As usual I’m always behind the curve when it comes to jumping on the “new game” in town bandwagon and I tend to let a game craze go on for a bit to see where it goes before making an investment / Commitment to it (keeps the lead pile smaller and the funds in the pocket)! So after resisting the draw of SAGA Dark Ages skirmish gaming I have finally succumbed to it, mainly one of the groups I game with, The Dogs of War in LA California is well into it and after a few games I was hooked despite my current philosophy of fewer periods and scales downsizing.
I decided to do two of the common army’s first Vikings and Normans. This way I would always be able to find an opponent and could also fight my armies against each other if my gaming opponent had no army. I was hooked on either the Gripping Beast Vikings or the Foundry ones, both being excellent, the GB a more “realistic” looking force, with the Foundry being a bit more over the top, but every sculpts a beauty! Well, hell there VIKINGS! They start over the TOP!!! FOUNDRY!!! For the Win! As my friend Tim D said, “Foundry? Are you kidding? A line that every figure is named! That’s a no brainer!" So off went an order to Foundry which happened to be having a SUPER sale and I got 20 packs for the price just over 10 normal packs! enough to do several 6-8 point Viking armies. I also must say that dealing and pricing from Foundry is back to the "old days" and customer service most excellent!
While I was waiting a trip near Brookhurst Hobbies had me spotting a Gripping Beast Norman army (4 points) and as I had “brush fever” and was dieing to paint some Dark Ages figures I was soon headed home with a bag full o Normans.
That was about 5 weeks ago and since work makes painting other than weekends impossible and the wife tries to interrupt the weekends I have taken a bit longer to get this project done. Here are a few of the finished but yet un-based Normans. Sorry the Photos were rushed. They of course look better in person. They also feature, hand made flags, pennants, all PAINTED by hand, All the Crossbows have had bowstrings and arrow bolts added, all the Shields are Hand painted, no transfers. The flags are in my usual style made from thin copper sheet.
I will re-post figures individually with bases done as I would like to compete for a membership in the “Medieval Painting Order” league.
Bill W







