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Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: arget8 on October 02, 2016, 10:53:18 PM

Title: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: arget8 on October 02, 2016, 10:53:18 PM
So I have started my Lion Rampant Westeros armies with some less than honorable characters, house Frey. As the lords of the Crossing, the Freys are particularly wealthy and are able to equip one of the largest forces in the Riverlands. They also have no shortage of men at arms and knights both due to their wealth as well as the size of family. However, when Lord Walder calls his banners in support of his liege and Robb Stark, his own substantial levies are bolstered by Houses Haigh, Charleton, and Erenford. What this means is that the Frey's are potentially the most powerful house in the Riverlands, second only to the Tullys in numbers. It also means that the forces of Lord Frey are a myriad of colors, making them quite impressive to behold as well as less tedious to paint!  ;)

Below I have the start of my Lion Rampant army which will eventually be as listed below.

1 unit Mounted Men at Arms
1 unit Men at Arms
2 units Foot Sergeants
1 unit Crossbowmen

All of the models are built, almost solely from the Perry French box along with some English knights. The mounted men at arms are made from both the Agincourt knights and the War of the Roses knights. Some of them have torso swaps and some have had the torsos shaved down in order to accommodate the heads from the Agincourt knights. I have also added shields from the Fireforge Templar box set, but I have run out so I don't have any on the mounted knights.

Enough talking, here are the pics!!!

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0140_zpsodxjhih5.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0136_zps9tzb7nhr.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0138_zpsllyawvdu.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0135_zpsaaawenfz.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0137_zps3ww45i8a.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0134_zpsoyfsvzfb.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0141_zpstfvy4g1e.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0143_zpst4pcrxwd.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0142_zpsnorhktzo.jpg~original)

Next planned is the unit of 12 Crossbowmen, then the knights and the second unit of sergeants. After that I'm thinking that I'm going to go with their partners in crime after I finish the Freys and put together some Boltons. Not sure who to do next after that though. I was thinking either a medium sized house from the Westerlands or a house from the Reach. What do you guys think?

Let me know what you guys think!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: LordOdo on October 02, 2016, 11:39:25 PM
They look great! The diversity in heraldry works a treat! 

For a house after the Boltons..  you may look into the Dondarrions. Stormlands after all, but pretty interesting I think!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Tordenskjold on October 03, 2016, 06:44:35 AM
Inviting you to a wedding

Too soon man, too soon!  :o ;)

They look awesome. I like the variation in heraldry and how it's all done by hand. The models look like they are part of the same force, having similar uniforms and all that, while still retaining some variety. Good job!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Sangennaru on October 03, 2016, 07:31:44 AM
Woah!
I really LOVE how you combined the azincourt english bodies with the WOTR horsemen, they blend in splendidly!!!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on October 03, 2016, 07:50:49 AM
Nice looking units, and some excellent mash-ups. I like the combination of houses, including the lesser ones, which is the route I'm taking. I like the use of muted tones as well. Sticking to similarly equipped figures gives them a real unity of look. After all, they are likely to have drawn their kit from smiths and armourers from the same region.
All I would say (and this is only a little niggle for the purists amongst us) is that the Frey troops are described in the novels with a definite blue tinge...
‘a large party in blue steel ringmail and capes of a silver grey. On their shoulder was another familiar sigil, the twin towers of House Frey’ (GOT, p.279)
‘Their banner bore twin towers, dark blue on a field of pale silver-grey’ (GOT, p.619)
There are opportunities for blued armour and not just 'white' armour. If you want to stick closer to the books then you have to be very wary of the sigils depicted on the Wiki. They can be outright wrong...
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on October 03, 2016, 12:25:09 PM
Thank you everybody for the compliments! I'm still not completely pleased with the heraldry, but it may just be that the pictures magnify all of the errors that you wont see on the table. As for the Freys coloring. I must have missed the mention of the blued steel. I will have to try my hand at that on the mounted knights. With the sigil, I think it just came down to that I like the show version better and it is easier to do as the towers are less stylized.  I'm waffling over the same thing if I ever do the Rtarks as well. I like the show version of the sigil far more that the direwolf rampant from the books. I find that for most of the houses that aren't depicted in the show the wiki is a pretty good resource. However, with the show houses, they can often be drastically different from the books, like the Boltons. I like the Bolton sigil from the show and I am tempted to use it, but I don't think that I can pass up doing that much pink.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on October 03, 2016, 01:28:39 PM
arget8,
I agree that some of the show liveries and sigils work better than the book versions. I particularly like the Bolton flayed man sigil. I've found that a lot of the generally accepted sigils are in fact artifices from the Wiki. and sometimes downright inaccurate. House Rosby for instance has chevronels but the Wiki shows them upside down. House Glover has a mailed fist, NOT a gauntleted fist. A common mistake replicated by all manner of real life army insignia. GRRM refers to them as 'lobstered' if he refers to plated gauntlets so he clearly knows the difference.
Badges and sigils are often different. Badges are often abbreviated such as the head only of an animal, or a much simplified version of the emblem.
People also seem to be missing a trick by not tinting and going for 'white' armour colouring. GRRM mentions russet and brown, blue and black and lots of enamelling. I use a blue W&N drawing ink wash over a silver/black metal basecoat.
If you like the Bolton pink livery, you can always do the Bolton officer as a ‘a man in dark armour and a pale pink cloak spotted with blood’ (SOS:2, p.133)
In the end, the beauty of raising your own fantasy forces is you can do your own take. Just enjoy the process and stick with what you are happiest with.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on October 03, 2016, 10:31:06 PM
Also, I'm out of Fireforge shields, so if anyone has some, I'm interested.

