Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: eilif on July 09, 2013, 06:41:51 PM

Title: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: eilif on July 09, 2013, 06:41:51 PM
Anybody have any pics of these two ranges for comparison?  Even better if they're positioned next to another companies minis.

Any other experiences with these figs are welcome.

I'm looking at both of these as affordable options for a Northern Barbarian/Chaos army for Kings of War.  From what I've seen so far, both seem to be nice looking ranges with foot and mounted troops available.  I know there are great plastic viking options also, but I'm rather taken with metal miniatures right now.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: redzed on July 09, 2013, 08:16:47 PM
Nordvolk are HUGE, bigger than everything else, they are MASSIVE, I have an army load all waiting to be painted up cos they are ace figures, but nothing matches them, the wizards in the range are even bigger 40-50mm in height, but It's fantasy so  it's fine. Excellent range of figures but won't mix with anything else.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: eilif on July 09, 2013, 08:21:13 PM
Thanks, that's good to know.

I like the look of them, but they will be mixed with other lines, so perhaps the OG vikings are the better choice at this point.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: LeadAsbestos on July 09, 2013, 08:23:48 PM
I bought a big pack of OG Vikings to fill out the ranks of a Foundry Viking army for WAB,  but they were such shit that I couldn't take a brush to a single one. :-[
Bad sculpts, weird awkward posing, bleh!
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: Prospero on July 09, 2013, 08:32:12 PM
I have several packages of the Nordvolk vikings and they are on the large size but I think work really well against other fantasy figures if you want your barbarians to be a head taller then "regular" human sized opponents. I think works rather well but means you can't mix in other lines.

My plan is to make a chaos maurader force for Warhammer out of them. Very characterful sculpts without a lot of over the top fantasy elements: kind of like how Victorians pictured the vikings.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: eilif on July 09, 2013, 08:41:34 PM
leadasbestos,
     Were these the OG vikings you had?  
(http://www.oldglory25s.com/images/DA-01.jpg)
These are the ones I was considering as well as the nordvolk.  Not amazing figs, but they look pretty good.

Prospero, I agree with you about the style of the nordvolk.  It's nice and un-skulled.  I don't want them to be a head taller than the rest of the humans, but if they were in their own unit it might not be so bad.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: OLeary on July 09, 2013, 08:43:28 PM
I like Gripping Beast Vikings and they mix well with Old Glory. They've recently released them in plastic and they are cheaper. The reviews I've read on the plastics is that they are very good. You get 44 figures for £ 20.00. You might want to look at their Jomsvikikings as they've got loads of character.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: LeadAsbestos on July 09, 2013, 11:17:57 PM
I think mine were unarmoured, but those are pretty bad too! ::)
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: eilif on July 10, 2013, 01:31:14 AM
Maybe I just like old-school minis, but I kind of like them. Probably nostalgia clouding my judgement. Not a good sign when you're only in your early 30's...
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: Spooktalker on July 11, 2013, 04:04:56 AM
Maybe I just like old-school minis, but I kind of like them. Probably nostalgia clouding my judgement. Not a good sign when you're only in your early 30's...

Are you suggesting old school = crude, or rather, crude implies old school? Neither is true at all, imo. There have been graceful, naturalistic, well sculpted figures since at least the dawn of fantasy figures, Meier, etc., and likewise when you have highly stylized figures, to a degree the WW vikings are stylized, say old Citadel, those have a grace of execution as well.

There have always been crude figures and there is no shortage of crude figures today. It doesn't make them old school. I don't see much old school at all in the West Wind line.

You could make axes, say, how stylized the figure is and how gracefully executed it is and I think if you pinned fantasy figures from throughout the ages to it you could find some trends but essentially there would be well known names from all periods all over the map.

Sorry, it seems you hit on a pet peeve of mine, don't mind me.  ;D
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: Neldoreth on July 11, 2013, 07:40:06 AM
I painted these figs back in the 2005 time frame... where did you find this picture? It must have been downloaded either before I started water marking my figs, or back when there was a web store using that photo, is that right? It's a blast from the past to see them again...

Thanks
n.

leadasbestos,
     Were these the OG vikings you had?  
(http://www.oldglory25s.com/images/DA-01.jpg)
These are the ones I was considering as well as the nordvolk.  Not amazing figs, but they look pretty good.

