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Friday, February 8, 2013

You never forget your 1st - Saga warband!

Thanks to a sprawling collection of Vikings and Normans I scored at Bartertown, I've got a bunch of Saga painting under way. It's a nice change up from my 15mm work and soon, our club will be taking the Saga plunge!  My first warband is made up of Gripping Beast plastic Vikings. GB plastics are a treat, with tons of options off the sprue.  I'm following the Dark Ages Color Palette created by John at the 1000 Foot General blog.  It' hard to stick to muted colors but I think I managed. Thanks John for doing the heavy lifting for the rest of us!

Berserkers-1 Point.  Berserkers are best portrayed as shirtless, even pantsless, madmen running around in an animal's hide.  For the purist or pedantic, grab a box of plastic Celts and do a Viking headswap.  Boom, you'll have a shirtless madman.  You won't be able to use the 2 handed Danish axe though.  I love the look of these guys with a huge axe so I used my GB fellows.  Throwing 4 dice per figure in combat, my Beserkers are going to tear up the house!

Burkhard from the excellent dhcwargamesblog, gave me his advice on fielding berserkers:  Those are the men you need to perform a surgical strike (but they will most likely only survive one or two of those) that can serve as a game winner. Hide them behind a unit with higher armor values until they get close if your opponent has ranged weapons.  Sounds good to me and thanks for sharing, Burk!
Soon, you too shall be painted!

 Sven's Tree Removal,  at your service!  

Sorry boys, the pantsless berserkers got here first.  
Bondi Warriors-2 Points. Not much to say about except they went down well.  At the finish line, I realized they'll be handled roughly on the tabletop so I brushed on a protective coat of Future acrylic polish followed by Liquitex Matte Medium to take the shine off.  I did think about freehanding shields but I was desperate to get my first warband on the table.  Shields are the excellent LBMS transfers.




After years of painting 15mm, I confess that there's something deeply satisfying about working in a bigger scale. With a larger canvas, you reap a greater reward.  It's much slower going, in part because I've hardly worked in this scale in years.  Some of my 15mm color combos don't scale up well but with as many figures as I have to paint, there's time enough to crack the code! Skol Vikings!

40 comments:

  1. Good work and ideas Monty, I totally agree about bigger scales especially with ageing eyesights!

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    1. I turned 52 yesterday so boy, this is especially appropriate for me. Thanks!

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  2. Hi Monty,
    I'm staying at 15mm, but that's true, your splendid figures make me want to paint some 25mm; they are looking great (and fierce!)...
    All the best,
    Phil.

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    1. Thanks Phil! I have to get over and see your 1870 post, I mean, show!

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  3. Those really do look amazing - the different beards really stand out to me. Well done!

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    1. Thanks Jonathan! When my son was 12, we painted Warhammer together for a couple of years. I used to have a GW beard color combo printout for dwarves but I'll be darned if I can find it. So that was one of the challenges of getting back on the 28mm horse-beard color combos!

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  4. Hi Monty,

    they are Top!
    great work done!

    I would like to know a little thing: could you explain to us how you can use a heavy axe to do a Surgical strike???? I'm very interested to have an answer;-)
    I suppose you 'll do the points suture with a rotative machine gun to close the wounds, am I right??
    the next announcement on HBO will be the TV serie: "Monty's home mad(e) medicine man"
    soundtrack: bad medicine of Bon Jovi
    the guest appearences of Hugh Laurie, Georges Clooney and special guest of Sally Kellerman ;-)

    have good painting and good games with the Sons of Odin !

    Cheers

    Gilles " slowest and least useful emergency ;-)"

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    1. Lol and thanks Gilles! Surgery with a Danish axe...that would be quite terrible. Your shoutout hints that you are steeped in US pop culture! How did that happen to such a fine fellow? ;-)

      And you had a 28mm army under way. Is it progressing nicely or did you finish?

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    2. Lol and thanks sir! What a shout-out, you seem to be steeped Hollywood pop culture. How did that happen to such a fine fellow as yourself? ;-)

      Hey, how is your 28mm army coming along?

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    3. it's a long, long story Mate, it could be begin by:
      thefrenchjester: " once upon a time in small village of France......"
      the crowd: "shut up big nose!!"
      thefrenchjester: " don't call me big nose!"
      the crowd: "oh! shut up big nose!! you tell us only boring stories "
      thefrenchjester:" ok, I get out on the Dark side of the moon!"
      the crowd: "yes, get out of this way! dastardly big nose ! "

      Cheers

      Gilles " walking like a egyptian on the dark side of the moon;-) "

      Ps: I painted and varnished some more Egyptians,still have to base them before showing them"

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    4. Work in Progress is always good. It means you're progressing! And your life sounds much like a Monty Python skit.

      Take care sir!

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  5. Great to see you paint some 28mm Mounty, the wait have been long;)

    Greate paint job on thhe minis !!!

    I would have given the men with the DaneAxes shields on their back, a good viking never leave home without at least 3 shields;)

    Now i´m looking forward to see the berserkers and the Warlord himself !

    By the way was it good advice about the berserkers, they are real killers but will die easy by shooters, remember to give them extra deffence dice and they might be up and running for a 2nd charge:)

    best regards Michael

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    1. Dal, your work n 28mm is inspirational. I greatly admire your style of painting and your ability to make your figures pop right off of the table. You are the Pied Piper of Saga and maybe Muskets and Tomahawks as well!