Sukhe: I will probably be doing less heraldic clothing for the Boltons as the North is not as wealthy and I imagine them more ragtag than southern houses. I plan on using the same minis, but they will be less uniformed and wearing more undyed gambesons and leather. Pink was an expensive color during the time period the series is set in, which is why it was a martial and regal color and used by one of the books' biggest bad guys, so it will be less likely to be on anyone but the household troops and maybe shields. My Bolton list is as follows:

6 Mounted Men at Arms
12 Expert Foot Sergeants
12 Fierce Foot
12 Bowmen
6 Mounted Sergeants

The Boltons and much of the North are less numerous than the houses of the south and, as they do not follow the Faith of the Seven, have fewer knights. However, the North has a tradition of skilled light cavalrymen, which the mounted sergeants are meant to represent. The expert sergeants are going to be the pavise spearmen that we saw in the Battle of the Bastards as they were just to good looking to not take. Also, pavises will provide the perfect canvas for the proper Bolton sigil of the flayed man on a field of pink. The fierce foot will be what I imagine many of the Northern levies to look like, which is kind of like Islemen or Galloglaigh axemen. The bowmen will be fitting with the motif of the North that has been described in both the books and the show, standard English longbowmen.

I'm not sure if this really gives me any opportunity to show off any sworn houses as I think that the expert foot should all be Bolton men and the fierce foot wont have shields. The mounted units would give me the opportunity, but I'm a little worried that they wouldn't blend as well as the Frey units will since all of the units will be mixed in. What do you guys think?