Prospero, I agree with you about the style of the nordvolk.  It's nice and un-skulled.  I don't want them to be a head taller than the rest of the humans, but if they were in their own unit it might not be so bad.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: Neldoreth on July 11, 2013, 07:50:55 AM
Honestly though, I can't recommend the Old glory vikings. Why you ask?

If you want Old Glory quality figures for a reasonable price, but for the price that they should really be worth, I'd suggest Wargames Factory ;)

But for top quality miniatures at a very reasonable price, I'd go for the Gripping Beast plastic Vikings and Dark Age Warriors. Here are some pics:

Mostly Gripping Beast, but some Wargames Factory thrown in as well:
(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/vikings/9_allSoFar.jpg)

Mostly Wargames Factory, the dead guy is Old Glory, and there are some Gripping Beast heads in there:
(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/vikings/11_bondiTroopsTogether2.jpg)

Thanks
n.

Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: janner on July 11, 2013, 07:57:11 AM
If you want Old Glory quality figures for a reasonable price, but for the price that they should really be worth, I'd suggest Wargames Factory ;)

 lol lol lol
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: redzed on July 11, 2013, 10:09:36 AM
Artizan also do a great range, I think Mike Owen also sculpted a load of the Foundry ones before setting up Artizan.

Westwind have  30% off  on their Arthurian range this month, most of which are very usable for the Viking age.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: redzed on July 11, 2013, 10:16:11 AM

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/vikings/11_bondiTroopsTogether2.jpg)
brilliant :-*

I know that it's for KIngs of War but have you ever considered Impetus? (120mm wide elements, would suit your 'diorama' style basing wonderfully)
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: white knight on July 11, 2013, 01:03:40 PM
I always heard it was Mark Sims from Crusader who worked on the Foundry ones (and who does some under the Crusader range too).

Personally, I love the Foundry range for fantasy vikings, they are perfect in that capacity.
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: Lowtardog on July 11, 2013, 04:44:05 PM
I always heard it was Mark Sims from Crusader who worked on the Foundry ones (and who does some under the Crusader range too).

Personally, I love the Foundry range for fantasy vikings, they are perfect in that capacity.

Yep Foundry, the later ones (not old citadel ones) are cracking for fantasy, had an army of them myself. The crusader ones fit in very nice with them too. May also be worth checking out the Renegade ones or maybe their saxons whihc arent too bad and plenty of bang for your buck.

GB plastic is also a good way to go.

Also recommend the Westwind stuff, I have theuir highland dwarves...big buggers but nice
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: redzed on July 11, 2013, 06:59:36 PM
.... and today sees the release of a new srange of Vikings from Shieldwall Miniatures.

Available from The Beast LINKY DINKY (http://www.grippingbeast.com/shop.php?CatID=2442)
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: eilif on July 11, 2013, 08:32:38 PM
Are you suggesting old school = crude, or rather, crude implies old school?
I just didn't think they were as crude as some. A bit chunky and not as detailed as modern figs, but not terrible. My standards are probably just lower than yours.  When I think of Crude I think of mashed faces, 90's Enigma minis, Custom Cast and that sort of thing.

I painted these figs back in the 2005 time frame... where did you find this picture? ...
... back when there was a web store using that photo, is that right?

Yeah, it's from the old glory 25's website
http://www.oldglory25s.com/view_product.php?product=DA-01
Glad to bring back some memories!

   You're pics and experience are pretty convincing.  I like the look of the gripping beast plastic vikings.
The problem is that I'm on something of a lead kick while on a plastic budget.   I've seen alot of great metal vikings, but I'm trying to get metal figs for around a buck each.

I recently picked up a large Essex lot for use in my good human KoW army. Maybe the leftovers will provide some trade bait for nicer metal figs.

Edited on 7/15. I accidentally wrote Eureka instead of Enigma. Oops!
Title: Re: Nordvolk vs Old Glory VIkings
Post by: Neldoreth on July 15, 2013, 08:43:27 PM
brilliant :-*

I know that it's for KIngs of War but have you ever considered Impetus? (120mm wide elements, would suit your 'diorama' style basing wonderfully)

Thanks for the feedback guys. I've considered Impetvs, but not really into it... Nobody around here plays it, it's hard to find the rules, and I really like the KoW rule set... Maybe one day!

Thanks
n.