As promised/ threatened the second batch of the 28mm metal warlord Saxon slingers.
Not much to add about these. Just to prove that I did sixteen of them here is a group photograph:
Another eight 28mm foot @5 = 40 points.
Running total:
89 28mm (83/6m).
16x 15mm (16f)
44x 10mm (20f/24m)
149 figures (619 points)
In the category "easy pickings" here are some Warlord Saxon slingers. Again, very simple figures, and a corresponding easy paint job. Contrast paints and Army Painter speedpaints (well, the Deep Cut Speed Paint markers, to be honest). Nothing to be especially proud of, and just the first of two packs, but they are ready to be put on the table. Probably Saga again, these (once the second batch is done) can be a levy unit, or combined with some bowmen I guess (slings and bows having the same effect under the rules as I seem to remember).
They are not too bad, I suppose. I like it that there are eight unique poses in the pack. I am less enamored by the separate slings, they were not very easy to glue in place and I can see some of them breaking and going missing in battle very easily. Ah well.
Another eight 28mm foot @5 = 40 points
Running total as of October 14th:
81 28mm (75f/6m).
16x 15mm (16f)
44x 10mm (20f/24m)
141 figures (579 points)
Slowly getting back into the swing of things. I have always been interested in the post-Roman states, both on the Continent and in Britain. So of course have to have a sub-Roman/ Arthurian or Late Imperial force for Saga. I already have enough of them for a small warband, but one can always have more.
These are 28mm Crusader Miniatures. They are simple figures, but well sculpted and cast, and I really like them. There is not an overwhelming amount of detail on them, but the details are fairly crisp and they paint up nicely. For me, they have exactly the right look and feel for the period.
I mainly used contrast paints or speedpaints on them, experimenting a bit with the new speedpaint markers, then put a wash of “Marine Juice” over them and finished them of with the excellent Little Big Men transfers.
8 more 28mm foot @5 = 40 points
Total as of October, 2025
73 28mm (67f/6m).
16x 15mm (16f)
44x 10mm (20f/24m)
133figures (539 points)
That went well. April was a very productive month, and then I decided to rearrange my hobby room, summer came and my painting mojo went. In short, I have done practically zilch since spring.
However, I bought some of the Deepcut Studios speedpaint markers and decided to try them on some Warlord 28mm Saxon ceorls. By now, I have built a complete box of these. I am not much of a modeller, and I struggled to construct the little buggers. For some reason, the heads particularly gave me a lot of trouble. Moreover, they are rather indifferent sculpts, with little and very soft detail. So, I did not really feel inclined to devote a lot of time to them. Used the speedpaint pens when practicable, some brushwork where not, applied the excellent Little Big Men transfers, and used the Army Painter dip to round them off. As run of the mill troops, I think they came out alright and they will be a useful addition to my Saga forces. However, I am not thrilled by the idea that I have another box of them. Ah well.
Another eight 28mm foot @ 5 points = 40 points.
Total until September, 2025:
65x 28mm (59f/6m).
16x 15mm (16f)
44x 10mm (20f/24m)
125 figures (499 points)
I have not had as much time for painting as usual, because of the Easter period, but I still managed to complete some figures.
First, during the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I had started on my starter set for A Song of Ice and Fire by CMON games. I really liked Game of Thrones (apart from the finale, that is, obviously), and I have been collecting the figures on and off for the past few years. I had, however, not yet gotten around to painting any. During the Challenge I painted a unit each of Lannister Guardsmen, Stark Sworn Swords, Stark Outriders, and the Umber Berserkers. These are now joined by a unit of Lannister Halbardiers:
I quite like these figures. There is enough variation in the poses, the details are good without being overwhelming, and considering the numbers I still have to paint I am glad that they paint up well. I just hope that I actually like the game, for I have not played it yet!