Obviously, from Martin's descriptions we hear a lot about pikemen when he talks of the North, but I feel that this is a little anachronistic when it comes to levy troops. They would much more likely be spearmen, because he talks about shields ALOT. Shields were largely out of favor by the time the pike returned to medieval warfare. If I ever get around to doing different units that what I have planned for the Boltons or if I ever do any other Northern houses (Starks, Umbers, Karstarks) then I will be adding more spearmen.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: tomrommel1 on October 04, 2016, 08:28:02 AM
very nice start indeed
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on October 04, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
I'm liking your thinking and I too am having problems reconciling the shaggy northerners look with the use of sigils and and a look that also has shields.
I'd dispute the business with the pink though - madder was a common dye which went from brick red to pale pink. Most red dyes weren't that colour-fast (just ask any member of a reenactment group after an event in torrential rain!)
My 10 man House combos have 4 missile and 4 melee troops plus a captain/leader and standard bearer. I can stretch a melee unit to 6 figs by including a Cpt. and banner, thus I only require 2 Houses to make up a 12 man units for Lion/Dragon Rampant.
I get a sense from my reading of GRRM that he has the Scots schiltron in mind when he refers to the North, so a mixed 'long-pointy weapons' unit is more likely, with a front rank of guys with shields. I like your idea of using pavise troops, which matches my idea for Crownlanders like House Rosby...
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x200/sukhe_bator/IMAG1840_zps8mn4ldzt.jpg~original)
The rest of Westeros seems to have a more high Holly-eval look for the better equipped troops with more shields. Of course this does not help wargamers with limited resources/figures. TBH, I have more of a problem incorporating bill and pike troops. The better the armour, the less shields were used, so by the time you get to WOTR they were getting scarce. The majority of my Houses have 2 pike and 2 bill, and I plan to combine 4 to 6 Houses together for each faction. This gives me the tactical flexibility to make weapon-specific units or mix-n-match ones. For the less well equipped Northern houses I either skew it so they have more pike and fewer shields, or opt for spear and shield combos. I'm planning to use Fireforge and Dark Ages figures for my Karstarks and Boltons so they will have a higher proportion of shielded foot.
As for shields. Have you thought of making your own? I've made heater shields easily enough out of plasticard, slightly bent to shape. It's probably just as easy blagging a sprue off someone on the forum, or getting them as accessories. Several companies do them and they are a good investment.


Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on October 04, 2016, 04:52:43 PM
I'm really liking the Rosbys and the Rykkers you've done up. I'm seriously tempted to do Crownlanders as well as they would be present in almost every conflict in Westeros and would be very versatile.

As to the pink, I am quite possibly wrong. It was something that I must have heard somewhere from a less than credible source.

For the shields, what kind of plasticard do you use? I've tried before, but I was probably using the wrong stuff.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on October 05, 2016, 07:52:39 AM
The Rykker captain has a plasticard heater shield which is about 1mm thick. Beyond that I couldn't tell you about it. The plasticard was from my Late father's modelling scrap stock.
With a gentle application of even pressure it can be rolled over a smooth dowel or pencil into a curve once cut to shape. Don't forget to centre the curve over the straight top of the shield.
For kite shields I'd make a paper template by drawing out a the longitudinal section and folding it over to make an even profile. That way you could replicate the straight, curved and angle-topped variants that are in the Fireforge sets. This should help ensure the shape isn't wonky providing you've done the scalpel work carefully enough.

The Crownlanders had not seen much action until the War of the Five Kings, which makes Roose Bolton's decision to send Northerners there all the more suspicious. I think you may mean those from the Westerlands and Stormlands and of course the Reach, who bore the brunt of the fighting on the Lannister/Baratheon side
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on October 05, 2016, 01:40:03 PM
Ok, thanks for the tips.

I assumed that Crownland houses would see a good about of action as they are sworn directly to the King. They may not have seen much military action during the War of the Five Kings, but I would have to imagine that they did in the past during many of the Targaryen wars. As for Roose Bolton, he was using his independent command of one of the Northern armies in order to purge some of the more loyal Northern lords. Duskendale was a way for him to purge the Glovers, Ruby Ford was a way to purge the Manderlys and many of the Clans, such as the Lockes and Norreys. That way, by the time they returned to the Twins, Roose's army was composed of Bolton men, Karstark men, and Frey men. That's one of the things I love about the series. There is a ton of foreshadowing if you can put the pieces together and it makes the revelations that much more satisfying when you realize that you missed all the little pieces of the puzzle.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Captain Blood on October 05, 2016, 02:25:37 PM
A good start. I've added you to the LAF GoT compendium thread. No pressure!  ;)
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on October 05, 2016, 03:09:15 PM
A worthy addition to the GOT Compendium :D
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on October 05, 2016, 04:37:50 PM
Well, thank you for the honor, Captain!  :D
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on January 30, 2017, 07:42:58 PM
Hey guys, its been a while. I should have my first unit of crossbows ready to show off by the end of the day. More Freys and their sworn houses. I'm pretty pleased with them. Just got my painting mojo back after almost five months in a bit of a painting/modelling slump. Not to fear though, I'm motivated again and, in my opinion, improved! So watch this space!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Ogrob on January 30, 2017, 08:08:37 PM
Looking forward to it. We always need more GoT stuff!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: admiraldick on January 30, 2017, 08:23:32 PM
A nice start.

