Ran's Nordic Adventure

[Ran The Cid]

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


Sally 4th Viking Kickstarter.  Metal cast figures.  Each miniature is unique and covered in detail.  I like to think of these as "TV" vikings.






Let me know what you think of the unit bases.  Did they turn out?

[Ogrob]

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.

[Iain R]

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!

[Ran The Cid]

@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.

[Ran The Cid]

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.





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.

[Pattus Magnus]

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?

[fred]

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!

[Ran The Cid]

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.

[BillK]

Absolutely wonderful work!

[Neldoreth]

These are looking great!

Also, I really like the movement trays/unit bases. They work really well with the army.

[anevilgiraffe]

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.

[mikedemana]

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

[Ran The Cid]

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.

[Ran The Cid]

Next unit up.