New Gripping Beast plastics: Dark Age Cavalry

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Had heard some rumours these were to be released at some point, had no clue they were this close to release! Up for pre-order now: https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/GBP16_Dark_Age_Cavalry_PREORDER--product--5532.html









Couple more close-ups on the website, no sprue pics as of yet.

Very good variation in riders based on these pictures, and probably three horses (sadly no interchangable halves). Based on the box art, I asssume a draco standard and a few more bits are to be included as well, making it a very nice generic set, hopefully interchangable with the other kits for yet more possibilities. A welcome addition to plastic historicals, almost makes you forget about those lacklustre archers. 

[Captain Blood]

Well, I have to say, they look pretty good.
Not something I've thought about their last few plastic sets.
Maybe all the (entirely justified) whingeing about the three figure plastic archer set made them realise they needed to raise their game...
Going to be interested to see the sprue pics...

[aircav]

These look good, a definite improvement over the plastic archers

[Duncan McDane]

Suitable for "up to 800 A.D." is a bit optimistic, unless they're talking about the horses  . Looking at the headgear I'd say anything over 600 A.D. is really stretching it.
We'll see what the sprues will look like, but it never hurts to have too many different horses. For the ( Goth ) riders I'll stick with Footsore.

[Ogrob]

Best looking kit GB has put out in a long while. Definitly on the shopping list.

[Nord]

Agreed, they have upped their game. Nice looking set, and well painted too. I need to see the sprues before fully committing, but these are a definite maybe. A step in the right direction - nice to see some decent plastics.

[Arlequín]

They are quite splendid.

Borrowing some heads and possibly some arms from the Late Roman pack might prove worthwhile too.

[Arlequín]

Having looked again, is it me or do the horses look decidedly weird? Legs that seem to curve instead of bend at the knee and somewhat thin and narrow heads/necks.

I'm pretty certain too, as others have said, that they won't have much utility beyond 700 at the very latest.

[Codsticker]

Having looked again, is it me or do the horses look decidedly weird?

I would agree- the horses look a little off but nothing outrageous.

[Captain Blood]

Wargames marketing has never been subtle, has it?

I would agree- the horses look a little off but nothing outrageous.

These are also from the hand of Bob Naismith. Honestly not my favourite sculptor - although these definitely do look much better.

Bob also did all the Fireforge sets, including the horses.
These have a very similar look.
I think - as with the FF horses - the bodies are actually rather good, albeit perhaps slightly over-stylised.
It's the heads and necks that look wrong. Just a little bit too sculptural... More like knights on a chess board more than real horses.
Luckily, I have a gazillion spare Perry plastic horse heads, and as I did with the FF horses, I shall just graft Perry horse heads onto the GB horse bodies...  

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Given the production times on plastic kits, one does wonder if the cavalry was already underway around the time of the archer backlash...

As for the period for these, it's only the helmets that really fix these anywhere, and I expect there to be a good few spares (and if not, the other sets certainly do). With bare heads, their basic tunic, a round shield and spear these will come in very handy for quite a broad period, and I'm already thinking of getting two sets to have a dedicated Roman group (using spares from the Late Roman plastics), a generic somewhat hairy barbarian group and some spares for whatever seems interesting. Some Conquest Norman heads, shields and spare javelins for Bretons; bare legs and extra Viking heads as Irish...

[sukhe_bator]

Finally! a source for Dunlending cavalry! gawd bless you GB
On my wish list 

[Parrot]

The clothing looks a bit generic to me (but maybe not to others who know more about the period than I do...) so could these guys be used for 900-1000s if you swapped heads with the Viking, Saxon, or Dark Age Warriors box?

[westwaller]

They look very good! I don't think there is anything wrong with the horses- they are weird looking animals anyway!

They look a bit better than the Fireforge horses imho.

[A Lot of Gaul]

I also notice on the box it says 'Good for use with Swordpoint'.
Does that mean they'd be no good for Saga?!

Dammit, without such moronic and mindless prompting I am totally unable to see their use and versatility and can only use them for what they are intended.
Since I am not a Swordpoint player then I suppose I'll just have to pass on these until they (or someone else) brings out a set that can be used with Saga. Sorry, Gripping Beast.
Must be a relief for Swordpoint players who, up until now, have been looking at other dark age cavalry ranges and thought, 'nah, it says nothing about using them for Swordpoint so I'll just have to do without...'

Seems like just a wee bit of an over-reaction, but whatever.