A Song of Ice and Fire in 25mm

[Dilettante Gamer]

That's mostly infantry units of 12 figures per House comprising;
1 Captain
1 Standard bearer
2 MAA
2 spearmen or pikemen
4 archers
2 crossbowmen or in the case of the Northern Houses, 2 additional archers.

In addition mounted units comprising at least 1 captain, 1 banner bearer and 1 MAA. Thus an average faction combining 6 Houses would also field at least 1 unit of 6 cavalry, and ultimately 3. Though whether I will ever achieve 18 cavalry per faction is a moot point.

As I come back to my on GoT project, I'm really rethinking my approach to making retinues all primary house.  Although I would like the major house to have predominant numbers in any unit, particularly the elites. e.g. 3 models in a Stark unit of MAA or Mounted MAA unit are in the colors/arms of that house - So the captain, the banner bearer and one other model.  Then one each from Mormont, Umber, Glover.  In a unit of 12, maybe 4 Starks and then 2 models for each of the sworn houses. This would certainly approximate the medieval "Lance". 

[Captain Blood]

That is a tempting way to do it...
Must admit, having painted about 50 Starks, they can get a bit boring! 

[arget8]

As I come back to my on GoT project, I'm really rethinking my approach to making retinues all primary house.  Although I would like the major house to have predominant numbers in any unit, particularly the elites. e.g. 3 models in a Stark unit of MAA or Mounted MAA unit are in the colors/arms of that house - So the captain, the banner bearer and one other model.  Then one each from Mormont, Umber, Glover.  In a unit of 12, maybe 4 Starks and then 2 models for each of the sworn houses. This would certainly approximate the medieval "Lance". 

That's about what I've gone for. The Freys have 3 sworn houses, so they split it equally with half Freys and half sworn houses. The Boltons only have two, so things will be a little different with them.

[sukhe_bator]

I think I will be aiming for 2 mounted figures per House initially, which will achieve 12 cavalry in 2 x 6 figure units for any given faction.
I'm also planning to have a mounted herald or two. In the case of the Lannisters, it will be my take on Josmyn Peckledon. In AFFC and ADWD he squires for Jaime and carries the rainbow peace banner of the seven stars. He will have his own arms on a heater shield (10 purple mullets on a yellow field), and ride a barded horse quartered with the Baratheon/Lannister arms - altogether a colourful figure I am quite looking forward to painting up.

[tomrommel1]

Thats the approach I do as well. I painted a few great house units ( Stark and Lannister) and will let them grow by adding lesser houses ( Glover, Brax etc)

[sukhe_bator]

The 6 Battlemasters knights are coming along nicely, and I've nearly finished the outline colours and heraldry. I'll post a couple of wip shots when I'm satisfied they will bear scrutiny. Emboldened by how well they appear to be evolving, I raided my bits box again over the weekend and reckon I can field another unit of 6 Battlemasters/GW barded knights mashups...
I've checked the Wiki but apart from one or two extras the heraldry for the other Vale knights are mostly purely semi-canon confections based on vague and tentative references.
I can however add House Waynwood, 'deep green, a broken wheel' (AFFC, p.377) [in the wiki the wheel is black, but I may make it dark brown]
House Royce, Bronze Royce, Lord of Runestone has no heraldry described in the books other than a penchant for wearing bronze armour emblazoned with runes. I'm tempted to have a plain bronze shield, with the impression of runes following in the spirit of the book, not necessarily following the Wiki.
Tyrion spots a number of other sigils at his Trial in the Eyrie...
'others sported sigils he did not know, a broken lance, green viper, burning tower, winged chalice' (GOT, p.405).
The Wiki has elaborated on these further, but I plan to stick to the spirit of the books and do my own versions. Taken altogether, I can easily make another mounted unit from this pool of sigils.
I have no immediate plans on fielding infantry forces for these, being more inspired by recycling the models I have. However, arget8 has me looking at the Battlemasters Reiksguard more closely with a view to conversions that could potentially add 18 professional looking halberdiers along the lines of these...
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/02/7e/47/027e47fb430f808a84d49f983f076fd3.jpg
I'm sure with a little work I could introduce sufficient variation to make a viable looking unit.

[sukhe_bator]

Some hazy w.i.p. shots (apologies for the atrocious camera work) of the knights of the Vale, mashups of Battlemasters with GW 5th and 6th Ed. Bretonnians and a couple of small Perry touches... House Hunter, 'burning tower', Templeton, Corbray, Arryn with double standard, Redfort and Belmore

[Askellad]

Waw, inspirational
I have the same idea with the rangers for Nightwatch but i dont have buy them 
Nice idea for the rohirrim horsemen, I think that LOTR figures are good for cheap GoT conversions.

Well done,

Askellad

[Ogrob]

Very nice heraldry!

[Dilettante Gamer]

Hells bells! I love your split barding heraldry!!

[sukhe_bator]

Glad you like them DG. They look pretty gruesome close up compared to many other far more talented individuals out there and those who successfully use decals (which I have never gotten on with).
Actually the split heraldry look partly came out of my study of European and Samurai heraldry. I picked up a book on Spanish heraldry many years ago. Many of the crusading orders had a sub-order of confrere knights. They were allowed to sport their own heraldry but also had to show their affiliation to the order through heraldry. MSS illustrations show devices quartered with the order's own charge and quartered bardings etc.
Similarly some Samurai clans had rigid systems of heraldry (like the Hojo) with the same device but colour coded to signify different contingents, while other clans (Takeda) had feudal lords sporting their own devices which extended down to the rank and file.
I wanted to show the knights of the Vale as a unified body, but not the cop out of showing just the Arryn sigil. My Lannister barded knights will have their house sigils on all 4 quarters.

[tomrommel1]

very nice additions

[Captain Blood]

Yep 

[sukhe_bator]

Needless to say these will require extensive reworking and repainting... I just can't get the opacity of colour that I could with enamels, and my brushwork shows up every stroke. Using the artist acrylics is akin to watercolour painting for me and I'm having to lay on so many layers, it is sorely trying my patience...
Until I have more workspace I shall probably shelve these for now and concentrate on some other builds or more mundane army building for my LoTR forces...

[sukhe_bator]

Well, I've got some LOTR army-building out of my system and have finally gravitated back to ASOIAF.
On the paint bench at work, my take on Vargo Hoat, plus mounted Northern bannermen comprised of mashups of GW LOTR Rohirrim with Perry heads and arms and on horse swaps. I'm reserving some Fireforge cavalry for Stark and Bolton.
I'm painting up one representative of each house for starters, and will initially muster 2 x 6 mounted units. From among the lesser houses I have Karstark, Cerwyn, Manderly and Glover under the brush atm, and will start on Tallhart, Hornwood, Ryswell, Umber and probably Stout and possibly Flint.