Sunday, January 1, 2012
Early British Kingdoms
. Early British Kingdoms is another resource rich website. It includes chronologies of the Scots and Picts as well as the Saxons from ad 495 to 1066, a very nice set of colored political maps through time, Saints, archeology, King Arthur and more.
The Wuffings of East Anglia
This is Dr Sam Newton's website on the early Seventh Century kings in East Anglia. He has two books available as well as a lot of information on the web about this kingdom. The Wuffing kingdom is the locale of the famous Sutton Hoo ship burial, and also the possible origin of the classic Beowulf. A good jumping off point for Anglo-Saxon inspiration.
Project of the Year
I think that the Project of the Year gaming wise for 2012 will be Arthurian Britain.
This is spurred in no small part by the news that Osprey is releasing a new Dan Mersey Arthurian game "Dux Bellorum" in August. Stillna good ways off, but it gives me time to get armies ready in anticipation.
Local enthusiasm for WAB seems to have died off, so my 28mm are gathering dust. Their cause is not helped by my minimal play space.
DB seems to be playable in small spaces if 15mm figures and small bases are employed. So, being a great fan of 15mm gaming, I will start over in Arthurian in that scale.
First out of the gate will be my Splintered Light Saxons. I have had the figures for a while, but not painted them. A DBA army pack that should provide just what I need for a warrior heavy DB army. Probably no shield walls because I don't think the early Saxons fought that way.
I do have at least one unit of war dogs, the lack of historical evidence not withstanding, as well as a couple of pagan priests and a veritable giant of a champion. These will find use somehow.
I even have a figure that is a perfect representation of the reconstructed Sutton Hoo warrior.
Oh, what fun. I will likely chip away at my 28s as well, maybe for WAB, maybe for DB, maybe even for Impetus, we sall see.
This is spurred in no small part by the news that Osprey is releasing a new Dan Mersey Arthurian game "Dux Bellorum" in August. Stillna good ways off, but it gives me time to get armies ready in anticipation.
Local enthusiasm for WAB seems to have died off, so my 28mm are gathering dust. Their cause is not helped by my minimal play space.
DB seems to be playable in small spaces if 15mm figures and small bases are employed. So, being a great fan of 15mm gaming, I will start over in Arthurian in that scale.
First out of the gate will be my Splintered Light Saxons. I have had the figures for a while, but not painted them. A DBA army pack that should provide just what I need for a warrior heavy DB army. Probably no shield walls because I don't think the early Saxons fought that way.
I do have at least one unit of war dogs, the lack of historical evidence not withstanding, as well as a couple of pagan priests and a veritable giant of a champion. These will find use somehow.
I even have a figure that is a perfect representation of the reconstructed Sutton Hoo warrior.
Oh, what fun. I will likely chip away at my 28s as well, maybe for WAB, maybe for DB, maybe even for Impetus, we sall see.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Morrigan
Here is a link to a wonderful picture of the Morrigan envisioned as a Hooded Crow.
http://www.elfwood.com/art/j/e/jenmiller/morrigan.jpg.html
The artist has requested that her work not be reposted elsewhere, but rather linked to. I can respect that. She says that she offers large format prints of this piece. I may just have to contact her for details about that.
http://www.elfwood.com/art/j/e/jenmiller/morrigan.jpg.html
The artist has requested that her work not be reposted elsewhere, but rather linked to. I can respect that. She says that she offers large format prints of this piece. I may just have to contact her for details about that.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I'm not dead yet
It seems like forever since I last updated this. Life has a way of getting in the way.
However I have finished the cavalry, knocked out a unit of Late Roman foot, and begun work on some chariots.
Pictures comming soon.
However I have finished the cavalry, knocked out a unit of Late Roman foot, and begun work on some chariots.
Pictures comming soon.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
They shoot horses, don't they?
I really hate painting horses. I am currently working my way through a cavalry unit. Even with photos of real horses to guide me, I just find them tedious.
On the upside, I got the Osprey on Pictish warriors. Lots of nice pictures including Pictish iconography.
I have also begun modelling a temple for my Picts. It is based on a Bronze Age temple found in a peat bog. It was part of the Bog People travelling exhibition. It should provide an interesting piece of scenery on the table.
On the upside, I got the Osprey on Pictish warriors. Lots of nice pictures including Pictish iconography.
I have also begun modelling a temple for my Picts. It is based on a Bronze Age temple found in a peat bog. It was part of the Bog People travelling exhibition. It should provide an interesting piece of scenery on the table.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Dog Day Afternoon
I have completed the next unit in the warband. 12 savage hounds ready to bay forth on the track of their enemies.
The actual use of warhounds in battle is debatable at best. The primary source seems to be Bernard Cornwell. Be that as it may they look ferocious and are fun on the wargames table. Certainly the Picts are known to have employed large hounds for hunting, and it is quite possible that these hounds participated in skirmishes if not full scale battles.
After a search for suitable dogs I settled on the Vendel Miniatures mastifs, for those who prefer the look of Irish wolfhounds those are available from Gripping Beast. Vendel offer a total of 12 varients. Five leaping, running and attacking with collars, the same five without collars, and a two pack of one lying and one sitting, both with collars. These dogs are quite large.
When it came to painting them I had no hesitation at all. I had previously painted a quartet of GW mastif like wardogs for Mordheim in brown and black, but for these I went for an image out of Welsh mythology. No less source than the Mabinogion. My hounds are painted as the Cwn Annwn. They are creamy white with red ears and green eyes. These are the fearsome hounds that accompany Arawn Lord of the Underworld on the Wild Hunt.
The unusual colouring makes the dogs stand out while still looking realistic.
The actual use of warhounds in battle is debatable at best. The primary source seems to be Bernard Cornwell. Be that as it may they look ferocious and are fun on the wargames table. Certainly the Picts are known to have employed large hounds for hunting, and it is quite possible that these hounds participated in skirmishes if not full scale battles.
After a search for suitable dogs I settled on the Vendel Miniatures mastifs, for those who prefer the look of Irish wolfhounds those are available from Gripping Beast. Vendel offer a total of 12 varients. Five leaping, running and attacking with collars, the same five without collars, and a two pack of one lying and one sitting, both with collars. These dogs are quite large.
When it came to painting them I had no hesitation at all. I had previously painted a quartet of GW mastif like wardogs for Mordheim in brown and black, but for these I went for an image out of Welsh mythology. No less source than the Mabinogion. My hounds are painted as the Cwn Annwn. They are creamy white with red ears and green eyes. These are the fearsome hounds that accompany Arawn Lord of the Underworld on the Wild Hunt.
The unusual colouring makes the dogs stand out while still looking realistic.
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