A bit OT, but what make are your bases? The cav bases are particularly interesting to me.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on January 31, 2017, 01:03:57 AM
The bases are from warbases, great prices and great people. They have all sorts of awesome stuff on there!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on January 31, 2017, 01:40:18 AM
Can anyone hear cellos? Is it raining?

Here are the crossbowmen, the dastardly brave men who shot Robb Stark and slaughtered his most trusted retainers from their cowardly intelligently planned positions in the audience booths above the wedding feast.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0167_zpst5zudkre.jpg~original)

Crossbow men from the sworn houses: Erenford, Haigh, and Charlton

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0165_zpsxjlnn4qn.jpg~original)

The Freys

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0169_zpslbqztsfs.jpg~original)

And the group shot


Next will be either the mounted knights or another unit of spearmen, we'll see what strikes my fancy. They are both built, so it's a matter of basing and painting them, but it is pretty cold right now, so I may have to wait until it warms up.


Until then, welcome to the Twins and enjoy the wedding!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: tomrommel1 on January 31, 2017, 06:48:01 AM
nice additions
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on January 31, 2017, 12:01:28 PM
I promise that they look better in person, the iphone camera isn't the best for small stuff.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 01, 2017, 08:53:03 AM
These are coming together nicely... :D
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 01, 2017, 04:13:32 PM
Thanks for the kind word gents! I've got the last 12 spearmen ready to prime up and I just need to get the sand on the cav bases to have them ready. I've determined that it will be easier to paint the shields while on the sprues. That'll let me paint up the figures beneath the shield better this time around as well. The spearmen should be the same mix, half Frey and half sworn houses. This will allow me to field one 12 man unit of Frey spearmen and one 12 man unit of sworn house spearmen. The knights will be 3 Frey and 3 sworn houses.

Next after that will be the men serving the Warden of the North, the Boltons. I have the fierce foot, the pavise spearmen, and some of the archers built already, so they should be coming a little faster than the Freys did, but that depends on how motivated I am to do the shields, haha.

Watch this space for the next week or so!

Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 02, 2017, 08:18:21 AM
I like the parti coloured aketons and coat colours for representing liveries of your minor houses. I also like your concept of 3 Main house riders and 3 sworn house riders in a LR/DR unit (which I will shamelessly steal when it comes to adding mounted contingents to my forces) ;). Looking forward to seeing how these and your Boltons shape up in future posts... :D
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 02, 2017, 11:59:48 AM
Thanks! I wanted to make things a little more interesting for myself. Also, my assumption is that most levy soldiers would be forced to find or make colored clothes.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Momotaro on February 03, 2017, 11:40:39 AM
Love your freehand shields - you're a braver painter than I am!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 03, 2017, 04:20:06 PM
Haha, thanks. I've been waffling over whether to get transfers, but I think that I've decided to keep the freehand. My skills have started to improve and in real life the shields would be painted by the men carrying them usually, so I think they would be pretty simplistic anyway. You just gotta commit, I think.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Captain Blood on February 03, 2017, 06:55:45 PM
Good stuff. The more you paint the better you get  :)
Damn those hateful Freys though  ;)
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 03, 2017, 08:40:40 PM
That's what I've been seeing.

