Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 8 - Hearthguard Unit 2, Day 2)

I decided I was unhappy with the paintjob on the horses so I've updated them a bit here and there. The drybrushing was a bit clumsier than even my normal standard so I've tidied it up a bit.

Aside from the basing, I'm considering the horses to be pretty much complete.

I've still got a lot of work to do on the riders. I'm very tempted to overpaint the green bits - I really don't like them at all. And obviously all the skin and hair needs doing, as will as some pick-me-up drybrushing on the wooden bits.

Still really disliking these models.

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Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 7 - Hearthguard Unit 2, Day 1)

Work is underway on my second unit of Hearthguard for the Anglo-Saxons.

These models (the whole army, in fact) was given to me by my good friend Mike. I got boxes of stuff from him not all of which was Anglo-Saxon, but on the theory that "one dark age warrior is much like another" I've decided to use these "Wargames Factory Germans" with Saxon Warrior heads and Shields to represent my Anglo-Saxon mounted Hearthguard.

It's purely down to availability of models - I'm actually not particularly fond of these models at all - the horses are really small and the riders are oddly misshapen. But they're here and they're free.

More news as it comes in.

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Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 6 - Hearthguard Unit 1, Finished)

My first full unit is completed! It's only four models, but I'm still counting it as a milestone.

This took about another hour on from my previous post so all told I spent in the region of 2.5 hours on these guys.

I'm currently working on two more units - a unit of Warriors and a unit of Mounted Hearthguard.

Stay tuned!

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Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 5 - Hearthguard Unit 1, Day 2)

Another pleasant evening's painting allowed me to get some detail on these models.

Now I found myself looking at these models after I'd finished work last night thinking "now why did I do that?"

"What?" you ask yourself?

Well, I have a more-or-less golden rule when painting. I do sometimes stray from it a little, but never this much. The rule is: start at the deepest recesses of the model first. Normally, that's flesh and skintight cloth. The idea is it's easy to ruin protruding details when poking your brush into recesses so avoid it by painting the recesses first.

So, howcome (I wonder) did I leave the skin until last this time?

No idea at all :-)

So, fabric all done, some snow on the bases, drybrushng complete on the woodwork, leather highlighted.

This took another 45 minutes so I'm 90 minutes in on these guys so far. Still having fun!

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Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 4 - Hearthguard Unit 1, Day 1)

Well I managed to get a short session in on my first Hearthguard unit last night. That enabled me to basically get a load of drybrushing done.

So the weapons, armour and bases are drybrushed and the wood and leather bits have been painted a dark brown.

I'm liking what I'm seeing so far - this represents about 45 minutes work all told. Feels like reasonable progress to me. Looking forward to getting more done.

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Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 3 - Warlord finished)

The first model for my Anglo-Saxon Warband is complete.

I like him. Even if I did build him brandishing a sword which is still in its scabbard (muppet, muppet, muppet, muppet...)

He has a nice, dark, drab colour pallette which I like.

Next up will be a unit of Hearthguard.

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Saga: Anglo-Saxons (Part 2 - Warlord painting underway)

I'm finding this project dead exciting and frustrating at the same time!

Exciting because it's entirely new to me - new rules, new models, new game entirely!

Frustrating because I'm not able to put more time into it - life is hectic right now.

Anyway, I've made a pretty solid start on my Warlord model. There's loads more detailing to do but at least work is underway:

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Saga: Anglo Saxons (Part 1 - building and basecoating)

Time to try something new.

I've been a player/collector of GW's models for so long it's easy to forget that there are other and often better games out there. Games with much cleaner, leaner rules.

I was recently fortunate enough for my friend Mike to give me some cast-off models and rules that he'd collected for the game Saga. He's not given up playing but just had more than he needed.

So, I am setting about turning his overflow into maybe two or three playable warbands.

I've started with some Anglo-Saxons.

So far they have simply been built, had bases textured and been sprayed black. They should hopefully start to look more interesting in short order.

All models are Gripping Beast minis with the exception of the mounted Hearthguard which are Wargames Factory.

As I'm working with donated models (and am too cheap to buy any more) I've not had free choice in what I'm working with. My Hearthguard (foot) and Warriors are all simply GB's "Saxon Thegns", but:

• I've used heads from the Thegns (which are helmeted) for the Hearthguard and...
• Heads from the sprues I used for my Levies (GB Dark Age Warriors) for my Warriors - they're un-helmeted so it will help distinguish between them on the tabletop.

Sorry about the gloomy photos - lighting was awful when taken.

My Warlord

My first Hearthguard unit

My second Hearthguard unit - mounted. These are Wargames Factory models with some Gripping-Beast heads. Not too keen on these fellas - the horses are miniscule and the riders' feet are bare. They also seem very "hollow-chested".

My third Hearthguard unit

Some Warriors

More Warriors

And finally some Levies

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