc) but I think this is the most convincing way of doing it that I’ve seen. I might have a go at that myself. Vielen dank for the inspiration :)

Agreed, I wish I'd known about this method.

Very cool thread!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: **GS** on December 22, 2017, 08:55:56 AM: just stumbled into your thread:

Brilliant idea to make a thatched roof like that. Have to borrow it some time ;)

looking forward to seeing more of your works.

Gruß nach Kölle!

Greetings
GS
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Harry Faversham on December 22, 2017, 11:11:25 AM: The Foundry crippled warrior is a magnificent casting, one eye, one arm, and one leg...
wonder wot the other fellow looked like!?

:o
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Andym on December 22, 2017, 11:16:37 AM: Good looking Project! :-* I can’t wait to see it finished!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Dr. The Viking on December 23, 2017, 09:28:09 AM: Great looking scenario!

I hope to convince Dr. Zombie to play something similar in the 2018th year.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 26, 2017, 07:41:29 PM: Thank you all for the kind words, I'm glad the grassmat-thatch is received so well and hope it inspires some good-looking builds of your own :)
I will try to do the AAR of the game and pictures of the rest of the models (those I had already painted) before New Year. Aside from the usual busyness of visiting family on the christmas days I am still annoyed by the fact that my workspace is so dark that the picture I take actually hide more of my miniatures than they show ;)
I'll take the kids to the DIY store (on a side note, is there another term for this kind of store in English? I find it a bit lacking compared to the German "Baumarkt", "building market") tomorrow and see if I can find some way to provide proper light for taking pictures.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 30, 2017, 01:19:52 PM: I managed to take a couple of pictures of all the units involved in the scenario. The pictures are better than previously, so now all the painting mistakes are visible ;)
I still have to figure a couple of things out with the camera, some of the pictures are quite blurry.
Anyway, first of the Frankish cavalry:
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 30, 2017, 01:36:42 PM: Next up, the Norwegians. The models are actually not specificly representing norwegian Vikings, I just called the two groups of Vikings in the scenario "Norwegians" and "Danes" because it sounded better than calling them "Group 1" and "Group 2".
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on December 30, 2017, 01:42:35 PM: Followed by the Danes:
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on January 13, 2018, 08:05:19 PM: Come on guys, I really tried to make the pictures better, a little feedback would be very appreciated ;)

I still haven't done the AAR since the New Year started with a couple of medical problems in the family and afterwards pressure from work started to kick back in.

But I do have some pictures of the brave, but poorly armed, defenders to offer. If you look closly, you will realize that some models from later time periods have sneaked their way into the early medieval village community. I didn't have enough fitting models, but I think it's not to obvious for gaming purposes.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: DintheDin on January 13, 2018, 08:32:18 PM: Cheers, you've made a great job, :-* :-* :-* well done Sir!
Neat painting and a great variety of lively postures!
I definitely like your job, keep posting!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Lost Egg on January 13, 2018, 09:43:07 PM: They look great...the wee lass with the cleaver looks very hard-core, I wouldn't want to mess with her :D
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on January 13, 2018, 10:53:29 PM: Thank you for the kind words, DintheDin and Lost Egg. Lost Egg, yes, that model definitly has a great character :D
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: dinohunterpoa on January 13, 2018, 11:25:18 PM: Very nice brushwork and a great color palette, CONGRATULATIONS!!! :-*
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on June 09, 2018, 08:48:43 PM: Long time no post - I've been busy completing my master's degree for the last months and while I did have some occasional time to do some crafting, I just didn't manage to post anything. That means I actually have a couple of things to show off ;)

First off, I started building a ringwall for the viking scenarios. It's loosly based on the remains of fortifications in Trelleborg and large enough in diameter (800 mm inner diameter) to fit in a longhouse in every quarter. So far I've completed a half-circle. For now, I won't built the full circle, as it's already taking up enough space (both on the board and in storage ;) ), but I want to add a small gate at some point in the near future.

Let me know what you think! I have another thing to show, but I'll save it for another day. I don't know if I'm going to do much modelling in the next weeks, as I'll be busy looking for a new (hopefully much better paying) job, so I don't want to put all my eggs into one post ;)
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Lost Egg on June 09, 2018, 09:05:13 PM: That looks pretty sweet man...and intimidating :D
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Dr. Zombie on June 09, 2018, 10:02:01 PM: Wow :o
That is a sweet looking palisade. Perhaps you should add a ramp or two for the defenders to get up to the walls.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on June 09, 2018, 11:39:35 PM: Thank you guys!

Quote from: Dr. Zombie on June 09, 2018, 10:02:01 PM
Perhaps you should add a ramp or two for the defenders to get up to the walls.

You're right, I will probably add a ladder to each segment.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: DintheDin on June 10, 2018, 08:08:28 AM: Looks great! Eager to see the continuation!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Engel on June 11, 2018, 09:14:17 AM: Ohhh, what an excellent thread!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Neunfinger on June 11, 2018, 08:43:16 PM: DintheDin, thank you for the encouragement.
Engel, thank you as well. Is your signature related to the runes found in the Hagia Sofia? ;)

And the aforementioned second thing I managed to get done: A longboat. Because a viking without a boat is just a common raider.
I used the Revell viking ship, which I've seen used a lot for Tabletop purposes:
https://www.revell.de/produkte/modellbau/schiffe/segelschiffe/viking-ship.html?listtype=search&searchparam=viking

I sawed off the bottom so it can be put flatly on the board. A lot of details like oars and shields have been left off because I felt it would clutter the deck and make placing miniatures more difficult.
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Hu Rhu on June 11, 2018, 08:56:07 PM: Very nice work on that Revell Longship. :-*
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: ayak333 on June 12, 2018, 01:37:06 AM: great creations/conversions on those minis! great looking rampart too!
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Engel on June 12, 2018, 09:29:33 AM: Nice ship.

Quote
Is your signature related to the runes found in the Hagia Sofia? ;)
Could be.... :D
Title: Re: Making a Viking Raid Scenario
Post by: Utgaard on June 20, 2018, 08:35:29 AM: The ramparts look really great - and the Revell ship is also on my to-do list for my Gotlanders ;)