As to your vicious slander of the honorable Frey house, you better watch your back or we'll sic the kingslayer on you.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 07, 2017, 03:05:58 AM
Question for you all. What are your thoughts on having heraldry on every spearman's shields? I'm torn on it. I will definitely have the colors, but I was thinking I could maybe avoid the work if there is any sort of support for the simplification of the shields.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 07, 2017, 08:50:22 AM
In my experience, using later medieval period figures to wargame GOT actually presents problems showing enough heraldry, since plate armour largely supplanted the need for shields. Martin appears to have adopted a Hollywood-eval view of armour. On the one hand he references 'half-helms' rather than full great helms, shields and mail, which is analogous to a historical period from around 1100 to 1300. On the other he speaks of plate armour, 'lobstered' gauntlets, jacks etc. which is later... Hence the use of mash-ups of figures from the Dark Ages right through to the WOTR.
It depends how you want to go...
If like Charlie you use largely generic troops and signify their allegiance of the moment with a few well placed leaders and standard bearers, then the need for shields and certain devices is less.
If on the other hand you opt for fielding contingents of household troops, or those with strong affiliations to one faction or another the heraldry will be more important, as will the need for shields. Sellswords will likely have their own quirky designs or hand-me-downs, while arrow fodder are likely to have plain painted 'munition' quality. The mountain clans were furnished with Lannister arms before the Battle of the Green Fork, which probably had a red field colour at the very least, or the full Lannister lion etc.
I've opted for the factional look, but if you look at my House Rosby contingent drawn from HYW ranges, I only have 3 shields to worry about out of a (now) 12 strong unit; Captain or MAA and 2 spearmen.
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x200/sukhe_bator/IMAG1840_zps8mn4ldzt.jpg~original)
The rest are signified by badges or livery coats. Badges are harder the more complicated the device since you are in effect dealing with patch not much larger than 5mm, unless you opt for a livery coat which leaves the whole chest as a potential canvas. I try to have a mixture. I will also mix Houses to create specific archer, MAA or pike/bill units which gives a polyglot look, like this Riverlands bunch of Mallister, Piper and Bracken archers...
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x200/sukhe_bator/IMAG1782_zpswxsnbvpy.jpg~original)
My feeling is if you have opportunity to field troops with shields make 'em as many and varied as you can. I agree the troops will mostly daub their own, while household troops are more likely to have access to stock of mass produced kit. As the good Cap'n says, the more you do the better you'll get. I applaud you're efforts so far. :D As you get better you can always go back and revisit your earlier attempts like I've done until you are happier with the results. 'Distressing' the shields is also a good technique. A good splat of mud and blood covers a multitude of sins!
Keep calm and carry on and above all enjoy the process! ;D
 
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 07, 2017, 02:54:20 PM
I was thinking things like stripes, slashes, halving and quartering.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 07, 2017, 03:05:49 PM
I use parti hose and tunic colours as well to good effect. Also some armour such as helmets lends itself to being painted and can be very effective. There was a tradition of covering white armour with coloured felt in Europe that could be sued. My plate armoured Lefford captain has a gold plackart and the remainder of his plate armour is blued to echo the Lefford golden 'mountain' sigil. Martin makes mention to colours and ornament in armour with devices matching the House sigils.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 07, 2017, 07:44:30 PM
Yeah, definitely going to get creative with the armor on my next 12 spearmen. I have them mostly painted, but thanks for reminding me to do the painted armor. I'll try out mixing it up and get everyone's thoughts. I feel lazy doing it, but I also think it could make for some interesting visuals.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 08, 2017, 08:35:27 AM
As well as out and out paint, there were some interested tints for armour produced by heat treating the metal, often with contrasting etched decorative borders - russet and blueing
http://www.codesmiths.com/shed/armour/helm/greathelm_brown.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/98/43/8a/98438a60d2b24e7f983d6472351a2059.jpg
and the old favourite blackened armour - using oil and lampblack (soot)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1004/870819928_474144b5e6.jpg
even velvet coverings for the flashier gits. I doubt however that this would stand up to the rigours of campaigning!
http://www.cullodenantiques.com/images/an_important_italian_burgonet.jpg
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 08, 2017, 12:12:57 PM
I'm definitely going to get creative with the mounted knights with the bluing and browning. When I eventually get around to doing the Reach, their knights are going to have all sorts of fancy stuff, as befitting their wealth and class.  lol

Should potentially have something to show either today or tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 08, 2017, 07:51:53 PM
Here are the first three spearmen from the next unit of sworn houses. They have a different set of shields, which is what I'm looking for thoughts on. I'm willing to paint them up as heraldric shields if you guys don't think they work, but I think I like them.

