Captain Blood's Fireforge medieval thread. P31. Yet more Bobs!

[Munindk]

Be sure to magnetize the arms and legs :p

[Captain Blood]

Be sure to magnetize the arms and legs :p

Fair point

[Ragnar]

Another marvelous thread. 

[Captain Blood]

Thanks Ragnar 

[Captain Blood]

Having just acquired the recently released Victrix Late Saxons (or are they Anglo-Danes?) plastic set, I thought I’d see whether parts can be pressed into service in this, my Feudal Retinues project.

Obviously the mid-C11th style of armour, shields and weaponry is significantly different to the ‘high feudal’ era of circa 1200(ish). It all has a kind of 'tail end of the Dark Ages' feel. Then again, a nasal helm is a nasal helm, and a figure in tunic and trousers is a figure in tunic and trousers. So there is definite kit-bashing potential.

The Victrix Saxon set has been well covered elsewhere in reviews I’m sure, so I won’t go into detail, suffice to say it is LOVELY.
There's a plethora of 14 different bodies (armoured and unarmoured) and arms/weapons, plus a cornucopia of almost 30 different heads and helmets.
Nearly all the heads wear big moustaches, presumably seen as a 1066 Anglo-Danish trademark (although far from ubiquitous amongst the Saxon ranks in the Bayeux Tapestry).
The moulding and detail is incredibly sharp, and the poses are very much at the dynamic end of the wargames figure market.

Only a couple of minor niggles to note:
1. Quite a few of the bodies and arm/weapon components are set up as ‘half-arms’, which does limit some uses, although nothing that can’t be cured with a sharp craft knife.
2. Similarly some of the heads in coifs are moulded onto the bodies, but with separate helmets. I can see the separate helmets coming in very useful as props and battlefield debris. The moulded-on heads are somewhat limiting when it comes to kit-bashing, but again, not insoluble.
3. Some of the weapons are much more realistically scaled than is usual in these sorts of plastic soldier kits. Which I like (I really dislike the outsized fantasy-scaled weaponry in the Fireforge kits). However, this means that most of the spearshafts in particular, are incredibly fine, and I suspect, not all that durable. But we shall see…

So, here are a few more new recruits…

First up, Baron Tancred the Black. This is a metal figure which I think comes from the Blue Moon Robin Hood range. He’s probably the Sheriff of Nottingham or somesuch. The figure was given to me by Alex/The Prof, several years ago, and I’ve just decided he’d make a fine addition to this collection, so I’m going to paint him as a supernumerary character for games…



These two are Cenhelm the Axe and Eadric the archer.



They are both sporting Victrix Saxon heads on Fireforge bodies, with arms from one or other of the Perry HYW infantry sets.
I actually don’t mind the moustaches. Retinues of this era, even 150 years or so after the Conquest would include many men of English/Saxon origin, and relatively few of Norman. I think the Victrix rendering of the nasal helm (there are about 20 different ones in this set) is the nicest I’ve seen. Can’t wait for the Normans themselves to land. Cenhelm’s heater shield is from the FF Teutonic Knights set.



These two are Wassa the fool (another supernumerary) and Armel the spearman.



Armel is using one of the simpler Victrix Saxon bodies in mail hauberk. It does look quite 1066, but with addition of a much later period helmet (a GW part), a FF heater shield, and a later medieval sword, I think the body serves well enough. It’s probably only the belt buckle and finial that are distinctively Anglo-Saxon, but if anyone can see that on the tabletop, I’ll be surprised. The chainmail itself is beautifully rendered. Best I’ve seen. The 'holes' look huge in these pics, but in actual size on the inch high figure, they are incredibly fine and look just perfect. You can probably see what I mean about the fineness of the spear shaft though. Beautifully proportioned, but I'm a tad worried about its robustness...



Wassa the Fool is another simple Fireforge Templar Infantry body, with Perry later medieval arms (trumpet from the HYW French set, tabor from the European Mercenaries box), plus another GW head, donated from Mason. I’ve shaved the ‘jester’s armoured helmet’ down so it looks like a hood. I’ll add some bells (and probably a hunchback) from Green Stuff.
Can’t really have a set of medieval retinues without a motley fool, so that’s why here’s here…

I think this lot, together with a few of the figures previously assembled way higher up in this thread but yet to be painted, will be joining the retinue of Sir Guy de Mordant (which is where this all started on page 1!), who to remind you, looks like this…





…so that’s going to be some interesting heraldic freehand (which I actually enjoy doing, so not that bad really…  )

[Gibby]

Excellent conversions!

I know what you mean about the large, somewhat absurd weapons in some Fireforge kits. The issue with the realistic ones is, as you point out, the potential fragility. I am in the camp of, for spears in particular, preferring a sturdier if oversized weapon. That said, hand weapons tend to remain more durable as they're far less likely to be snagged, bashed or otherwise mishandled.

[Atheling]

 

[Malamute]

They look great, I suspect the first ol will attract a lot of attention on the battlefield as a likely target

[ulverston]

This thread is amazing and very inspiring. Please keep posting-this is a fantastic read.

[Griefbringer]

Can’t really have a set of medieval retinues without a motley fool, so that’s why here’s here…

I should probably get one to represent myself on the tabletop...

Actually, I think I have all of the components for making my own Wassa in the bits box except for the body, and that one could probably be easily substituted with a number of other unarmoured bodies.

[Charlie_]

Very interesting what you say about the mail. I was imagining that would be the first thing you'd criticise! If you say it's actually really good, then it must be, as I know you don't hold back is you do need to point out a plastic kit's flaws 

Oh and great stuff!

[Captain Blood]

Yes. There was a lot of whingeing about the new Victrix mail when it first appeared, but it looks tip top on the models when viewed in real scale as opposed to a massively blown up photo.

I do tend to be critical, I must admit 
Probably it’s because when you see the exceptional standard (and the sheer amount of components included) that the Perrys and increasingly Victrix manage to achieve, you wonder why the others can’t do anywhere near as well. Fireforge are okay in some respects. Gripping Beast have absolutely gone backwards. I rather like the Frostgrave sets, but they only ever contain 6 bodies, which is a pity, and it looks like the new entrant, Wargames Atlantic is following the same model - 1 frame, half a dozen bodies, a dozen heads, an assortment of arms, shields and weapons, and that’s your lot. The Conquest Games kits are a mixed bag. Some nice components. Some not so good.
But TBH the market is moving so fast now, it’s hard keeping up with it. And that’s without going into the huge number of GW-alikes serving the out and out fantasy markets...

[Dr Mathias]

The mail on the Victrix Vikings blew my mind, it's crazy how good some of these plastic kits are nowadays.

I like the new additions, they'll fit right in. I wouldn't worry about the Saxon in the mix

[OSHIROmodels]

Chainmail looks fine to me but that metal figure is lovely, so suitably Hollywood 

[Breazer]

very cool new additions there!