Levies for SAGA. How should they be built?

[Gonzo100100]

I am kind of guy who likes painting more than playing the game or reading game rules so, I painted quite substantial number of figures first and just recently I finished reading SAGA rulebook and I am finishing Hail Caesar rulebook. I am completing some terrain features also and very soon, maybe in a week or two I will be able to play my first tabletop game (I am anticipating it, so I am excited). Anyway, I have a question about troop types.

In SAGA there are the warlord, hearthguards, warriors and levies.

I have painted Vikings and Late Saxons armies. I bought Warlord Games’ starter armies; I also have a selection of metal figures from different companies that look heavily armoured.
Until recently I thought that (in Saxon Army) my Saxon Ceorls are levies, Thegns are warriors and the heavily armoured Huscarls are hearthguards. Apparently, I was wrong because Ceorls (they are unarmoured but with a shield) are warriors and both Thegns and Huscarls are hearthguards.

Analogically in Hail Caesar there are heavy, medium and light infantry Thegns are heavies while Ceorls are medium infantry.

Now, my question is what plastic set would you recommend and how to build them so they could be distinguished as levies or light infantry?

Is it just to use same figures as Ceorls but without shields and with javelins in throwing positions?

I would like to avoid buying another Warlord Games plastic box because I already have them so, if possible, I would like to get more variety from other company.

So far, I was thinking that I could buy Germanic Warriors from VictriX and build the clothed guys with javelins or get GBP Dark Age Warriors and build them without shields. What do you think?

Finally, how do you distinguish hearthguards from warriors from levies or heavy infantry from medium infantry from light infantry?

[fred]

It’s a while since I built my Anglo Saxons for Saga, so I will try and remember what I did!

I based mine around the Gripping Beast set, so my warriors where in mail with spear and shield (these are probably too heavily armoured from an historical perspective, but I had the figures!). Hearthguard where either with double handed axe and mail, or sword, shield and mail. For levy I used a mix of figures, but ones without armour, with a mix of bow or javelin armed figures (and a few with hand weapons). Later I got the GB unarmoured troops box to make slingers, but this isn’t one of the better sets.

Is it just to use same figures as Ceorls but without shields and with javelins in throwing positions?

This is a good approach.

[Polkovnik]

Is it just to use same figures as Ceorls but without shields and with javelins in throwing positions?

Yes that would work. IIRC levies can generally be javelin, bow or sling armed. If you are building them with javelins then yes, no shields and maybe shorter spears with some in throwing poses.

Finally, how do you distinguish hearthguards from warriors from levies or heavy infantry from medium infantry from light infantry?

In my Saga armies (Viking, Saxon, Scots) Hearthguard have chainmail armour and shields (or sometimes no shield if armed with Dane axes), warriors have shields and mostly helmets, levy have no armour or maybe the odd helmet.

[Koyote]

In SAGA, a model’s armor is determined by the unit type and its weapons and equipment.

Warlords and Hearthguard are the best equipped troops (base armor 5/5).  They should be equipped with medium or heavy armor, helmet, and depending upon their weapon selection, a shield.

Both Warriors and Levy have a base armor of 4/4, which is often represented by models equipped with a shield and either no armor or light armor. 

Foot Levy or Warriors armed with bows, slings, or crossbows (armor 3/3) are typically depicted by models without a shield and no or light armor  If armed with javelins (3/4), no or light armor is also appropriate. The option of a buckler or small shield may also be appropriate, depending upon whether the culture represented by the faction made use of these shield types.

In general, the manufacturers of historical minis do their homework, as such, if you select a model from the proper period, rank, and culture, the weapons and armor will be properly paired.

With all that said, don’t get too hung up on this. Units composed of models wearing mixed armor types is perfectly acceptable, and depending upon the faction, may be a historically accurate depiction of Levy and poor Warriors each answering the call to arms in the best armor they can afford or scavenge.

[Ogrob]

Hearthguard have armour plus whatever equipment they are listed with. If they don't have dane axes they have shields.

Warriors and levy both are unarmoured. If they have javelins or hand weapons they have shields, if they have dane axes, bows, crossbows or slings they lack shields.

How then to tell apart warriors and levy? If your faction has different weapon options for levy and warriors you tell them apart by what weapon they have. If they have the same weapons, I do what Polovnik says: warriors get mostly helmeted heads, levy bare heads. You can also happily have the odd figure with armour among your warriors, it makes no difference. An armoured leader could help tell a unit of warriors apart from similar looking levies.

Your saxon ceorl models could be levy or warriors depending on your needs.

For viking levies, if you have the patience Victrix should have dark age archers and slinger released within the next year.

Edit: I think Koyote said it even better

[Charlie_]

If warriors and levies are both armed with spears and shields, perhaps the warriors should all have helmets and some / a few models with mail armour, whereas the levies have no mail armour, and some of them without helmets either?

[Byrthnoth]

I've been using paint to do most of the work in distinguishing between warriors and levy in Saga. Levy are painted in drab colours with typically single-colour shields, while warriors get a bit more colour in their clothing and slightly more elaborate shield designs (generally two colours). Where possible, levy are mostly helmet-less while helms are standard for the warriors.

My hearthguard get armour, fancier shield designs and often contrasting trim on their sleeves and tunics.

For what it's worth, Saga is a fairly abstract game and I tend to think of the different 'armour' values as representing the skill of the different fighters in defending themselves as much as the physical protection they're wearing/carrying. So a warrior and a levy might be carrying the same gear (eg. shield and helmet) but the warrior has a higher armour value because he has more experience in using it to protect himself from getting stabbed.

[Duncan McDane]

To put it simply, they are what we would call "draftees" these days. Poorly equipped and for most of them probably suffering from a complete lack of motivation. They'd rather tend their cattle or be busy on the fields, fixing their roofs or whatever than shoot a few arrows, lob some stones of toss the odd spear on behalf of the current overlord who probably is just the same complete youknowwhat as the overlord on the other side, should the latter end up victorious. At least, that's how I look at it, especially on smaller/local conflicts.
So, miniatureswise, look for poorly equipped models that look as if their presence has been forced at gunpoint. Paint them simply, like farmers, poachers, peasants and the odd servant, some might even field improvised weapons ( scyte, long wooden stick ), especially if the game has a raiding scenario. For the defenders of course, raiders would be much better equipped.

[Dr. Zombie]

I do the distinction with paint as well. I have a small aversion to bare heads. I think the absolute minimum of gear everyone needs to have before setting foot on any battlefield is a shield and some form of headgear. So almost all my minis have some form of hat or a helmet and a shield. The more warrior types have fancier painted shields and mostly helmets, whilst the levy have battered shields painted in a drab colour, a few helmets and hats.

I have had very good use out of the GB dark age warriors plastic set. While they are not the most exciting models they look good painted up and they are a good representation of "conscripted" warriors. I even use them for my medieval army. just give the a kettle helmeted head in stead. And they are good peasant infantry.

[mikedemana]

I try to do armored figures for hearthguard, unarmored but with larger shield for warriors, and unarmored skirmisher type for levy. I also make my hearthguard fancier with more patterns, decoration on the hem or cuffs, etc. The warriors get a single hem or cuff stripe, while the levy get faded, dull colors with no decoration.

Usually. 

Mike Demana
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/