Here we go:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0170_zps9gs615ne.jpg?t=1486496819~original)


(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0171_zps1cemc4kz.jpg~original)

Photo quality is crap, but you get the idea, right?
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 09, 2017, 08:41:35 AM
They look good and while not overtly heraldic, they convey a good sense of factional affiliation...
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 09, 2017, 09:43:36 PM
And here are the last of the sworn house spearmen.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0175_zps2ol5hf3l.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0178_zpsa6booacj.jpg~original)

Just 6 more Frey spearmen and then the knights. I still have to flock all the bases, but I'll do them all at one time because it's just tedious.

Let me know what you think of the shields!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: Ogrob on February 09, 2017, 09:48:30 PM
Should make a really nice effectful army when it all comes together! I was umming and ahing about using those heater style shields or pavises for some Lannister spearmen I've got on my bench, but I think you've convinced me that the heater style works really well for the GoT look.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 10, 2017, 08:43:03 AM
I'm a late convert to the Fireforge minis, but I agree their longer kite shields work well as pavises or deep shields for infantry, particularly the lighter equipped troops with aketons in the Perry HYW ranges. Having an additional sized 'canvas' for GOT sigils is an added bonus.
I save my normal sized heater shields for my armoured men at arms for close-up wet-work.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 10, 2017, 12:05:15 PM
Same here on the shields. I wasn't sure how they would look, but Captain Blood kinda blazed that trail for me, so I didn't have to wait too long. I'm also planning on saving the heater shields for only the knights/men at arms. With all the armor they wear, and if on horseback, a heater shield would be overkill/a liability.

On another note, I put all of the sworn house spearmen in one unit and I think they look pretty good all lined up together. I'll post a picture either today or tomorrow along with maybe the last of the Frey spears if I can find the time to finish them.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (GOT Freys)
Post by: arget8 on February 28, 2017, 12:47:55 AM
So here are the last of the Frey Spearmen and an army shot so far. Also, below that is a couple in progress pics of my Frey mounted knights.

The spearmen are all using heraldric patterns with Frey colors.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0207_zpsnu4qtugs.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0208_zpsukxkaf2g.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0209_zps90xbkajy.jpg~original)

Here is the army shot so far. First are the sworn house spearmen and then then crossbowmen, then we have the Frey house sergeants and the foot men at arms.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0216_zpsjepnp11z.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0215_zpsauvqsmrf.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0217_zpsxyf1cwj4.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0218_zpsxcy8pylu.jpg~original)

And last, but not least, here are the first two mounted knights. They still need their shields, but I will be doing them all at once, so they may be about a week before I get to them. I'm quite pleased with how they turned out, especially since they are my first ever horses.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0212_zpsbarznrhs.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0213_zps34lpov5i.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0210_zpskzkyvxf3.jpg~original)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0211_zpsbhftnijr.jpg~original)

Next up will be more knights. After that we'll be starting on some Boltons and wherever else my ADD takes me!

Let me know what you think, thanks!
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: tomrommel1 on February 28, 2017, 07:08:40 AM
nice
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 28, 2017, 08:31:13 AM
For a first attempt at horses, they've come out pretty well! I hope I do my gee gees justice when I come to do them because  am woefully out of practice. I'm liking the Frey spearmen, and the gents on horseback have come out really well. I particularly like the gold borders to the couters, pauldrons  and knee cops.
I am less convinced by the faceplate. The visor is made from a single sheet of forged metal, and is thickest at the 'nose'. Having to be the strongest part of the armour, a softer metal like brass/gold or even mercury gilding would make it physically weaker. Museum examples of 'real world' armour tend to have decoration concentrated on little touches like rivets, borders, and even sometimes applied strips above the vision slits to make eyebrows etc. Apart from that he is a striking figure.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: arget8 on February 28, 2017, 12:00:08 PM
Thanks for the positive comments and the suggestions! I'll repaint the face plate to be brass rimmed then. While I am certainly not a button counter, I do prefer to have some semblance of historical accuracy in my minis. It looks a little funny anyway I think.

