Thinking about painting up some Vikings...

[Darkoath]

I have been thinking about painting up some Vikings... but don't really know about the
period or the figures available.

What I have found thus far...

Crusader
Old Glory
Foundry
Gripping Beast

Any other manufacturerers that are must haves?

What do you all think of these figures?

Also any recommended reading?  I need to know how to organize units etc.
I believe thralls to be slaves?  Bondi to be bonded armsmen?  And Huscarls to be
household men of nobles or chieftans?  Perhaps minor nobles?

Also who makes a good viking ship?  And who makes the best shield transfers?
And who makes nice banners?

Sorry for the long post but perhaps others might be interested in this information too?

And if anyone wants to put up nice pictures of their painted vikings in this thread that would be great too...
especially if you post what you used in the pictures... manufacturerer of the figures, transfers, banners etc.

Thank you!

[Hammers]

I am sure you'd like to take a peek at Artizan to.

As for reading I suggest the novel: "the Longships" which I on my top ten list all categories. I think they made a botched Hollywood film of it with Kirk Douglas ( no surprise there).

[white knight]

It's in need of an update (infact I've started one, but haven't had time to finish it yet), but the Norse Showcase is still a good start to check out ranges.

http://frothersunite.com//files/wk/sc/norse/norse1/norse1.html

[pnweerar]

The company that shall not be named has certain 25mm norse looking chaps, 24 for $25, in their LoTR section...

[Driscoles]

Hi,

I have lots of Foundry Vikings. I like thema lot. The older FOundry Vikings are a bit smaller.

Books:
The Ospreys about Vikings for entering the topic.

Frans G Bengtsson : Röde Orm
The movie The Long ships based on that book.

Bernhard Cornwell
The Last Kingdom and all following books
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Kingdom

Björn

[Gluteus Maximus]

Hi,

I have lots of Foundry Vikings. I like thema lot. The older FOundry Vikings are a bit smaller.

Books:
The Ospreys about Vikings for entering the topic.

Frans G Bengtsson : Röde Orm
The movie The Long ships based on that book.

Bernhard Cornwell
The Last Kingdom and all following books
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Kingdom

Björn

I've got Foundry, Gripping Beast and Artizan and, IMO, they all work well together. Some variation in size looks good for warbands and none of it is too extreme. I haven't got any Crusader Vikings, but their other stuff is great and fits in well with Foundry etc.
One word of caution with Foundry - the shields have been cast so thick they look like they are made of railroad sleepers      
I'd recommend buying separate shields and replacing them - I wish I had done so!

WAB "Shieldwall" supplement is a good introductory source of Viking background info [also their most common foes]. It will give you all the organization, troop types and weapons info you'll need. Also typical colours and styles of clothing etc.

Definitely Little Big Man for the shield transfers! He makes them to specifically fit Foundry and GB shield sizes, but they work well with Artizan etc too. Veni Vidi Vici are also very good, if more "basic" in design and well worth mixing in with LBM.

Banners -  also LBM. They are simply superb! 

[Westfalia Chris]

I am sure you'd like to take a peek at Artizan to.

As for reading I suggest the novel: "the Longships" which I on my top ten list all categories. I think they made a botched Hollywood film of it with Kirk Douglas ( no surprise there).

Botched because of Hollywood or because of Kirk Douglas? Now be really careful about your answer, Norseman!

If you are talking about the flick "The Vikings", that one is a... hrmmm... piece for connoisseurs, methinks, so we agree on the Hollywood thing.

[archangel1]

As for reading I suggest the novel: "the Longships" which I on my top ten list all categories. I think they made a botched Hollywood film of it with Kirk Douglas ( no surprise there).

Wrong movie, actually.  Kirk Douglas starred in 'The Vikings', along with Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine, Janet Leigh and that great old character actor, Frank Thring.  'The Long Ships' starred Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, Russ Tamblyn, Oskar Homolka and a 'who's who' of favourite British character actors - Edward Judd, Lionel Jeffries, Gordon Jackson, Colin Blakely, David Lodge...
I quite enjoyed both of them, although Tony Curtis as a Viking was stretching it a bit! Sort of in the same class as Alan Ladd as 'The Black Knight'!

[aecurtis]

I received a most generous selection of Viking and Norse god samples from Bronze Age Miniatures on Friday, and went down to the "local" (two and a half hours each way...) show on Sunday to talk with David about future ranges, because I was very impressed with them.

http://www.bronzeagemin.com/miniatures_html/25MM/historical/Vikings/vikings28mm.htm

http://www.bronzeagemin.com/miniatures_html/25MM/FANTASY/Gods/GODS.htm

The Vikings run from a tall 28mm up to 32mm; the gods up to 37mm (being godly, you see).  But the proportions are nice, and the artifacts well researched.  The Vikings marked "New" are the ones I have in hand.

I like them a lot, and after painting up the lot will post pics here--once I figure out how...

Allen