Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Ran The Cid on October 11, 2024, 06:56:13 PM
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Some how, there have been four Viking themed Kickstarters in 2023/2024. And once I bought in, I thought I may as well just collect them all. Combined with a few bags of Victrix, some Gripping Beast and a few other odds and ends, I how have a considerable Dark Ages/Nordic project on my hands.
Step 1 - basing figures. Sculpts just keep getting bigger. The 20mm square base is getting harder and harder to use with modern sculpts. For this project, I've decided to use 25mm rounds (which is quite a departure for me).
Step 2 - basing units. My existing army projects are (mostly) all on steel trays with individual magnetized. For this project, I've taken inspiration from James Morris aka Mogsly Makes and created scenic unit trays. But rather than magnets, I've elected to use poster putty. This stuff sticks better than the magnetic tape I regularly use, and allows for figures to be on top of the ground work.
Step 3 - what games? The round bases with attached unit bases allows for a lot of flexibility. Saga is an option if I remove the figures from the unit tray. Midgard is top of mind (looking forward to mixing in a few giants and dragons). And the trays are sized to match my existing Hail Caesar units.
First up: Victrix Huscarls
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pxl_20240920_144801153.mp_-e1726859191308.jpg)
Sally 4th Viking Kickstarter. Metal cast figures. Each miniature is unique and covered in detail. I like to think of these as "TV" vikings.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/pxl_20241009_192425455-e1728504576657.jpg)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pxl_20240920_144955280-e1728504767553.jpg)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pxl_20240920_145031074-e1728504827690.jpg)
Let me know what you think of the unit bases. Did they turn out?
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Lovely, the bases look great! Personally, I love SAGA and would recommend it, but it is very much a game and not a historical recreation. Great fun though.
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Looking good to me!
My Footsore Viking KS pledge is alledgedly arriving today (I normally avoid KS like the plague, but I'm a sucker for Matt Bickley sculpts...)
While I definitely agree we are seeing modern sculpts get a bit bigger, I think posing's also got a lot to do with it. When I first got back into gaming, my medieval poison was the Claymore Otterburn range, excellent Paul Hicks sculpts which fit neatly onto 20mm squares (which, coming from a WFB background, seemed the natural basing solution for me, expecting all medieval gaming to be of similar rank 'n' flank character). However, as the fashion for more skirmish orientated games has increased in recent years, I think there's been an appetite for more dramatically posed figures, that lend themselves more as individuals, rather than somewhat staid "semi-clones" standing upright or "advancing slightly" to suit closely packed rank 'n' flank formations, and sculptors are understandably working towards this (look at the dynamism in pretty much any Bickley medieval sculpt over anything from say 20 years ago).
In additon to fitting the actual size of the figure better, I think rounds look better for individually-based figures in loose, skirmish formations anyway. You can still rank 'em up by putting them in a tray if you need to use them for other systems if need be.
As far as rules systems go, I love Lion Rampant, and definitely think it's the best medieval large skirmish set out there. Tje trick is remembering what it's designed to do; a lot of people moan they don't like it because it doesn't represent the way certain formations/troop types fought, but it's meant to be representing small scale raids, thievery and vandalism, not somewhere where full pike blocks would be advancing across the table, or massed archery duels would be taking place. While v.2 has introduced rules to allow players to play bigger battles and rank 'n' flank formations, I think it's strength lies in playing it as it was intended.... so perfect for Vikings then!
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@Iain - I now have all 4 KS on the hobby table and I'm very glad to have gone with 25mm rounds. The Footsore Vikings are both large and dynamically posed. The biggest surprise are the Ragnarok - largest of the 4 sets. The first 2 Medbury units are painting in progress - smallest of the 4 sets (being half a head shorter than Ragnarok) but they have just the right amount of detail. I'll reserve judgement until I've painted figures from all of the set, but Medbury is in the lead as my favorite.
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Two units from Medbury. #1 is a mix of Dane Axe and Armored Warrior. #2 is Unarmored Spearmen.
These figures are originally 3D sculpts intended for STL distribution, I don’t know why, but Medbury chose to release this set as metal cast miniatures. And I’m glad they did. They are a joy to paint, the detail is clean, the sculpting is realistic, and there is no terrible flatness that often comes from 3D sculpting. The figures are the smallest of the four Viking kickstarters – not a deal breaker, but noticeable in mixed units. If I were to complain at all, it would be the over abundance of armor for figures from 550-750 AD, but that’s more the fault of the wargamer than the company creating the figures.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/pxl_20241115_143149704-e1731682366909.jpg?w=768&h=446)
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Command bases – a single figure on a 60mm base is a bit lonely. I may move the horn and banner out of unit one to join them.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/pxl_20241115_143243280-e1731682241475.jpg)
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The final result certainly works, they look great! Based on the poses and kit, they look like they might blend well with Gripping Beast’s old metal Vikings. Do you think the size would be compatible?
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Those Medbury (new manufacturer to me) figures are very nice.
What is interesting is that if they where STLs then your two ‘complaints’ would go away, as you could up scale the figures slightly, and print what ever ratio of armoured to unarmoured figures is period appropriate. But they then wouldn’t be metal figures!
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The final result certainly works, they look great! Based on the poses and kit, they look like they might blend well with Gripping Beast’s old metal Vikings. Do you think the size would be compatible?
The Medbury figures are slightly smaller than the Viking archers currently being sold for Saga. But slightly larger than German Tribes spearmen. Gripping Beast is weird, just a mishmosh of figure sizes.
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Absolutely wonderful work!
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These are looking great!
Also, I really like the movement trays/unit bases. They work really well with the army.
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Those Medbury (new manufacturer to me) figures are very nice.
