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Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: DonVoss on May 03, 2012, 10:17:16 AM

Title: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 03, 2012, 10:17:16 AM
I collected some dark age miniatures over the years, but was not sure what to rules to play.
WAB semmed boring to me, DBA all blades seem not too much fun either.
So the miniatures layed in the leadpile for some time, till the SAGA-thing came along... :)

So I painted some of the stuff, to get into it. And here is the first impression of it:

A good friend came over with his vikings and we builded a welsh warband of my miniatures.
Before the game started the witches cursed my dice: never rolled up something usefull... o_o

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/sg3.jpg)

Here you can see, the peacefull village...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/sg1.jpg)

Marketday is on its way and the first villagers are on their feet.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/sg2.jpg)

But in the center of the village a duell is on its way: the mighty Mog un Mog, leader of the welsh, is going to fight a nameless viking jarl. The better warlord will win the day (each warlord starts with fantastic 12 livepoints, who has more lifepoints at the end of round 7, is the winner).

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/sg4.jpg)

But the viking traitor did not came alone, he brought his whole raiding party with him. Good for Mog und Mog he was not so foolish, to come to the duell alone... lol

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/sg5.jpg)

So the fight was on its way. Brawling and fighting till turn 7.
Congrats to my partner, who won 7:4. Not too bad for the welsh, who are not the best close combat fighters...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/sg6.jpg)

Liked the rules in the first impression.
A few nice mechanics and fun to play. Perhaps a little expensive for a softback... :?

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: tomek917 on May 03, 2012, 10:20:06 AM
Nice terrain and miniatures! Thanks for sharing!

I've only played SAGA a few times but really like the rules, they give a really nice flow to your battles.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: aircav on May 03, 2012, 10:43:56 AM
Fantastic Stuff  :-* :-*

I know what you mean about the price of Saga

Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 03, 2012, 11:01:32 AM
Thanx, glad you like it... ;)

btw, here are few pics of my dark age collection.

My vikings. All foundry with a few additions from other companys. Get them at a very reasonable price...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Vik1.jpg)

And my civillians and a few animals. Mainly gripping beast.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Civ1.jpg)

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Poiter50 on May 03, 2012, 11:21:51 AM
Then you will like Too Fat Lardies Dux Britanarium when it comes out (June of July this year).  ;)

Nice table.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Paul on May 03, 2012, 01:45:04 PM
Lovely stuff. great set up.. :-*
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Little Odo on May 03, 2012, 08:53:06 PM
Wonderful gaming table and figures.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: cram on May 03, 2012, 10:33:04 PM
I as yet have'nt looked into the Saga rules. I have a collection of Dark Age figures which I'm adding to all the time, but no where near big enough to make an army out of yet.  I could do with a set of rules for this period that works well for smallish skirmishes, lets say a dozen men defending a village from a slightly larger Viking raiding party, that sort of size. would Saga work for this?
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 03, 2012, 11:57:09 PM
With that small numbers I would go for Songs of Blades and Heroes... ;)

SAGA is for slightly bigger forces:
Small games are 4pts giving you a warlord (free) and 4 units. The smallest size a unit can have is 4 men, so you need at least 17 men.
But the 4-men-units are elite and other units are a bigger (8-12). So I would go for 2 small units and two medium sized, for 25 miniatures (including the warlord) in total.

DV... :)
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: War In 15MM on May 04, 2012, 03:27:31 AM
Good looking stuff.  Really enjoyed the pics.  Thanks.  Richard
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: cram on May 04, 2012, 09:41:57 AM
Thanks for the feedback DV.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Colonel Tubby on May 04, 2012, 03:55:20 PM
That's a really nice collection of figures & terrain.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Marine0846 on May 04, 2012, 04:20:33 PM
You have a really great collection of figures.
Enjoyed the game report.
Excellent terrain.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 05, 2012, 02:39:28 AM
Played two games of SAGA today... :D
First an introductory game for a friend.
I had streamlined the battleboard with just 6 abilities for each faction. So my friend could get familiar with the rules...

