Painting a viking army

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

Later period I know but the MiddelAlder Centre in Denmark https://www.middelaldercentret.dk/om-os is an inspiration to me and gives me all sorts of visual cues on colours and possible vignettes for the medieval gaming table. Also other reenactment/living history sites like https://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/about
Plenty of visual references to inspire you

Happy Viking!

Neil

[Daniele]

Thank you all.

[Daniele]

Vikings are a nice army to use in CK. Their problem can be opponent quality cavalry.
The veterans cannot be everywhere at the same/right time to bounce off cavalry charges.
John's veteran armoured vikings can stand their ground, so long as their flanks can hold out for long enough.

Viking armies have a wargamer "plus plus" because gamers love the ease of information and film/fiction about this army.

For myself the "Last kingdom" added to the enjoyment of these armies.

martin

Just finished to watch "Last Kingdom" a month ago and I really enjoyed it. You touched an interesting point, cavalry. I noticed the saxons range has not cavalry, cause I still didn't study about the historical background of this army, I ask you, didn't you sculpt saxons cavalry because they didn't use, or was it planned for a later moment?

[martin goddard]

Nice question Daniele.
Vikings and Saxons both used horses a lot for sport and some transport.
The UK fighting was mainly shield wall v shield wall with no one needing cavalry. The ground is too lumpy for good charges (even in the WOTR)?

I did not make cavalry as they do not feature in any longships battle. The exception is the Carolingians, who did use a fair number of cavalry against the vikings etc.  Carolingian cavalry was a necessity as there were many borders and many foes moving about their lands. Got to get there "firtest with the mostest".

The mounted vikings can be used as messengers etc for both armies.
The PP range is 9th century just like the last kingdom.
Norman invasion 200 years later (11th century)
 I hope that gives some light??


martin

[Martin Smith]

As martin wrote - both Saxon (/English) and Viking armies may have ridden to/from battles, but fought on foot.

The only reference to Saxons 'fighting while mounted' was a saga which mentioned mounted Saxons attacking footslogging Vikings at Stamford Bridge 1066. However, the saga was (IIRC) written somewhere around 1250 AD, and after much debate it has been concluded that the writer was applying the 'normal' of his day (nobles fighting while mounted)to the troops of a previous era, or possibly getting confused with the action at Hastings (this is all from memory, but something along those lines).

[Leman (Andy)]

I read somewhere, a few years ago now, that Harold Godwinson used cavalry when attacking the Welsh in the 1050s. However these may have been some Normans fighting for him and hired by King Edward. Apparently these same Normans built the first motte and bailey in England on the Welsh border. A pity I cannot remember the reference for this.

[Martin Smith]

I read somewhere, a few years ago now, that Harold Godwinson used cavalry when attacking the Welsh in the 1050s. However these may have been some Normans fighting for him and hired by King Edward. Apparently these same Normans built the first motte and bailey in England on the Welsh border. A pity I cannot remember the reference for this.

Battle of Hereford, Oct. 1055. English under a (possibly) Norman local lord, Ralph, fled on horseback. Suggestions that the English had been 'made' to fight mounted, against their usual style/training.

[Daniele]

I seem to remember Stewart having successfully used LBM transfers designed for Khurassan miniatures for his Peter Pig models - could you please confirm I have that right, Stewart?

Simon

Simon, is Stewart a member of this forum? I was suggested to use LBM transfers by my brother too, he used them  with a very nice result for an hoplite army some years ago. I would like to send him a pm to be sure I can use the ones for Khurassan miniatures.
Thanks
Daniele

[Colonel Kilgore]

Damiele,

Yes - Stewart 46A is a stalwart member of this Forum.

Even if he's been ignoring us on this thread 

Simon

[martin goddard]

I like never met him your honour. Know what I mean.
And I was not even there, innit.

martin

[Sean Clark]

I like never met him your honour. Know what I mean.
And I was not even there, innit.

martin

I've met your sort before, sonny Jim.

[martin goddard]

Help help i'm being oppressed.


martin

[Stewart 46A]

Hi
I'm back
Been busy in outaspace dealing with a lot of creepers

Here are the Viking designs I used

Stewart

[Colonel Kilgore]

Thanks Stewart, and welcome back from outer space, keeping the final frontier clear of alien beings.

You have answered the question perfectly - Khurasan shield transfers it is!

Unfortunately, we can't buy any until Victrix have got tooled up to produce them for Little Big Man Studios:

https://www.littlebigmenstudios.com/

They say late January / February.

Fortunately I still have quite a few figures to paint up before having to worry about their shields 

Simon

[Daniele]

Thank you very much Stewart, I'll order these transfers asap. The banners seem me very large if compared with the transfers for the shields. Is it just an impression? And above all, did vikings use such banners in the early period?