I've some Medbury medieval billmen, beautiful minis and match lovely with some Claymore Castings figures I've got.
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I agree one fig for a command stand looks unsatisfying. I tend to include a standard bearer and either musician or pet dog. Look MUCH better, IMO.
Mike Demana
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I agree one fig for a command stand looks unsatisfying. I tend to include a standard bearer and either musician or pet dog. Look MUCH better, IMO.
I've found Garrison Miniatures on US Ebay selling metal casts of the Medbury figures. It's given me an opportunity to fill a few holes in units, and move the horn/banner figures onto the command bases.
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Next unit up.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pxl_20241215_183713158-e1734703433660.jpg)
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The King Victorious!
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pxl_20250301_153008700-e1740843454962.jpg)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pxl_20250301_153016762-e1740843504170.jpg)
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Well done! I especially like the vignette of the king. It’s tempting to put something similar to use in photos at the end of each game, when my opponent is lamenting his fate.
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Three units of Vikings by Ragnarok. These figures are large (the same height/build as Victrix) with clean & minimal detail. I’d like to think the sculpting is historically accurate: simple tunics, belt knives/pouches, unadorned mail shirts, & lots of spears. At the same time, the figures are far from cookie cutter, each unit has a variety of poses, faces and hair styles.
This group of units is built from the Danish ‘Finngaill’ warband with a few extra figures from the Einherjar Valhalla Hero set (with one more unit still on the painting table). Heroes are set up for Midgard, with a pair of characters on a base as a level 2, and a solo figure as a level 1. Movement trays have plaster barrel/bags added as detail.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pxl_20250331_214851714-e1743515811248.jpg?w=1024&h=350)
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(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pxl_20250331_214621998.mp_-e1743516022978.jpg?w=1024&h=423)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pxl_20250331_214525845-e1743516114652.jpg?w=1024&h=370)
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Fourth unit for the Ragnarok Danish ‘Finngaill’ warband. I really like the old, bald man on the right hand side for some reason 🙂
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pxl_20250511_182906395.mp_-e1747683923331.jpg)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pxl_20250511_182929222-e1747683976979.jpg)
A unit of Footsore Vikings from the 2024 Kickstarter. These figures are very animated with tons of added detail. I suggest using these miniatures as skirmishers, or well spaced on a movement tray. Each figure is dripping with hides, cloaks, weapons and beards. Sometimes its hard to distinguish one bit from the next. The miniatures are slightly shorter than Victrix, but its hard to tell will all the leaping and crouching.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pxl_20250511_182748867-e1747683797256.jpg)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pxl_20250511_182809367-e1747683851143.jpg)
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Very nice composition of troops, nice paint job too! The older I get the more I can identify with the bald units lol
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Great work 8)
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Nice work on a great set of figures.
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Nice work! Love how much variation you've achieved between them while sticking to the same palette- looks great.
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thanks for the comments everyone.
Nice work! Love how much variation you've achieved between them while sticking to the same palette- looks great.
I have about a dozen colors that I rotate through. The highlights for some of the figures are wet blended. But often times I lose track of what color the base was, and so the highlight becomes a bit of a random choice!
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This group of Victrix Normans was a bit of an experiment. Figures were spray primed with a very dark brown, non-armor pieces were dry brushed with taupe. Its an old practice that has become popular again. But, I found it more difficult to work with than my standard caramel brown. Little bits of white would show at the joints, or the white would show through a base layer.
Banner is LBMS. The decal is attached to heavy weight craft paper, then folded and glued. An X-Acto tool was placed under the flag while it dried to create a bend/motion in the banner.
I made a change to the character base. I’ve had lots of trouble trying to get 3 figures to stand up correctly. The cause was the depth of the sand on the base. Solution was to trace out 3 circles and keep the basing material outside of the circles.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250615_194812281-e1750166447668.jpg?w=620&h=249)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250615_194825119-e1750181465644.jpg?w=620&h=376)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250615_194920071.mp_-e1750166521612.jpg)
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Next group of Footsore Vikings.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250627_203257762-e1751303907793.jpg?w=1024&h=372)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250627_203313109-e1751303956180.jpg?w=1024&h=535)
Berserkers and Command Group
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250627_203340666-e1751304000449.jpg?w=1024&h=493)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pxl_20250627_203413796-e1751304052776.jpg)
If you would like more info on how I paint my Vikings, see the Walk Through on my blog: https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/2025/07/02/viking-paint-walk-through/
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Very nicely done all of it! The Ragnarok minis look like a nice update compared to the old Gripping Beast metals. The Footsore stuff, as much as I like Bickley's sculpts, I can imagine all those details take a long time to paint.
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The Footsore stuff, as much as I like Bickley's sculpts, I can imagine all those details take a long time to paint.
The Footsore sculpts are very dynamic, but covered in so much stuff. Many times I've stared at the model, trying to figure out just what that thing is - fur, beard, pouch, necklace, ...
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If you don’t know what something is, just paint it brown and carry on with the model. Brown won’t attract attention, and for ancients and medieval period figures there’s a better than even chance it’s actually supposed to be brown! ;) And if you figure out later, or some button counter informs you, how the item should be painted then most colours cover well over brown.
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@Ran the Cid - Thanks for turning me onto this thread. It answers a lot of questions I had about the different brand of miniatures!!
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This should be the last of the Footsore and Medbury units – aside from a pack or two left in the lead pile.
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pxl_20250805_233320668-e1754577137704.jpg?w=1024&h=410)
(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pxl_20250805_233246415-e1754577103853.jpg?w=1024&h=386)
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(https://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pxl_20250805_233353978-e1754577212224.jpg)
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Very nice. The cavalry have turned out particularly well.
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Viking Archers from Gripping Beast
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Lovely work, really like them!
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Looking good.