Next up is a brigade of 10mm Perrin Confederate infantry, based for Altar of Freedom. This is a ruleset by Greg Wagman of Little Wars TV fame, which is meant for 6mm figures. However, I they will work well for 10mm too, and I simply put twenty figures on a base, which in my view gives a pleasing effect. I used speedpaints again, Army Painter Ashen Grey for the tunics and headgear, and Contrast Frostheart for the trousers. I have given these a little more regular look than I usually do.
These were the last of my Perrin infantry. In the UK, they were produced and sold by Magister Militum, which has unfortunately stopped trading. Therefore, I have ordered some Pendraken figures to add to my forces. They are very nice figures, though smaller than the Perrin miniatures. I will paint them up, and I do hope they will go together as long as they are not in the same units. Fortunately, the 10mm Magister Militum ranges have been rescued by Peter Berry and his team from Baccus Miniatures, and are now again available through Tenth Legion.
Finally, I have painted up some 32mm fantasy guards designed by Iain Lovecraft. They are quite clearly based on Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. They are very nice figures, and they can be used in many different games. I plan to use them for Guards of Traitor's Toll, which I have ordered but not yet received. I have painted numerous fantasy type figures, which will be very suitable for that game I think.
That's all for this month. Today's harvest would have netted me 16x5 = 80 and 20x2 = 40 points, or 120 points in total.
Scores as of April, 2025:
57x 28mm (51f/6m).
16x 15mm (16f)
44x 10mm (20f/24m)
117 figures (459 points)
In general, I prefer metal figures to plastic. I like the heft of the metal (less so when having to transport your army, I guess), but more importantly I am not very fond of having to build the plastic figures. I have built some in the past, but not very many. As metal figures are relatively expensive, I bought some boxes of Warlord Anglo-Saxon ceorls to fill out my army. On the plus side, these relatively simple figures can be used for many Dark Ages nations, so are very versatile. I found building them frustrating. It is probably my inexperience, but I found the heads often a bad match, ending up with some very long-necked types. Ah well, they will do.
As far as painting goes, again a simple job. The figures themselves are not particularly good, the details, in so far as they are there, are soft. However, once they are painted and the transfers have been applied to the shields, they look fine enough.
Next, I painted some Gripping Beast late Roman heavy cavalry. Now, these went together much more easily, and I like them a lot better. They are more detailed, and the details are more pronounced than on the Warlord models. I only bought a couple of sprues, so for now these six are all there is. I have not yet equipped them with shields, as I am not sure yet if I will be using them as late Romans or as Arthurian. We’ll see.
Anyway, that’s another 12 foot and six mounted for 120 points.
Total as of April 2025
41x 28mm (35f/6m).
16x 15mm (16f)
24x 10mm (24m)
81 figures (339 points)
I really enjoy Dead Man's Hand, the Old West game by Great Escape Games. I have painted up some figures, and built some terrain, mainly Sarissa and some 3D printed buildings. I like the "Hollywood" sillyness of the game and it's simple rules. I also have What a Cowboy by the Two Fat Lardies, but I have not played that yet.
Here are some 28mm cowgirls. One of them is Calamity Jane, a metal figure by great Escape Games, and the other three are 3d printed figures by Join or Die. They are all fine figures, and painted up nicely. No special paint jobs here, mainly using Contrast or Speedpaint again.
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| Calamity Jane is on the right |
I have backed a lot of Kickstarters for 3d printed figures and terrain, and two of my favourite designers are Evan Carrothers and Iain Lovecraft. The two Egyptian style figures below are from Evan Carrother's Empire of Scorching Sands, whereas the warrior monk is from Iain Lovecraft's second Robin Hood set. I do not really have a particular use for any of these figures, but I quite liked painting them up. They are all "heroic" scale miniatires, more or less 32mm.
In AHPC terms these are 7x 28mm foot @5 = 35 points
Totals:
23 x 28mm
16x 15mm
24x 10mm
63 figures painted in April 2025 (219 points)
As promised/ threatened the second batch of the 28mm metal warlord Saxon slingers. Not much to add about these. Just to prove that I did si...
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