Anglo Danes vs. Vikings.

I decided to use the challenge-scenario and shorten it: just a warlord with 6 hitpoints and two hearthguard for each player.
The story behind it would be: two warlords trying to negotiate an alliance. They meet in the great hall with their bodyguard drinking and eating. But all too soon they find out that they hate each other to the death, and that the only solution is destruction... :D

Here you can see, the starting of the clash...
Warlords in the middle between the two tables.

The board measures 40x50cm.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/gih1.jpg)

All danes are LotR-Dunelanders on GW-bases and the vikings are from foundry.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/gih2.jpg)

In the first two rounds I tryed to inflict some damage on the viking warlord, but all hits where repelled... >:(

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/gih3.jpg)

Then the viking lord would fight back. Slaughtering all my bodyguards and finally my warlord in a very viking-like style... :o

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/gih4.jpg)

Here you can see my dane-lord all alone.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/gih5.jpg)

And here he gets its final bashing, getting him to zero hitpoits; the viking lord stayed at 4 hp.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/gih6.jpg)

The game was great fun.
Due to lots of fantastic redvine I wasn't able to shoot more pics... lol

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: aggro84 on May 05, 2012, 05:32:50 AM
What a fantastic project!  :o

I love it all!  :-*

Wonderful miniatures and scenery! I love the mead hall.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: dodge on May 05, 2012, 07:33:01 AM
very very cool,

mix of figures there works well  :-*
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Laughing Ferret on May 05, 2012, 07:53:27 AM
Great minis & terrain.  Very inspiring!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: cram on May 05, 2012, 10:57:07 AM
Great stuff! Thats a fantastic looking collection you have there too!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 09, 2012, 09:13:19 PM
Finished a few norman riders for the next SAGA-games.
So far I have 8 sergants and a warlord (different base).

The shields are handpainted...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Normans1.jpg)

Need 4 more knights, the rest will be foot troops...

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 10, 2012, 12:59:41 PM
A small update: my knights.
4 models with 8 attacks can't be too bad... :D

Plus one sergant, who I forgot to picture yesterday...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Normans2.jpg)

Next are the foot warriors.

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Dalauppror on May 10, 2012, 06:42:14 PM
Looking realy good !!!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: dodge on May 11, 2012, 07:21:20 AM
Those look fantastic, love the shields, I could never hope to achieve that lovely worn and battered look,

looking forward to more

dodge
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Slayer on May 11, 2012, 07:27:29 AM
wow great figs, great tables. following this with interest
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 11, 2012, 11:19:24 AM
Thanx, for your comments... :)

Todays update is a little riddle: whats the original miniature, wich I took as the basis for my new warlord?

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/BritWarlord.jpg)

Don't know yet, for what faction I will use it.
May be for my Welsh, but I think one needs a unit of warriors on horses, to protect the warlord... :)

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: dodge on May 12, 2012, 09:52:53 AM
haven't a clue but it looks very good, did you do a lot of conversion work on it, pose looks a little like the warlord fig of gustavus adolphus but you would have needed to do lots on it.

good work though

dodge
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 17, 2012, 03:07:02 PM
A small update for my DarkAges...
This time not more troops, but a new transpotable gaming "board".
Its maily for the SAGA-scenario, where you fight for two river crossings. In this case not bridges but small ice fields...

Made mainly of plastccard and a fleece blancet.
Not the high standard you see normaly here on the LAF, but light weight and easy transpotable... :D

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/GM2.jpg)

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/GM1.jpg)

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/GM3.jpg)

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Little Odo on May 17, 2012, 04:24:31 PM
Nice. It could also be used for an early Narnia scenario; before the snow queen has been defeated.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: aggro84 on May 17, 2012, 11:08:01 PM
Really nice snow board!  :-*

I love snow boards.  :D
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Dr DeAth on May 18, 2012, 12:16:46 PM
Brilliant stuff!

Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: CyberAlien312 on May 18, 2012, 01:00:49 PM
Great! I really love that terrain, incredible detail! I also like the minis!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Minohtar on May 18, 2012, 01:25:31 PM
Ha!  Gandalf on Shadowfax - brilliant stuff.  :-*
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: verd on May 18, 2012, 05:49:45 PM
Great job on those figures, and excellent photos! Keep it up!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: 14th brooklyn on May 20, 2012, 10:19:44 AM
Lovely stuff!

Not sure if I missed it in the text... Which company are your mounted troops from?

Cheers,

Burkhard
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 23, 2012, 09:48:42 PM
Quote
Gandalf on Shadowfax

We have a winner... :D

@brooklyn
The normans are from conquest miniatures (palstic).

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: 14th brooklyn on May 24, 2012, 02:17:13 PM
@brooklyn
The normans are from conquest miniatures (palstic).

Cheers,
DV

Great... I was hoping you would say so! I plan to use these for my Normans!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 24, 2012, 02:27:31 PM
The miniatures look good, but I can't fully recommend them as the lances are way too weak.
Some of them broke up during painting, some on transport. I had to exchange them for handwepons.
But perhaps you are more carefull then me... :D

Another drawback are the teardrop shields. They miss the buckle in the middle. I had painted it, but it was a lot of work... o_o

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: 14th brooklyn on May 24, 2012, 02:41:09 PM
Good to know. I would probably replace the lances with metal / brass ones anyway. But the shields might be a letdown. So I might have to take a look at them in the flesh before I buy them after all!

THX,

Burkhard
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 24, 2012, 04:56:34 PM
The replacement of the lances will be a fiddly job as the lances are cast in the hands (no open hands). So you have to do a very skilled drilljob  on those tiny hands: good luck... ;)

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: 14th brooklyn on May 24, 2012, 05:12:03 PM
OK.... I really need to see the, in the flesh then!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 28, 2012, 01:01:51 PM
Started a new faction for SAGA: anlgo-saxons. Since they funtion by numbers I opted for a plasticarmy (Gripping Beast, Saxons Thegns).
The miniatures are okay to me, though they are a bit on the small side.

Shields are handpainted, you dont get any shieldtransfers in the box. The shields are in different colours for easier separation of units.
So far are 3 warriors untis done (minus 2 miniatures). 3 units to go plus the warlord... :)

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/st1.jpg)

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: 14th brooklyn on May 28, 2012, 03:17:24 PM
Lovely!!!

Especially like the green dragon!

Seeing them, I would almost like to start an Anglo-Saxon Warband, but I think they are too similar to my Vikings. So the next one will be Normans.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on May 28, 2012, 07:05:23 PM
Thanx, Brooklyn... :)

Did the Warlord and a fourth warrior unit this afternoon.
Still 2 to go... :D

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/st2.jpg)

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Ray Rivers on May 28, 2012, 07:07:16 PM
 :-*

That is a fine group of warriors you got there, mate!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Figouze on May 29, 2012, 06:03:12 AM
Great job and it is a good idea for the colour of the shields...
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: James Morris on May 29, 2012, 06:54:10 AM
Thank you for posting all these, I really have enjoyed looking at your (growing) collection.  Especially like the great hall model, though it hard to focus on it against that tablecloth!  :)  Very inventive use of the Gandalf model, I am enjoying the conversions too.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: dodge on May 29, 2012, 07:23:01 AM
great stuff , i really like your shields and painted freehand too!
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 03, 2012, 08:41:10 AM
A small update for the anglo-saxons: my levies with bow. Shortend the bows of this old plastic-bretonians from GW. Perhaps not the right era, but the miniatures were lying in the plastic-pile.
Pretty WIP at the moment, but you get the direction... ;)

So far the whole army is made of plastic, pretty good for transpotation.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/Bow.jpg)

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 03, 2012, 09:16:11 PM
Small double post. Finished some fatigue markers for my saxons today.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Marker.jpg)

Perhaps I need some more, but in my first SAGA-games we used them quite often. So there seems no need for more the 7 for a 4pt-game...

