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Author Topic: SAGA - Byzantines  (Read 6281 times)

Offline AngusH

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 71
SAGA - Byzantines
« on: May 13, 2018, 09:42:17 AM »
As a huge history nerd I've always wanted to play a historical miniatures game, but I've never known anyone else who was also interested in the genre... until my buddy asked if I felt like trying SAGA. I was all in. This was just before SAGA v.2 launched and although we wanted to play with Crusader-era armies, we weren't sure how long it would be until the Crusades book launched, so I opted for Byzantines figuring they could be used with either book.

The majority of my hobby has been sci fi/post apocalyptic up until now, so it's been a bit of a challenge for me learning to paint these type of minis, but also a lot of fun - I wish 3/4 length chainmail never went out of fashion, to be honest! Hoping to archive my painting and terrain building here - thanks for following!

Offline AngusH

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  • Posts: 71
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2018, 09:51:16 AM »
I've played a few games with the 4pt starter box from GB, and I don't think it's a great fit for the Last Romans' battleboard - I've grabbed some more archer units because it seems like I should be fielding at least 3 units to take advantage of some of the advanced tactics. With that in mind, I used archers as my test models for a colour scheme. My warriors will be uniformed, with HG and levies a more mish-mash of colours.

Not a huge fan of the GB minis, especially compared to some of the Footsore minis I've received over the past few weeks. Faces are a bit derpy, and had some trouble fitting weapons into the massive open hands. Also had some details lost on the leather straps on a few of the minis which I could have painted in if I wasn't so keen to get cracking on with more minis.


Offline AngusH

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Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2018, 09:56:07 AM »
Having spent a small fortune on post apocalyptic terrain, I was very keen to save some money and make my own for SAGA. I couldn't find many examples of less grandoise Byzantine buildings, so I tried to merge something ancient Greek with Arabian for this adobe farmhouse. Wish I'd left the weathering powders off altogether - a habit I've picked up from post apoc terrain, but I was pretty happy with this for a first attempt at a foam house. Sci fi mini for scale - put this together while my Byzantines were still en route:


Offline AngusH

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 71
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2018, 10:04:01 AM »
I've found terrain making has really distracted me from painting my minis, but I saw a photo of a historical cylindrical Arabian watchtower with foot holes for a ladder leading up to a door, which seemed like a great idea to me as far as making it more defensible for those inside. I tried to make a version of that with the idea that it could be a centre-of-table objective, but found this build a big pain in the butt - not enjoying working with spackle, so I think whatever I try my hand at next will have brickwork...

As a happy accident it fits 4 25mm based minis up top. About 75% through building it I realised I should have allowed for that, so that was a relief...




Offline killshot

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Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2018, 01:20:37 PM »
Nice start to the project. You could try Crusader Miniatures’ line of Byzantines since you aren’t a big fan of GB.  Their Viking and Normans are great figures.

Offline Captain Harlock

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 709
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2018, 01:21:42 PM »
Its good to see some (eastern) Romans. A fine start. I noticed that V&V miniatures started producing some excellent resin minis for infantry and Varangian Guard.
http://vminiatures.com/28-mm/byzantium/

About the buildings. It depends from the region but for the general feel, it wouldnt be far away from the traditional Greek and southern italian style. Basically a mix of Greek and Roman architecture. Here is an article (in Greek) that has some mosaices depicting houses.
http://www.diakonima.gr/2013/08/09/%CE%B7-%CF%80%CF%8C%CE%BB%CE%B7-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF-%CE%B2%CF%85%CE%B6%CE%AC%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BF-%CE%BF%CE%B9-%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AF%CE%B5%CF%82/

You should definatelly check locations like Mystras, here is a video of the paleologian palace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KmrJsTPABM

Monemvasia


You can also take some ideas from byzantine monasteries like those of mount Athos.

Online Ogrob

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1841
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2018, 02:24:33 PM »
Love the watchtower!

Offline Hu Rhu

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Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2018, 04:09:59 PM »
Nice painting on those Byzantne minis.  :-*

Offline AngusH

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 71
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2018, 09:58:39 AM »
Nice start to the project. You could try Crusader Miniatures’ line of Byzantines since you aren’t a big fan of GB.  Their Viking and Normans are great figures.

I grabbed some Varangians and some slinger levies from Crusader and I agree - really nice minis. A touch smaller than the GB to my eye, but when based they look close enough.

Its good to see some (eastern) Romans. A fine start. I noticed that V&V miniatures started producing some excellent resin minis for infantry and Varangian Guard.
http://vminiatures.com/28-mm/byzantium/

***snipped lots of great stuff on Byzantine architecture***

Oh man I wish I'd seen these V&V Varangian guard. It's been years since I've seen it, but I believe they are an exact match for one of the Angus McBride illustrations from one of the Osprey Byzantine books that got me interested in Byzantium in the first place.

Thanks also for the links to the Byzantium architecture, really interesting stuff!

Love the watchtower!

Thanks! Not happy with how orange it is, but my airbrush died on me and I had to make do with the cheap craft paints I had on hand!

Nice painting on those Byzantne minis.  :-*

Thanks mate! I won't win any painting competitions but I spent more time on these guys than I normally do.


Offline OSHIROmodels

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  • Posts: 27705
  • Custom terrain a speciality.
    • Oshiro modelterrain
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2018, 11:36:43 AM »
Lovely looking figures and I like the terrain although i'd be tempted to lighten the tower a bit.
cheers

James

https://www.oshiromodels.co.uk/

Twitter account -     @OSHIROmodels
Instagram account - oshiromodels

http://redplanetminiatures.blogspot.co.uk/
http://jimbibblyblog.blogspot.com/

Offline Codsticker

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    • Kodsticklerburg: A Mordheim project
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2018, 11:02:19 PM »
I had a game versus my buddy's Anglo-Saxons tonight and I wanted to test out the Warbanner mechanic although I only got my mini in the mail this morning... so I had to improvise a little bit. I think I captured the general Byzantine aesthetic however
Excellent! I believe a I saw a flag that in Texas...

Offline Harry Faversham

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3980
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2018, 12:00:53 PM »
Don't fire at will anymore...
aim for that bloke wiv a +1 on his flag!!!



 ;D
"Wot did you do in the war Grandad?"

"I was with Harry... At The Bridge!"

Offline Captain Harlock

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 709
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2018, 05:44:26 AM »
V&V also makes some extremely nice cataphracts.




I must admit Im on the fence myself, the only thing that holds me back is that I have already my hands full.

Offline westwaller

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 770
Re: SAGA - Byzantines
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2018, 07:13:02 AM »
Footsore are releasing Byzantines later this year.