And Then Dice Happened: archers

Showing posts with label archers. Show all posts

Sunday, 8 March 2015

Storm of Arrows Redux

So I've finally got the unit of Neville archers done.

I went with a slightly more uniform look for these. The character that seems to be forming between the two retinues as I paint them is that the Percys are more rough and ready whereas the Nevilles are more organised. Now that I've recognised this, I'll try and carry it through into the respective units of billmen which are the next stop.

Putting the two retinues side by side shows me that the plan of contrasting livery is working again at making them look quite distinct, even though they are made from the same component parts.

The billmen will be constructed from the remains of the Perry Infantry box and the Foot Knights. This will give 24 miniatures that could double as Foot Serjeants or Foot Yeomen as they'll have a mix of armour and normal livery. It also makes a virtue of the fact that the infantry box itself doesn't give me enough to make both units.

Before that, though, I think I've earned a break; a palette cleanser, if you will. I'll post that this week.

The 2015 Pledge so far:

Bought: 189
Painted: 54

Thursday, 5 March 2015

Lion Stirring

Having finished the course of antibiotics - marvellous things except the damnable restriction on scotch - and sundry other items provided by the apothecary I was able to resume work on the wee chaps.

As you can see, this is the Neville Longbowmen with all basecoats and shading. Still left to do is highlighting and then the white which is, of course, the last thing to be done.

After this will be a short break - either a wee blast of Victoriana or possibly some Vikingr. Good manly hirsute fun in either case.

A new arrival was the storage solution for my retinues - and more besides. I have a couple of KR Multicases containing a variety of half finished armies about the place and I really can't recommend them enough. For around £27 we have here a single case that will hold both Lion Rampant retinues, two SAGA war bands and two INHN companies. That's great value and convenience by anyone's standard.

Hopefully an update at the weekend to show a finished unit. In the meantime, I leave my fellow history fans with this little gem:

Chin up chaps.

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

A Storm of Arrows

So that's the second Unit for the Percy Retinue done.

These are tabletop standard only, mainly because I could feel my interest and attention flagging. Unit painting really doesn't suit me.

However, taken as a whole, the Percy Retinue so far is looking quite striking:

The other thing is that the Dragonborn cleric is nearly done; the attempt at source lighting really didn't work but the miniature didn't cost me anything so I can feel quite sanguine about it not looking quite right.

On the plus side, the conversion work has helped to balance the oversized head, so I'm happy with that.

I have a few days of half term left (bar a funeral) so if I can get the archers unit for the Nevilles done I will take a well-deserved break from the Wars of the Roses and paint something else before I come back for the billmen and mounted knights.

Now the depressing bit:

The Pledge So far:

Bought: 189
Painted: 42

CRIPES!

Monday, 9 February 2015

Time's Arrow

A busy evening of watching Ripper Street was accompanied by a frenzy of construction:

The headless horde was eventually mustered as the first unit of archers for the Percy/Yorkist retinue.

Again, the Perry miniatures plastic are a joy to work with. This first lot were built straight off the sprue but I can already begin to picture conversion opportunities that lie therein.

The sculpts are full of character and produce some interesting poses even without any repositioning:

Another slightly disinterested character in the foreground, perhaps a distaff relation of Sir Stig.

I'm looking forward to getting these on the painting table but we've had a bereavement today which might cause a little disruption.