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 04, 2012, 09:50:48 PM
Quote
In my dreams I imagine I could do something half as good as this.

Seeing your fantastic bronze age temple, this is a wounderfull piece of understatement... lol lol lol

Thanx, anyway... ;)

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 08, 2012, 02:15:45 PM
To meet my SAGA-gaming appointment with lt. hazel and his fantastic germans I will try to build a late roman force over the next 2 weeks.
Not realy Dark Ages, but its quite near to me...

All foundry. Starting with the first 6 levies with bow...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans1.jpg)

All in all Ill try to get 4 points together...

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 11, 2012, 07:06:37 PM
More late romans, the start of my first warrior-unit...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans2.jpg)

Shields are freehands...

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: CyberAlien312 on June 11, 2012, 07:55:03 PM
More late romans, the start of my first warrior-unit...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans2.jpg)

Shields are freehands...

Cheers,
DV

Nice, I love the shields. Aren't those from the period of Emperor Constantine? Because I watched a film about Constantine earlier this year, and in the film he wanted his men to bear that mark, I think it was supposed to be something religious.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 12, 2012, 07:04:52 PM
@Alien
To be true, I stolen the shield-design from the internet... lol
Thought it would be something late roman...

Okay, here are the first warrior unit and the levies.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans3.jpg)

Next are the 2nd warrior unit and the hearthguard...

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: dodge on June 13, 2012, 06:10:24 AM
Like those DV, yoyr shields continue to amaze
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: redzed on June 13, 2012, 11:41:23 AM


(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/Bow.jpg)

Cheers,
DV
I really like the colourings used on these :-*
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 14, 2012, 11:03:02 AM
Thanx, gents.
 
Here is the next warrior unit or at least the start of it. Will make up of 8.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans4.jpg)

Shields are in different colours to the first unit for easier differentiation of units.

Next are the hearthgurad... :)

DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Figouze on June 14, 2012, 11:47:11 AM
I like your shields too and the picture...

I don't have yet managed to fit this picture like you :
http://peinturefigurine.free.fr/upload/2012/06/09/20120609141701-43a0c4e5.jpg (http://peinturefigurine.free.fr/upload/2012/06/09/20120609141701-43a0c4e5.jpg)



Is it Westwind productions miniatures or Artizan Design ones ?
You will play those with Welsh, anglo-danes battlegrounds ?

Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 15, 2012, 04:06:54 PM
@Figouze
All foundry. A bit static perhaps, but I really liek them: full of character.

Tried a bit on the shield design for my hearthguard...

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans5.jpg)

Should have painted the bodies first... o_o

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: CyberAlien312 on June 15, 2012, 04:47:54 PM
Nice, I love those shield paintings.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Captain Blood on June 15, 2012, 05:59:04 PM
Great shields  :-*
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: dodge on June 17, 2012, 08:06:29 AM
Your just taking the whatsname now with that last set of shield designs

excellent all round,

I really like what you are doing, inspirational

dodge
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 25, 2012, 10:13:38 AM
Thanx, for your nice comments... :)

Nearly finished my SAGA-late romans last night.

(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad126/DonVoss_photos/DarkAges/Romans6.jpg)

On the left are the missing warriors and on the right are is the hearthguard (with iconic shileds).

The warlord is still missing... ;)

Cheers,
DV
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: CyberAlien312 on June 25, 2012, 10:31:17 AM
They look fantastic.  :-*
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: Dalauppror on June 25, 2012, 11:24:46 AM
Stunning Romans !

Love the shields

Best regards Michael
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: nervisfr on June 03, 2015, 08:49:52 AM


More i see you work , more i hate you...... lol lol lol

Fantastic job.
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: v_lazy_dragon on June 03, 2015, 10:47:50 AM
Lovely work on those late romans :)
Title: Re: Don's Dark Ages
Post by: DonVoss on June 03, 2015, 03:21:23 PM
Thanx you necromancers.....;)

DV