I'm thinking that I may also add another layer of highlights on the horses, my girlfriend said they look too flat and not enough like they have beautiful coats of hair shining in the sun.  lol Any suggestions on how to do so?


Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: tomrommel1 on February 28, 2017, 01:59:28 PM
do a few washes
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: Charlie_ on February 28, 2017, 03:07:44 PM
Yes, washes are your friends here I think.

I've recently got stuck in to painting my first horses, and am finding washes very useful.

Experiment a bit with colours. There are an abundance of different horse 'colours', but to be honest you can't go wrong with any shade of brown. Do a base coat, then a wash of some sort (I do a mix of burnt umber with a little black, varying the ratio for different levels of darkness). Then re-highlight the muscles with the original colour... Then perhaps a further highlight, but I haven't found that necessary yet. And often just the basecoat and the wash is enough, especially for rich, dark browns.

Also, if you want to do black 'points' on the legs (my research has told me that all bay horses are some sort of brown or another, with black 'points' being mane, tail, ear tips and lower legs), try applying just a few layers of watered down black ink wash. Build it up in thin layers, works much better than just painting them black. Especially easy and effective on otherwise dark-coloured coats.

And I've found this chart very useful for references and getting the colours right. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/fb/02/79/fb02793367bb247cfb5720f5a6b62664.jpg
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: arget8 on February 28, 2017, 04:17:49 PM
I've got one wash and repaint on them already, but I was thinking an edge highlight on the edges of the muscles. I'm relatively new to the highlighting game, so I hesitate to go overboard. I'm normally a basecoat and wash guy. Does anyone know where I could find a tutorial on painting horses?
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: sukhe_bator on February 28, 2017, 04:20:43 PM
I've also tried dry-brushing with a lighter tone of the horse colour with a fairly large flat brush. This has resulted in some shaggier looking gee gees...
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: arget8 on March 05, 2017, 10:52:59 PM
Back again and this time with some completed mounted knights! I've finished the mounted knights from Houses Erenford, Charlton, and Haigh. See pics and individual descriptions below.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0219_zpsogccqyet.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0220_zpswbprzvav.jpg~original)

First up is House Haigh. As you can see, their sigil is a black pitchfork within a yellow bend over a brown field. If you can't see it, I've attempted to represent a russeted, or browned, armor for most of the suit. I will say that it looks a little better in person than in the picture, it seems a little more brown and less silver.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0228_zpswv7tqytf.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0226_zpseayqvvfi.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0227_zpsiopnicgd.jpg~original)

Next up is House Charlton. Their sigil is three sprigs of mistletoe, green and red, on a gold field within a green border. With him, I though that some bronze or brass plated armor would look good on him. I wanted to take the opportunity to add color into the unit a little more as the Freys are all Blues and Grays. As always, the camera is unforgiving and I am my own worst critic, but I am pleased with them in person.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0223_zpspt8can4c.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0224_zpsc48fnomc.jpg~original)

And last is House Erenford. Their sigil is a golden heron, beak and legs black, standing with a silver fish in its beak, on a pink field. They are truly the color in the unit along with House Charlton. I decided that I wanted to get some painted armor in the sworn houses and this guy offered the barest armor, so he was a good candidate.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0225_zpsayhcvarp.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0222_zpsggrwphs6.jpg~original)

Let me know what you think! Frey knights next.
Title: Re: Inviting you to a wedding (Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses)
Post by: tomrommel1 on March 06, 2017, 07:45:53 AM
very nice mounted knights !
Title: Re: Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses: A Song of Bridges and Betrayal
Post by: Dilettante Gamer on March 07, 2017, 07:27:55 PM
Circling back to hobby life after a half year of real life preoccupations.

Enjoying your project here and salute your contrariness in choosing House Frey.

I'm guessing you'll have it pretty much to yourself.  lol

Keep on!
Title: Re: Game of Thrones Freys and sworn houses: A Song of Bridges and Betrayal
Post by: arget8 on March 07, 2017, 09:07:27 PM
Thanks for the compliments! I'm hoping to get started on the Frey knights today or tomorrow, which means that they'll be done within about a week.