      THANKS too!

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    2. Thanks Mounty, kind workds ! Appreciated !

      Monty you painting of your 28´s are at least as good as mine, like your first vikings alot !!!

      I´m also very impressed by your staminia for painting huge amounts of 15mm minis that look stunning ! I have painted my fair share of 15mm but I cant handel them at all at the moment, even turned down a couple of comissions of 15mm, may be some day...

      Now you better get back and painting more Vikings so far only 3 points have been presented;)

      Best regards Michael

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  6. Very, very nice, Monty. Don't you love figures wearing chain mail? Makes painting about 50% faster!

    These are some of the best looking plastic figures I have seen!

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    1. Yes, all that chainmail and armor was a huge help for breaking in. I have Viking levy archers that are all cloth and cloaks and it is much, much slower going!

      That is a wonderful compliment, Scott! I really appreciate it sir.

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  7. Great start on your Vikings. The shields turned out nice too. Did you do some weathering to the transfers or is that how they come?

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    1. It's all LBMS. I put some Matte over them to protect them and keep the shine down but the weathering and mud was all LBMS. Amazing work by those fellows. They have a huge influence in ancient and medieval shieldwork. Even when people freehand, you can see their designs.

      Thanks Jason and I see your painting team grew. Congrats!

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    2. Well that's good to know. Their (and yours) shields certainly look very nice.

      Thanks, the painting team always has room for one more, Monty. I'm sure Eric would appreciate someone else painting up some French or French Allies... ;-) Affable personalities are always a bonus!!

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  8. I like the larger scales as well. You can see the "personality" of the figure so much better. I've recently been including 15mm into my collection and they are difficult for me.

    You've done a great job with these and those shields are really nice. I love your captions!!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words! Looking at your latest post, I was thinking I need to step up my presentation and photography. And continue to grow as a painter. You do all 3 so well!

      During my son's High School choir performance this week, they performed "The Rising of the Moon." Such a moving and beautiful piece! And not at all like Shane MacGowan's version. ;-)

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  9. Looking very choppy, Monty. So far, I've dodged the Magpie on SAGA, but frankly, posts like this don't help ;)

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    1. You don't see it but the Magpie is on a branch right above you. There he goes! You know it's coming back. 28mm, affordable, goes well with beer! Such a nice magpie.

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  10. Another note: If you want some real inspiration you must read The Saxon Tales series of books by Bernard Cornwell (The first book is The Last Kingdom). I am reading these now and cannot put them down... historical fiction all about the Danes and their invasion of England. The imagery of the Danes in the book is remarkable.

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    1. Oooh, excellent. Ok, true confession. I am the biggest fan of history (aren't we all?) BUT my knowledge of the Dark Ages has to catch up with my painting of the Dark Ages. I usually read up and research before I paint but I took the painting plunge first. I'm going to Amazon and order this up. THANKS for the tip!

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  11. "Pants less berserkers" - two words to strike fear into the stoutest heart! They are fabulous, Monty, I especially like the face on the red beardy chap in the first photo. Very scary.
    Darn you and people like you for making this dark ages stuff look like so much fun!

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    1. Thanks kindly, Michael, and thanks for following!

      I'm usually in Ancients but if the Dark Ages will have me, I plan to stick around long enough to paint up a number of armies. Vikings, Normans and I must paint the Irish since I love all things Irish. And if we have to blame anyone, I blame Michael and Burkhard for all of their Saga posts last year!

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  12. They are looking great Monty- be careful though. 28mm is very addictive!

    Craig

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  13. Great job on these lads, Monty. 28mm is a fine way to go. Let's try Muskets & Tommahawks soon -- so many beautiful figures in yet another peroid to paint ;^)

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    1. Thanks Brent! Yes, let's give it a go. I've been looking at other bloggers painting M & T and thinking, "Shiny!"

      In the meantime, its Maurice time!

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  14. As my eyes age, I find painting 28's more relaxing than 15's. While 15's still make up a large proportion of output, 28's are taking a larger share of the projects. You may find a similar experience.

    Very nice detail on the bladed weapons. Both handles and blades are quite convincing. Nice touch!

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    1. Jonathan! Yea, I have to wear x2 cheaters to paint 15mm and I don't read with x2. There must be a lesson in there for me somewhere!

      Thanks sir! The light is a bit bright to see in these photos but I did use the old GW style of black worked up to highlighted blade's edge.

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  15. Ha, I have been waiting for this post for a week snd then I miss it! :-P

    They are looking lovely Mpnty... You really managed to transfer your skills from 15mm to 28mm. And I am really looking forward to your first battle reports!

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    1. P.S.: happy belated birthday to you... Wish I will look as healthy at 52!

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    2. lol! I'm well preserved due to all the acrylics I've inhaled, consumed and spilled on myself. Plus, painting does keep you out of the harmful rays of the sun!

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  16. Burk! Thanks for your feedback and your good advice when I was pondering how to put together a Viking army. We've been slowed a bit to the field of battle due to our Saga leader having a new child on the way. We'll get something cooking soon!

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    1. Thank you Artar! I'm addicted to painting. Next to gaming, it is my favorite thing!

      :-)

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