Club Pillage Campaign: Piotr’s Saxon Army is Ready!
Richard recently announced a Dark Age campaign using Pillage rules by Guillaume Rousselot from Victrix. This has prompted several club members to buy new figures or dig out old ones. Although we only need 20-30 figures many of us could not resist acquiring much larger armies.
Faction
I initially settled for a Frankish army, but later changed my mind to Anglo-Saxons. What follows is some tongue-in-cheek confabulation, and some photos of my completed army from Middlesex (i.e. ‘Middle Saxons’ from West London – groan!). My figures are 28mm metal from Warlord Games, so weren’t the cheapest but saved me from the assembly required with plastic figures (apart from the weapons and shields).
Painting
King Stanrocc of Middlesex stands alongside Beowulf his Standard-Bearer. The standard is ‘Grimm Draca’.
Painting was using spray paints in brown for a base coat, then a black wash and dry-brushing tunics with acrylic paints. Highlighting was a lighter shade of the tunic colour, then detailing (hair, helmets, faces, skin, undershirts, chainmail, weapons, etc.). I tried to give each ‘unit’ an identity, and consulted complementary colours on Google to sync tunics and shields (which I painted by hand). I used gloss varnish. All in all a lot of fun, and perhaps I should even read the rules now!
SAXON ARMY OF KING STANROCC GODWINE OF MIDDLESEX, BY GRACE OF GOD LORD OF THE SOUTH, MASTER OF THE NORTH, DUX BELLORUM, BRETWALDA, ETC. ETC.
Middle Saxon host on parade at Hounslow Heath… 😉
1. HESTON ARCHERS – LED BY BOGAMON (ONE OF THEIR NUMBER)
Raised from nimble hunters and poachers, these lads are allegedly trained in skirmish war games… the obligatory bald guy is Bogamon himself!
2. FELTHAM SLINGERS – LED BY WARG (ONE OF THEIR NUMBER)
Boozy rascals spared the stocks to serve the Shire (pester people legally). Unit leader Warg with stylish ‘tache is second from left (above).
3. RED CEORLS OF BRENTFORD – LED BY BOTWULF
Low-born freemen, specialising in shield-walls and mead consumption
4. BROWN CEORLS OF HOUNSLOW – LED BY HEREWARD
Renowned for close-combat charges, and love of exotic spiced meats…
5. GREEN CEORLS OF GREENFORD – LED BY GODRIC
Sheep farmers but free, allegedly great with the sword (and shears)
6. BLUE CEORLS OF ISLEWORTH – LED BY OSMUND
High class godly men of the lower orders, who’ve perfected the throwing of spears
7. ‘RED SPEARS’ – HUSCARLS OF ACTON – LED BY WULFSTAN
Elite Nobles of the King’s Guard, bloodthirsty and famed for many successful battles with Vikings
8. ‘BLUE SPEARS’ – HUSCARLS OF EALING – LED BY EADGAR
Elite Nobles of the King’s Guard, highly regarded experts in raiding and special operations
9. ‘PURPLE HUSCARLS’ OF HAMMERSMITH, WITH DANE AXE – LED BY GRIMBOLD
Elite Nobles of the King’s Guard, shock troops of Middlesex with heavy weapons, guardians of the royal mint
10. CHISWICK RIDERS – LED BY THANE TOFTON
Well-heeled men with big wicker-roof mansions, hangers-on at court with impressive equines and shiny sword-pommels. Thane Tofton (centre) holds the famed ‘Cheese board’ shield of Chiswick.
11. HIGH COMMAND
King Stanrocc with Beowulf the Standard-Bearer, and Unit Commanders (as above)
12. HOLY MAN – BROTHER MALACHI
Benedictine monk of Ealing, bard, illuminator of manuscripts, nifty with a battle staff and allegedly anonymous author of the Great Deeds of King Stanrocc of Middlesex…Â
Men of Middlesex! Charge!!!
85 figures fit into a small ‘Really Useful’ box.
Let’s pillage…