After that I'll start painting Bolton infantry and building Bolton cav, both heavy and light. I was able to get a bunch of Perry cav for a bargain and it will make me feel better about hacking them up and experimenting with converting the mounted sergeants.
Title: The Rains of Castamere
Post by: arget8 on June 02, 2017, 04:10:44 PM
So, it's been a long time I guess. Been tied up with other projects and also a little burnt out on painting. So I decided to try my hand at some Lannisters. I'm quite pleased with them myself. They are obviously based on the Lannisters from the show, which are a little too fantasy, but I think I've brought them down to earth a little bit. This is my first real attempt at using greenstuff on a mini. The breastplates are just the normal torso smoothed down, but the hip plates are green stuff. The heads are from Mirliton. I still need to do their shields, but I'm waiting on the transfers before I can finish them.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0253_zpsnemga8qg.jpg~original)
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Gunnar_Lopez/IMG_0254_zpsyabj7yfz.jpg~original)

Got to get back to work on the last three Frey knights, but I've decided that I hate painting horses. I'm working on a bunch of different stuff too at the moment. Namely Stone Dornish (Yronwood), some Martells, and the Boltons. The Yronwoods are going to be mostly unconverted perrys with some minor conversions as the Stone Dornish are said to be little different than the rest of Westeros. I'm also taking a more Spanish lean to the rest of Dorne rather than the full middle east lean that the show has. This means that even the Sand/Salt Dornish (Martells and others) will maintain a mostly European look rather than a completely foreign look that people imagine.


Let me know what you guys think!
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones Thread
Post by: Ogrob on June 02, 2017, 04:49:57 PM
A unit of those should look really good!
Title: Re: The Rains of Castamere
Post by: Charlie_ on June 02, 2017, 09:05:10 PM
I'm also taking a more Spanish lean to the rest of Dorne rather than the full middle east lean that the show has. This means that even the Sand/Salt Dornish (Martells and others) will maintain a mostly European look rather than a completely foreign look that people imagine.

Good, I agree that's the way to go!

The Lannisters look great. They are recognisable as the TV Lannisters, yet look less fantasy and more realistic. Very successful conversions!
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: tomrommel1 on June 07, 2017, 06:11:38 AM
very nice green stuff work
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: dinohunterpoa on June 07, 2017, 01:06:25 PM

Great conversions, CONGRATULATIONS!  ;)
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: arget8 on June 07, 2017, 08:08:35 PM
Thanks for the kind comments! I've got the oval shields ready to go, just waiting for the transfers from Magister Militum now. I'm hoping to sculpt up a few more in the next week.
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: Wellington Bonaparte on December 26, 2017, 08:43:43 PM
Hi Arget8,
Did you ever complete your SOIAF armies? Unfortunately I can't see any of the photos just the big photobucket picture. I've read  through the thread and would love to see your take on Westeros to see how it matches to my own vision.
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: arget8 on December 31, 2017, 09:12:51 PM
I have not made any further progress. Got distracted by the holidays and then other projects. I've only got to finish the last three Frey knights, then I'll probably try to finish the Boltons that I have started. I was able to buy up MattW's spearmen, so I only have to do a couple units. I'm going to try and cycle in a unit every once in a while between my WW2, Dark Ages, and Sharpe Practice 2 projects.
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: sukhe_bator on January 10, 2018, 01:14:19 PM
If you go back in and modify your posts with '~original' inserted between the jpg and [/IMG] symbol, you can evade pbucket's strictures... ;) Then we can see all your Frey goodness for posterity! :D
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: arget8 on January 10, 2018, 07:26:40 PM
Pictures have been fixed! Well, barring the one that simply refuses to come back.
Title: Re: Arget8's Game of Thrones: The Rains of Castamere (Lannister) Update on page 4!
Post by: Wellington Bonaparte on January 10, 2018, 09:08:59 PM
Love the photos now I can see them! You've done a really good job on the heraldry must be braver and have a go myself and I really like that you have kept truer to the books, which is what I'm trying to do.
Might even get brave enough to put my limited efforts up on hear. Thanks for sorting the pics out.